Acne alone is a challenging skin condition to treat and can have a significant impact on a person’s self-esteem. Unfortunately, after clearing acne, many are left with scars that reduce the chance of building lost confidence. Acne scars are caused by inflammation and damage to skin tissue. They can include dark spots, raised scars, or pitted scars. There are several treatments available for acne scars, including dermabrasion, laser resurfacing, punch grafts, chemical peels, dermal fillers, and microneedling. Microneedling seems to be the most favorable among many aesthetics providers due to the ease of treatment, quick healing, limited risk of side effects, and extraordinary results. 

SCAR TYPES

Pitted Scars

Pitted scars, or atrophic scarring, are most often caused by acne and can be the most difficult to treat. There are three types of atrophic acne scars that range from shallow to deep. Boxcar scars are known for their sharp edges and square-like appearance, rolling scars have a wave-like appearance, and icepick scars are narrow and deep. Atrophic scars are caused by severe inflammation that destroys collagen and breaks down the surrounding tissue. Inflammatory acne triggers an immune response in the body, causing an influx of inflammatory cells that break down collagen, and the body does not generate enough collagen during the healing process to fill in the depressions. 

Terri Wojak is a highly sought-after professional with over 20 years of experience in the aesthetic industry. Wojak is the education director of GlycoAla and runs her own education company, Aesthetics Exposed Education. She is a respected authority on skin care in a medical setting, education, and business development on multiple levels. Wojak has built 50 individual courses based on skin care in a medical setting. More than 100 of her articles have appeared in a multitude of industry magazines, and she has published two books, “Aesthetics Exposed: Mastering Skin Care in a Medical Setting & Beyond,” in 2014, and “Mastering Medical Esthetics,” in 2009. Wojak has trained over 5,000 aestheticians and medical professionals on the importance of incorporating skin care into cosmetic medicine, ultimately helping clients and medical providers alike.