Acne Scar
September 3, 2008 · Print This Article
Most cases of acne last only through your adolescence but it can leave scars that may last a lifetime. Acne scars look like pits or craters. Proper treatment of acne will go a long way in reducing acne scars. Before you treat acne scars, your dermatologist will take your age, overall health and medical history. Then the severity and type of the acne scar will be determined, your tolerance for specific medications, procedures/therapies and finally, your preference.
Oil called “sebum” is secreted normally from hair follicles which travels up the tiny hair follicles to the skins pores where it lubricates and protects the skin. Sometimes, there are overworked oil glands which enlarge and produce too much sebum which can get trapped in the hair follicle. Thus the pores get clogged which are then either called blackheads or whiteheads. This will allow bacterial overgrowth of Propionibacterium acnes. In the surrounding skin, acne will be formed when these bacteria inflames the hair follicle.
Acne manifests in many different ways. Though they all look like cysts, they have distinct characteristics.
Whiteheads: These are formed when a pore is completely blocked trapping bacteria, sebum and dead skin cells and forming a white protuberance on the surface. Some of them appear bulbous, but care should be taken not to pop these cysts as it may lead to bacterial infections.
Blackheads: These happen when a pore is partially blocked allowing some of the dead skin cells and sebum to flow out. The black colour is not an accumulation of dirt or grit but formed as a result of a reaction of melanin, a pigment in the skin, with oxygen. Blackheads do not clear as easily as whiteheads.
Papules: They are small, tender red bumps without a head. Don’t ever try to squeeze a papule because it will cause scarring.
Pustules: They are similar to whiteheads but are more inflamed and appear as a red circle with a white or yellow center.
Nodules: Nodular acne consists of cysts which are much larger and more painful and long lasting. Nodules are hard, large bumps forming under the surface of the skin. Acne scars are very common with nodules and you should not attempt to squeeze a nodule. It may cause trauma to the skin and the lesions may last longer.
