If you struggle with acne scarring and won’t leave the house without camouflage makeup, microneedling may be for you. The scarring that is most amenable to skin needling is called atrophic scarring, which is the most common type of acne scarring. Atrophic scars have a significant impact on your self-image, confidence and quality of life.
What are Atrophic Scars?
Atrophic scars are indented or depressed scars that form when the skin is unable to regenerate collagen. They are commonly referred to as pockmarks. Depressed scars may be icepick scars, rolling scars or boxcar scars.
How are Atrophic acne scars treated?
Atrophic scars are a challenge to treat. Treatment options include chemical peels, fillers, punch excision, subcision and microneedling. All treatments are designed to improve the appearance of scars and relieve anxiety about your appearance.
What is microneedling?
Microneedling is a remarkably simple and effective way to treat depressed acne scarring, and improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and moderate sun damaged. It works on the same principle as laser skin resurfacing which is also used to treat atrophic acne scarring.
Skin needling, also called collagen induction therapy, creates thousands of micro punctures in the skin deep down to the dermis. These controlled wounds initiate inflammation and healing by releasing a cascade of growth factors to stimulate collagen production. Treatment may cause mild skin redness that may last a few days to a week.
Microneedling will improve post-acne scarring, reduce pores and wrinkles, and rejuvenate the skin’s texture and firmness.
Results can be seen starting at about six weeks. However, it takes time to grown new collagen, and may take up to three months for new collagen to improve these scars. Skin texture will continue to improve over the next 12 months.
What are the advantages of microneedling?
Compared to other procedures, needling has major advantages.
- It is safe for all skin types.
- The procedure should not hurt, but you will receive topical numbing cream to be sure you are comfortable.
- It has the lowest risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, a common problem with laser resurfacing, chemical peels and dermabrasion.
- The treatment does not leave a line of demarcation between treated and untreated skin.
- The recovery period is 2-3 days which is considerably shorter than resurfacing.
- It is also significantly less expensive than laser resurfacing.
Microneedling is a medical procedure.
Microneedling is a medical procedure that should be performed by an experienced, board-certified dermatologist or aesthetic fellowship trained physician, in a medical office.
At ArmstrongMD, our aesthetic fellowship trained physicians use sterile needles that puncture deeply enough to cause bleeding. Home devices are not intended to penetrate the skin, are difficult to clean, create a risk of scarring and infection, and will not deliver the same results as treatment from our physicians. Professional microneedling delivers significant and long-lasting results.
If you are suffering from disfiguring acne scars, do something good for yourself. Soon, you may be will be able to leave the house without makeup!
Contact the skin experts at ArmstrongMD in Orange County, California, to learn about microneedling for post-acne scarring. Our team of internationally renowned dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aesthetic fellowship trained physicians will develop a customized treatment plan to address your goals.