Acne is the most common skin disease in the U.S. It affects as many as 50 million people every year according to the American Academy of Dermatology. While in some cases, acne sufferers will leave most of their acne-related memories behind once they leave the teen years and their breakouts subside, many others will carry scars as a continual reminder of their disease, even if they no longer experience serious breakouts.
Most people think acne scars only occur with the most serious, deepest types of acne. But the fact is, even mild acne can cause scarring, depending on the number of breakouts you have, your skin type, and other factors. In addition to the physiological aspects of acne — the way it affects your skin and skin health — the disease can also have a major impact emotionally and psychologically. People with acne and acne scars may also experience issues like depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and a lower quality of life compared to those with clear complexions.
Not too long ago, the only way to deal with acne scars was to have a deep chemical peel or dermabrasion, both of which required significant healing and recovery time. But today, microneedling offers a much gentler approach that can still be extremely effective in reducing or even eliminating the appearance of acne-related scarring (and other types of scars, as well).
What causes acne scars?
Visible scars may look unsightly, but they actually serve an important purpose. Scars are your body’s way of “patching up” a weak area of your skin. When your skin is injured, it triggers a healing process inside your body. The injury “tells” your body there an area of weakness that can make it easier for germs and other pathogens to get in. And your body responds by laying down a thick layer of collagen, strong protein fibers found naturally in your skin. Normally, collagen fibers are dispersed more or less evenly throughout your tissue, helping your skin feel firm and resilient.
When you’re injured, your body causes more collagen to form in the injury site, forming a tough barrier to prevent infection. Since more collagen is recruited to the site, scars often look and feel a lot different from the surrounding skin; many scars look paler or darker, and they can be raised above the surrounding skin or (more commonly with acne) depressed below it.
How microneedling works
Microneedling gives your skin a “second chance” at healing, breaking down scar tissue while triggering a gentler healing response inside your skin. At Serenity Medical Spa, Dr. Gertzman uses a special type of microneedling system called Vivace RF®, which combines the benefits of both microneedling and RF energy. During a microneedling session, Dr. Gertzman uses the Vivace device to create tiny punctures in your skin, a type of “controlled injury” that’s used to trigger your body’s natural healing responses. Each tiny “wound” breaks down the tough networks of fibrous collagen while promoting the creation of new, healthy skin to take its place. The radiofrequency energy helps stimulate healing responses in the deeper layers of skin for faster, more predictable results and softer, smoother skin.
Most microneedling treatments take a half hour or less, and before your treatment, your skin will be numbed with a topical anesthetic to keep you comfortable. Afterward, you might have some mild redness, tenderness, and swelling in the area, but those effects clear up within a day or two. While your skin heals, you should avoid sun exposure and drink lots of water. It’s also important to wait for 24 hours or so before applying makeup to give your skin time to “breathe” in the initial stages of healing.
Microneedling can offer visible improvement after just a single session, but most patients achieve maximum benefits with a series of three or more treatments, spaced a month apart to give your skin time to recover in between. Dr. Gertzman can create a treatment schedule that’s focused specifically on your needs and goals.
Learn how microneedling can help you
Don’t let acne scars make you feel self-conscious. Microneedling at Serenity Medical Spa can help you get the smoother, clearer skin you’ve been looking for. To find out more about microneedling and how it can help you, book an appointment online today.
