Does Microdermabrasion Work for Acne Scars?

31 Aug Does Microdermabrasion Work for Acne Scars?

Acne happens when dead skin and oils clog hair follicles. The symptoms often include oily skin, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and in some cases, scarring. Common acne, medically known as acne vulgaris, is genetic in 80% of cases. There may be other causes, though there isn’t enough scientific evidence to point to conclusive causes other than genetics. It is thought that hormones, puberty, skin infection and diet may play a role. Some people mistakenly believe that acne is caused by a lack of skin hygiene, which is not true. Scrubbing and cleansing with soaps and cleansers can actually make outbreaks worse.

Read more about acne on Wikipedia.

There are treatments that can help control acne, but what do you do if your acne has resulted in visible scars? Thankfully, microdermabrasion works for the most common type of acne scars, known as “atrophic scars”, which account for about 75% of all acne scarring. Atrophic scars are flat, shallow depressions that occur when not enough collagen is produced during the healing process. In essence, there aren’t enough new skin cells to fill the depression. There are several types of atrophic scars: boxcar scars, ice pick scars and rolling scars. Microdermabrasion can help improve all three if they aren’t too deep. Microdermabrasion doesn’t work with raised scars (hypertrophic), or keloid scars – a type of raised scar that is much larger than the area of acne that produced it.

How Microdermabrasion Works for Acne Scars

Microdermabrasion is a super-exfoliant that clears away the “stratum corneum” – the topmost layer of skin that usually shows the most skin damage. This skin resurfacing itself can reduce the appearance of depressed acne scars, although it’s what happens after a treatment that results in the most visible improvement of atrophic scars. Microdermabrasion stimulates the body’s healing response, including the production of collagen and skin cell regeneration, which in turn fill in the depressions that are characteristic of atrophic acne scars. Microdermabrasion also smooths the skin’s surface, evens out skin tone and decreases the size of enlarged pores.

Several microdermabrasion treatments are usually required for the most noticeable improvement of acne scars, depending on the depth and number of scars being treated.

If you live in Port Moody, Coquitlam or Port Coquitlam and would like to book microdermabrasion treatments for acne scars or have questions, please contact From Hair On. We’ll provide a free consultation and make recommendations.