Acne Scar Treatments
It is important not to attempt to treat scarring until after active breakouts have healed.
Types of Nonsurgical Treatment
If you have acne scarring, treatment to alleviate their appearance may be just what you're looking for. There are a number of nonsurgical acne scar treatments, like a prescription skin cream, that may improve the appearance or diminish the visibility of scars. It is important not to attempt an acne scar treatment until after active breakouts have healed. A nonsurgical scar treatment may include the following:
- Topical retinoids, such as Retin-A, Tazorac or Differin smooth acne scarring by encouraging the production of collagen and speeding the rate of cell turnover or exfoliation. These treatments can take several weeks to result in any improvement.
- Natural scar treatments such as vitamin E have been used by many people to decrease the visibility of scars, but studies have proven this option to offer no benefit and could even make the scar's appearance worse.
- Isotretinoin is a powerful treatment intended for cystic or severe acne scarring that is not responsive to other treatments. It is reported to be effective, but requires close monitoring by a dermatologist and cannot be used by pregnant women because of the risk miscarriage or severe birth defects.
- Skin or soft tissue fillers are substances like collagen or fat that is injected into the scar to bring it up to the same level as the surrounding skin. This treatment is only effective for a short time, so treatments must be repeated frequently.
- Chemical peels are often used to improve small, depressed scars. Repeated sessions may be needed.
What do these treatments cost?
The costs of nonsurgical acne scar treatments vary widely. The cost of a tube of a topical retinoid treatment, costs in the range of $60-$70. Collagen treatments cost about $300 to $700 per cubic centimeter, while chemical peels range from $75 to $600 per treatment.
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If you're finding that nonsurgical acne scar treatments are not effective, read on to learn about surgical acne treatments such as microdermabrasion and laser treatment.