Acne affects a great number of people in early adulthood. While many people recover from acne without any permanent effects there are a number of people who are left with unsightly scarring. There are topical creams available, however, the most common treatments are a combination of surgical procedures and skin resurfacing.

Acne removal treatments depend on the type and extremity of the scars. Common types of scars include ice pick scars and boxcar scars. Ice pick scars get their name because their appearance is as if the skin was punctured by an ice pick. They are narrow and deep enough to affect both the dermis and the subcutaneous layers of the skin. Boxcar scars are round or oval and have sharp vertical edges. They are wider in diameter and tend to be shallower, however some may be deep.

Types of Acne Scar Removal Treatments

*Punch Excision: This method is used on deep scars such as ice pick and deep box car scars. A punch biopsy tool is matched to the size of your scar and used during the procedure. The scar is then excised with the punch tool and the skin edges are sutured together. The scar created due to the procedure is small and fades with time.

*Laser Resurfacing: This is popular for many types of skin defects. The lasers burn the top layers of skin to allow deeper healthier layers to surface.

*Dermabrasion: This treatment is very effective for acne scars. A brush is used at high speed to remove surface skin and alters scars. More shallow surface scars are completely eliminated while deeper scars become more superficial.

*Microdermabrasion: This newer treatment method is a shallower version of dermabrasion. In this procedure, aluminum oxide crystals are used in a vacuum tube to remove surface skin. Only cells on the very surface of the skin are removed. Due to the surface nature of this procedure, multiple treatments may be required.

*Chemical Peels: This procedure used acid solutions to remove damaged surface skin. Chemical peels for acne are effective in enhancing and smoothing the texture of the skin. There are different types of chemical peels and depending on the type and severity of your scars, your dermatologist will recommend an appropriate chemical formula based on the characteristics of your skin and desired result. Often the solutions contain alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid and other natural acids.

There are numerous options for acne scars removal and it is important to feel comfortable about which is appropriate for you. Keep in mind that these treatments strongly depend on the type and severity of the scars as well as the desired outcome. Some of these treatments can be pretty painful and expensive and therefore it is important to also research more natural options that can also promise great results.