Acne scar treatments

Acne scar treatments for the removal and fading of acne scars should be carefully and thoroughly reviewed with your dermatologist before making a decision.

At some point in life, everyone experiences acne. For some, acne is nothing more than an annoying and sometimes embarrassing rite of passage that occurs during adolescence, when hormone levels surge. Others unfortunately suffer extreme bouts of acne.

Several different acne scar treatments are available. These work to help the scarred area return to a more 'normal' appearance because most acne scars, like any type of scarring, can almost never be permanently removed.

If scars are not too severe, they can be treated with a chemical peel also known as chemexfoliation or derma-peeling. Chemical-exfoliating agents are applied to the skin which effectively removes the microscopic top layer of skin allowing the cells underneath to rejuvenate. These exfoliating agents may include: trichloroacetic acid (TCA), alpha-hydroxy acids, including glycolic acid, phenol, salicylic acid, lactic acid, alpha-keto acids, tretinoin or retinoic acid, or resorcinol. The application of these acids causes the skin to "blister" and peel. The result is a fresh looking, new layer of skin.

Although milder versions of a chemical face peel can be purchased over-the-counter, the process is more effective when done by a dermatologist.