How do you get rid of acne scars?

Acne scars appear when blemishes and pimples worsen into an inflammatory form and penetrate deep into the skin, damaging the underlying tissue. The main causes are:

• Intense inflammation: The greater and more persistent the inflammation, the more damage is done to the skin, increasing the risk of scarring.

• Handling spots: Touching, piercing or squeezing spots aggravates the phenomenon and increases the risk of infection, inflammation and permanent scarring.

• Genetics: Some people have a genetic predisposition to hypertrophic or keloid scars, which are thick scars caused by an overproduction of collagen and thickening of the skin. Similarly, certain skins, often darker or matt, heal less well because they contain more melanin.

You may notice acne scars when you observe the following signs:

• The skin becomes irregular: bumpy or sunken, depending on the type of scar.

• Uneven skin tone, redness and hyperpigmentation resulting from the inflammatory response or overproduction of melanin.

• Increased sensitivity: Some marks may be more sensitive or even painful and may cause itching during the healing phase.

As mentioned above, acne can leave behind various marks and scars that can alter the texture and appearance of the skin. Among the most common are dark spots, indented or raised scars, dilated pores and cysts or cystic acne. Each of these marks has its own distinct characteristics.

• Dark spots: also known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, form when acne inflammation causes an overproduction of melanin, resulting in darker areas on the skin.

• Pitted scars: often called atrophic acne scars, form when the skin's healing process is insufficient, leading to skin depression.

• Raised scars: these are caused by excessive collagen production during healing, resulting in visible elevations on the skin.

• Cysts or cystic acne which are more severe forms of acne, can cause painful nodules under the skin, which can leave deep scars.