Acne Scars Marks

Acne is one of the commonly occurring skin conditions that affect people of all ages. Sensitive-skinned beauties will agree that dealing with acne breakouts can be challenging despite sticking to a regular skincare routine. Acne breakouts also leave behind deep scars and marks, which can spoil the way your face looks. While trying to seek treatment for your acne marks or acne scars, it is essential to know the difference between these two terms, as they are used interchangeably. Keep reading to avoid confusion and understand their key differences, causes, and acne scars and marks treatment options to have blemish-free skin.

What Is Acne?

Acne is a common skin that develops when the hair follicles are clogged by impurities like grime, dead cells, dead bacteria, and oil [1]. It is also called acne vulgaris and can occur on your face, neck, back, and shoulders. Acne induces pimple breakouts occurring repeatedly and leaving stubborn blemishes on the skin like marks or spots. A study shows that about 9.4% of people across the globe get acne, making it a common skin issue [2]. Though acne is not a serious concern, it can cause a lot of pain and with time, the acne scars or marks might get deeper. Acne scars and marks on your skin in visible areas like the face, neck, and shoulders can affect your self-confidence and cause emotional distress [3], which is why it is essential to get it treated.

Confusion between Acne Marks and Scars

People often get confused and use the terms like acne scars and acne marks interchangeably. However, it is essential to realize that both these skin conditions are distinct. Learning the differences between acne scars and marks will help you determine the suitable treatment for your skin. It is essential to distinguish between acne scars and marks, as it will help follow a specific skin care regime that focuses on the particular skin condition and avoid using products with certain ingredients to keep your skin flawless.

Understanding the factors that cause both these skin issues will help you prevent acne breakouts in the future and manage it in a better way with targeted treatment. Knowing the difference between acne marks and scars will help you select the right method of treatment. You can make a well-informed decision about which treatment option will be effective for fading acne marks but will not work for scars and vice-versa.

Definition of Acne Marks

Acne marks can be defined as temporary skin discolorations caused by skin tissue inflammation, collagen loss, and genetics. Acne marks are called Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation or PIH, which leaves discolored spots that look flat as soon as your acne lesion heals [4]. PIH refers to a chronic skin issue, which is caused by an inflammation or injury caused by pimples [5]. This skin condition develops dark and flat spots on your skin surface owing to excess melanin production. It has a white, pink, purple, black, red, or brown appearance based on your skin tone and the severity of skin damage. Acne marks are not permanent and generally fade with time.

Definition of Acne Scars

According to the definition by the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, acne scars can be defined as the result of inflamed blemishes caused due to clogged skin pores with bacterial buildup, excess dead cells, and oil [6]. Acne scars are created when your skin tries to heal the lesions by producing collagen fibers, which leave a mark as soon as deep lesions heal [7]. It can be referred to as permanent textural changes as well as indentations, which develop on the skin owing to severe acne. Acne scars occur when huge acne cysts filled with pus cause irreplaceable damage to skin tissue [8]. When the pus in the acne cysts gets drained and heals, it leaves a deep scar on the skin, especially the face.

Acne Marks vs. Acne Scars: Key Differences

While dealing with acne can be frustrating, as it can lead to self-consciousness and mental distress [9], its aftermaths such as skin issues like acne scars and acne marks can be more daunting.

  • Appearance: Acne marks have a flat and discolored appearance and have a purplish, pink, brown, or red tint based on your skin’s color [10]. Acne scars, on the other hand, refer to the deep indentations or depressions caused on your skin when acne causes damage to deep skin layers and messes with your skin’s collagen production [11].
  • Duration: Acne marks on your skin are not permanent, as it is developed by your skin when trying to heal itself after the acne breakouts. On the other hand, acne scars denote the permanent changes inflicted on your skin in terms of its texture. These scars are stubborn and will persist for several years unless treated by a certified dermatologist [12].
  • Causes: Acne marks are a result of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and skin trauma caused by acne breakouts. Acne scars occur as your body’s inflammatory response to deal with acne when your skin tissues get damaged and the production of collagen is affected. So, acne scars are formed due to deep indentations and depressions on the skin.
  • Types: Acne marks can be categorized into three types, such as hypopigmented marks, erythematous marks, and hyper-pigmented marks, which are caused by melanin overproduction and inflammation. Acne scars are of various types, namely ice pick scars, hypertrophic or keloid scars, rolling scars, and boxcar scars, which occur due to collagen overproduction and skin tissue damage [13].

Causes for Acne Marks & Acne Scarring

Several reasons can lead to acne breakouts, which often result in acne scars and marks [14]. They are:

1.Clogged Skin Pores

Acne breakouts often leave stubborn scars and marks as a result of an inflamed lesion, which is known as a cyst, pustule, or papule. These inflamed blemishes develop when your skin pore or follicle gets blocked with excess oil, bacteria, and dead cells. When the skin pores get inflamed with clogged dirt, the follicle wall breaks leading to a lesion [15]. Deep inflamed lesions are severe and can cause spillage of infected material in your dermis layer, thereby damaging the skin tissues [16]. Your skin will initiate the production of a fibrous protein called collagen to repair the skin damage. However, the healed skin doesn’t look flawless, as there is an acne mark or acne scar, making it look unsightly.

2.Too Much Stress

If you are working on projects with a tight deadline, then it is natural to be under pressure and stress while coping with the stressful work environment. When the sebaceous glands in your skin produce too much sebum to respond to your high-stress lifestyle, it causes severe acne breakouts. Depression and anxiety induced by stress can also affect your sleep cycle and food intake, which in turn can worsen your acne breakouts, often causing acne marks and scars.

3.Imbalance in Hormones

The hormones in your body exhibit a strange behavior especially when you enter stages like pregnancy, puberty, pregnancy, and adolescence [17]. So, your sebaceous glands expand in size to facilitate sebum overproduction and increase the oiliness of your skin, which can cause acne breakouts, scars, and marks.

4.Side Effects of Medications

Some drugs that you might be taking to treat any medical condition might cause breakouts on your skin like acne and pimples. Such breakouts might cause lesions with severe inflammation, which will lead to severe scarring and stubborn marks on your skin. Consuming medications that contain steroids for treating bipolar disorder, epilepsy, and depression will also cause acne marks and scars.

5.Genetics

Acne is a genetic skin condition that will affect you if anyone or both your parents are dealing with regular acne breakouts. A study has revealed that the chances of you developing acne at an early stage if both your parents are prone to acne [18]. So, your skin is susceptible to the scars and marks caused by acne.

6.Unhealthy Food Choices

Following an unhealthy diet by choosing food items that are loaded with preservatives, food color, high sugar, and fat can cause severe skin inflammation during acne breakouts, which may leave deep scars and marks [19]. Avoiding foods with high amounts of carbohydrates, greasy snacks, and high glycemic foods that can trigger acne breakouts will be beneficial.

7.Not Following Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is essential to achieve flawless skin free from unsightly acne marks and scars. Some of you might have severe oily skin that is clogged with whiteheads and blackheads. So, it is essential to keep your skin free from dirt and sebum accumulation by taking regular showers and washing your face twice daily. Always take a warm shower after your gym routine to wash off the excess sweat and bacteria buildup to prevent acne breakouts.

8.Using Wrong Cosmetics

Choosing skincare products and makeup items that have pore-clogging comedogenic ingredients can induce acne breakouts, often resulting in dark scars and deep marks [20]. Choosing oil-free makeup items and skincare products with non-comedogenic ingredients will be beneficial in avoiding acne and its aftereffects [21].

Treatment Options for Acne Scars and Acne Marks

Your dermatologist would inform you that most of the acne marks can be treated with OTC products along with a strict skincare regime, the deep scars of acne might be persistent and demand advanced treatments to lighten it. There is an array of professional treatments available to treat stubborn acne scars [22]. Your dermatologist might suggest the best treatment option after assessing the severity of your skin tissue damage. It includes:

  1. Laser Therapy: Laser therapy [23]. utilizes high-intensity light beams that target the problem areas in your skin to trigger the production of fresh collagen and support quicker skin healing.
  2. Chemical Peels [24]: When treating acne scars, chemical peels [25] are a compelling choice, as they remove the topmost layer of your skin using a special handheld device and chemical solution. This procedure helps eliminate the deep scars left by acne on the top skin layer and reveals the new skin under it [26].
  3. Microneedling: This procedure utilizes a device equipped with small-sized high-precision needles that make micro-injuries on your skin to induce collagen production and promote the natural healing ability of the skin. The fresh collagen produced fills up the depressions caused by the acne scars to make the skin smoother while enhancing its texture [27]. Though you might have to take up a couple of microneedling sessions, you can stay assured of flaunting blemish-free and scar-free skin.
  4. Microdermabrasion: This non-invasive procedure for treating acne scars is performed with a special device a diamond-shaped tip studded with small crystals that possess deep exfoliating abilities. The fine crystal-tipped wand eliminates your skin’s top layer gently to reveal fresh-looking skin that looks bright and smooth. This procedure is an ideal choice to eliminate acne scars, as it lowers the shallowness of the scars and enhances your skin texture [28].
  5. Injectable Options: Your dermatologist might suggest the usage of injectables [29] like fillers to plump up your skin to create smoother skin and eliminate the depression of acne scars.
  6. Dermabrasion: Dermabrasion refers to the removal of your skin’s uppermost layer using a dedicated device to achieve even and smooth skin [30]. You can opt for dermabrasion if you have severe acne scarring and get radiant skin.

Wrapping Up

Now that you have realized the significant differences between acne scars and marks, choosing the right treatment option that can do wonders for your skin is easier. Consult the experts at Kolors Healthcare to discuss the treatments available to eliminate acne marks and acne scars. Schedule an appointment with a skin expert today for personalized advice and recommendations on treatment. With the right treatment approach, minimize the appearance of your acne scars and marks while achieving naturally healthy skin.

References

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