When everything else seems to not work on acne, only one thing remains. Consulting a dermatologist. Visiting one means showing (off) your not-so-great-face plus being asked some questions.

Hi, this is Dr Sayali Patil of Cosmetic Sky Skin Clinic located on Gangapur Road in Nashik. Among others, we are specialists in Laser skin treatment for acne scars, Laser treatment for pimple marks, Acne removal procedures, and skin and hair loss issues

Questions are something acne treatments love and they ought to be brought up in numbers… That being so, why not do that before hitting the dermatology doctor’s place (you are free to do that even when you come to us)!

Why should I get my acne and its scars treated?

Acne and scar treatment patients ought to ask themselves the following questions:

• Why do I wish my scars to disappear?
• What do my scars do to me and my personality i.e. work-life balance, performance in society and workplace, etc.?
• What was the state before and after acne hit me? What is the ideal state I would like to be in after the treatment?
• Am I in a position to take care of the costs that come with the treatments?

What are the ways to treat acne and its scars at a dermatology clinic?

Once the basic factor about which kind of treatment is good for you is out of the way, the dermatologist shall come up with a completely customized plan that’s dependent upon your condition and type. Primary among the considerations could be the kind of scars you have and where they are located. If you are on certain drugs and other forms of treatment, be it for acne or otherwise, be sure to declare the same to your doctor right away.

With this out of the way, the dermatologist shall crystallize your treatment to a band. For deep pockmarks, it could be the laser, in which Cosmic Sky Clinic of Nashik is numero-uno.

That being so, your skin clinic must know of your condition much in advance.

From experience, we know that mixing treatments can sometimes bring about the best results. These could include:

Surgery on scars to make them shallow!

No, this isn’t open-heart surgery to scare the daylights out of you! Rather, it’s a relatively minor surgery that makes noticeable scars less noticeable by making them shallow – the same way India’s famous potholes become less obvious when they are shallow! Sometimes, shallow scars even disappear with time. Scar tissues are also sometimes broken up to reduce their effects. The best part is that while this goes on, most patients can be on general anaesthesia fully aware of what goes on but still numb to the likely pain!

Removal of skin layers!

Skin as we all know regenerates all the time. That being so, sometimes your dermatologist can even recommend resurfacing that involves removing skin layers so that the body itself produces new, smoother and better skin. Among others, the following could be the techniques used:

– Dermabrasion
– Laser skin treatment
– Microdermabrasion (not the same as what you do at home)
– Chemical peeling
– Dermabrasion

This is best for depressions on the skin after acne that’s not deep. This line of treatment makes scars less noticeable and smoothens particularly deep depressions.

Skin filling

Age and certain genetic conditions mean our body’s flesh gets reduced drastically and is most visible in a place like our cheeks. Collagens and skin fat are two elements, in particular, that start to reduce with age. Your dermatologist could either fill these back or may insert other temporary forms of fillers that last mostly for around a year. Temporary or permanent, both lines of treatment have their pluses and minuses and the best person to help you is your skin doctor.

Tightening the skin

Let’s face it. Acne and other forms of skin scarring are most visible because they form multiple layers of the skin over a single surface. Looked from above or afar, they stand out and makes one noticeable. One of the best ways to get around it is to tighten the skin. Doing so means the skin moves to the top of the crevices and looks less pitted. There are varied forms of treatment under this head of which, Radiofrequency is one though it may need multiple sittings before a visible change comes about. That aside, the patient needs to regulate going out into the open beside the sustained use of sunscreens and moisturizers.

Enhancing collagen production within the body!

Collagen introduces the element of elasticity and fullness to the skin. And with age and conditions including acne, collagen is one of the first casualties. Needling, also called micro-needling in which a device with minute needles that is moved across the depressed area and activates the skin to produce collagen. When done the right way, it brings change though over months with multiple visits to your dermatologist to pursue the course of treatment. Bruises and a gradual swelling can be expected for some time.

Curettage and electrodesiccation

For deep and widespread boxcar kinds of scars, this line of treatment heats the skin and with a spoon-like instrument gently scraps away dead skin. Though it may sound easy, it isn’t and is best for a continuous layer of affected skin.

There being quite a few lines of treatment, we break the article into two.

To be continued……