What causes acne scars?

Posted on 08 Jun, 2011

For acne sufferers, the inflamed and infected spots that afflict them are not their only problem. The scars that can remain once the inflammation has subsided can deeply undermine someone’s confidence.

Scars are caused by the inflammation in the pore. If the wall of the follicle ruptures there is a risk of increased infection. Ruptures that occur close to the surface of the skin often heal without leaving a trace, but if the rupture is deep there could be damage to the healthy tissues.

Collagen fibres are then produced by the body in an attempt to repair the wound. As we all know, however, scars never look as smooth as the original skin surface, and can also have pigmentation which differs from that around it, making the scar more noticeable.

If excess collagen is created, the scar can have a raised surface, but most acne scarring is depressed due to a loss of skin tissue.

When scarring has occurred, effective acne treatment is needed to restore the appearance of the skin. Microdermabrasion removes the damaged layers of the epidermis and stimulates regeneration, while laser treatment can tackle pigmentation problems and eliminate the bacteria that causes the acne in the first place.