Even though acne does not cause very intense pain or hinders you from performing your daily activities, it can have a pretty detrimental psychological effect.
And if you get rid of acne but still carry scars, the psychological effects can prolong for a long time.
Scars typically form on those parts of the skin where tissues get injured.
Our internal immunity system attempts to repair these injured tissues using a group of inflammatory molecules and white blood cells.
Although these two elements are mostly successful in repairing the tissues, the end result is often a battered tissue visible as a scar to the naked eye.
This same phenomenon comes into play in acne scarring, when hair follicles are blocked and the P.
acnes bacterium combines with dead skin cells and sebum.
Our body launches inflammatory molecules and white blood cells to fight acne, which sometimes leads to scarring of the skin.
In most cases, scarring occurs when acne lesions affect cells deep inside the skin like nodulocystic acne.
But there is always a chance of scarring even in less severe cases.
It has been found that some people are more susceptible to acne scars than others.
In a majority of patients, scars remain almost unchanged throughout their life.
When it comes to acne scarring, science is silent about what type of people have a higher chance of getting scars, how long these scars may stay and how intense they will be.
Similarly, it is difficult to foresee how effective a certain acne treatment will be in healing scars.
Till date, the best way to prevent scarring is to treat acne at an early stage when acne lesions aren't very severe.
Delaying treatment means more chances of inflammation inside the skin, which can later result in scars.
In addition, if you find a treatment that is effective, you should continue it for longer to be on the safe side.
And if you already know you have a high tendency of getting scars from injuries, then you should immediately consult an experienced dermatologist and continue treatment under his supervision.
Now in case you already have scars left from acne, you don't need to lose your hopes.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Dermatologic surgery can be the most preferred form of treatment for acne scars.
There are various types of dermatologic surgeries that you can go for but it's better to first consult a dermatologist and have a frank discussion with him.
In particular, you need to tell him how you feel about the scars emotionally and psychologically, and if you are willing to wait for them to diminish with time.
Never give up or lose your heart even in the most severe cases of scarring.
A number of surgical treatments like dermabrasion and collagen injection can make life almost normal for you again.