Men and women of any age can suffer from acne breakouts. It is common for individuals to notice evidence of where they had a breakout, either because the area is red or irritated. While often patients’ skin will heal on its own, in many cases, acne can cause scarring.
If you’re looking for the best acne treatment in LA, request a consultation with AM Facial Plastics.
Our Acne Scar Treatments
We tailor your acne treatment plan to fit your needs and skin goals. Below are some of the acne scar treatments we provide at our Los Angeles, CA, office.
While the primary objective of these treatments is to reduce and heal acne scarring, patients can also enjoy other benefits, including radiant and glowing skin.
Dermabrasion
Dermabrasion is a skin treatment that essentially “sands down” and removes the outermost layer of skin. The result is smoother, more even skin.
Along with treating acne scarring, dermabrasion is also an excellent treatment for fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage.
What to Expect from a Dermabrasion Treatment
During a dermabrasion treatment, we move a wire brush or spinning instrument across your skin gently and carefully. As we move the device over the treatment area, it buffs away the top layer of your skin.
Dermabrasion treatments take no more than 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the area treated.
Once your skin begins to heal, you’ll notice more smoothness due to the removal of the skin layer. Total healing time varies by patient but often takes 10 days to three weeks.
We may recommend multiple dermabrasion treatments to achieve the best results. Treatments are spaced out to give the skin time to heal.
Laser Resurfacing
With a laser resurfacing treatment, a laser removes the top layer of the skin while tightening the middle layer, resulting in smoother, tighter skin.
Aside from acne scars, laser resurfacing treatments are also commonly used to target age spots, uneven skin tone and texture, and sun damage.
The Laser Resurfacing Treatment
Before this acne treatment, we will apply a topical anesthetic to make the process much more comfortable.
During the laser resurfacing treatment, a laser is directed at the skin on the treatment area, destroying the outer layer of the skin. At the same time, the laser heats the skin under the top layer, helping stimulate collagen production. Collagen is a protein naturally produced in the body, which helps make skin look plump and healthy.
Treatment times vary, depending on the area, but it takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. After treatment, the skin takes about 3 to 10 days to heal.
Fractional Laser Therapy
Fractional laser therapy treats the skin with an intense light beam. As the name suggests, this laser treatment is different, as it only treats a “fraction” of the skin, or smaller areas, leaving the surrounding area untouched.
Because fractional laser therapy doesn’t damage the entire surface of the skin, healing is usually quicker than for other procedures.
How Fractional Laser Therapy Works
Prior to the start of your treatment, we can numb the area with a topical anesthetic. Once the area is numb, we’ll apply a gel to allow the device to glide on the skin much easier.
The treatment targets both the outer and mid-layer of the skin. Aside from treating the outer layer of the skin, the fractional laser also helps with the production of collagen for smoother-looking skin.
Post-treatment, the skin usually takes four to seven days to heal.
Fillers
Dermal fillers can be injected where the acne scars are located to “fill” the area and raise the skin, providing even-looking skin.
What to Expect with Fillers
Dermal fillers are gel-like substances used to enhance certain features and provide smooth, plump skin. While fillers are often used for fuller lips and filling in fine lines and creases, they can also be used to treat acne scars.
Before beginning, we’ll determine what areas need filler. We can numb the area before beginning the injections to make the treatment more comfortable.
We will carefully and precisely inject the filler into the acne scars, making them look more even.
Fillers are a fantastic option for patients with acne scars; however, it is important to note that fillers are not a permanent fix. The body slowly metabolizes the product, so you’ll need to repeat treatment. Fillers can last six to twelve months, depending on the patients and how quickly their bodies absorb the product.
Punch Excision
Punch excision is a surgical acne treatment. This treatment often works best for patients with more significant scarring, including deep ice-pick scars.
How a Punch Excision Procedure Works
The punch excision procedure is done under local anesthetic to minimize discomfort. We use a punch biopsy tool, which resembles a round cookie cutter. Because the tool is available in a variety of diameters, we’ll choose the right one for the size of your scars.
The tool excises the scar, and the edges are sutured together. Some patients do not have any additional scarring, but if there is scarring, it’s minimal and treated with resurfacing.
Subcutaneous Incision
Subcutaneous incisions represent another surgical technique used for acne scars. It can significantly improve scarring.
The Subcutaneous Incision Procedure
Before the procedure, we’ll thoroughly cleanse the area and apply a local anesthetic.
During the subcutaneous incision procedure, we insert a needle horizontally underneath the scar. We move the needle back and forth to cut the bands of scar tissue that have formed under the skin and cause an uneven appearance. Once the procedure is complete, the skin immediately looks more even.
Schedule a Consultation for Acne Scar Treatment in Los Angeles, CA
For the best acne treatment, schedule a consultation at AM Facial Plastics. During your appointment, we’ll discuss your concerns and create a treatment plan to get you glowing and even skin.
We serve patients in Los Angeles, CA, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today.