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What is Acne Scars
Acne vulgaris (or simply acne) is a common human skin disease, characterized by areas of seborrhea (scaly red skin), comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules (pinheads), nodules (large papules), pimples, and possibly scarring.
Acne scars are the result of inflammation within the dermis brought on by acne. The scar is created by the wound trying to heal itself resulting in too much collagen in one spot. Physical acne scars are often referred to as “ice pick” scars. This is because the scars tend to cause an indentation in the skin’s surface. There is a range of treatments available. Although quite rare, the medical condition atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis also results in “acne-like” depressed scars on the face.
♦ Ice pick scars: Deep pits, that are the most common and a classic sign of acne scarring.
♦ Box car scars: Angular scars that usually occur on the temple and cheeks, and can be either superficial or deep, these are similar to chickenpox scars.
♦ Rolling scars: Scars that give the skin a wave like appearance.
♦ Hypertrophic scars: Thickened, or keloid scars.
What is acne?
The word acne comes from the word acme meaning “the highest point,” which comes from the Greek akme meaning “point” or “spot” it was originally misspelt, with an ‘n’ rather than an ‘m’ in 1835.
Acne, medically known as Acne Vulgaris, is a skin disease that involves the oil glands at the base of hair follicles. It commonly occurs during puberty when the sebaceous (oil) glands come to life the glands are stimulated by male hormones produced by the adrenal glands of both males and females.
Different Types of Acne
Scars from acne can seem like double punishment first you had to deal with the pimples, now you have marks as a reminder.
It helps to understand the different kinds of acne so you can figure out what to do about different types of scarring: Acne lesions or pimples happen when the hair follicles (or “pores”) on the skin become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. A plugged follicle is the perfect place for bacteria to grow and create the red bumps and pus-filled red bumps known as pimples.
Acne comes in different forms:
♦ Mild acne, which refers to the whiteheads or blackheads that most of us get at various times
♦ Moderate acne, which includes red inflamed pimples called papules and red pimples with white centers called pustules
♦ Severe acne, which causes nodules painful, pus-filled cysts or lumps to appear under the skin
Most serious scarring is caused by the more severe forms of acne, with nodules more likely to leave permanent scars than other types of acne.
