As though acne wasn't bad enough, we are left with scars to deal with. And though these scars do not do much harm and some even go away on their own, they do give us a bad time while they last. From making us feel conscious to lowering our self-esteem, these scars certainly work against our minds. In the case of severe acne, the person is often left with permanent scars on the skin.
Understanding acne
As we reach puberty, our bodies produce a lot of hormones which increase the production of oil in our skin cells. The hair follicles in our skin get clogged with this oil and dead skin cells, forming whiteheads and blackheads and turning the region into a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The bacteria then cause inflammation, causing pimples and pustules (bumps filled with pus). If the clogged pores open up deep into the skin, they form cysts.
Why the scars?
There are various forms of acne. The milder ones such as blackheads usually do not leave a mark if they go away on their own or if they are removed properly with a removal strip. Mild pimples, also called whiteheads, can be removed by over-the-counter medication. Inflamed pimples (pustules), however, are absolutely capable of leaving behind scars after they go away. The most severe form of acne, characterised by nodules or deep-seated cysts, almost always leaves scars that are permanent.
The small reddish or brownish scars left behind by pimples will eventually fade away. The problem starts when we pay a lot of attention to their presence and allow them to affect our self-esteem. Because a pimple or pustule can be very irritating to carry around, a lot of people pick or pop them. This habit firstly creates scars and secondly, if the scars are toyed around with too much, they can turn permanent. The more one uses the fingers on acne, the greater the chances of getting permanent scars.
Treating the marks
Various treatment procedures are available for removing the acne scars or making them less visible. Common procedures vary from dermabrasion where the skin is slightly scraped off to allow for new skin to grow in the region to laser procedures where the dermatologist uses laser to remove the top layer of skin and tighten the middle layer. Such procedures should be done by a dermatologist and only if you think the scars are very severe. In the case of permanent marks left by cysts, surgery is necessary. It is important to note that the scars do not do any physical harm and their effects are mostly psychological. While none of us would want to move into our twenties and beyond with a lot of scars on our skin, we should also be careful not be too fussy about the smaller, less noticeable scars which will fade away gradually.
Patience is the key
A pimple or pustule can be very, very irritating. Everyone knows this because apart from a few very lucky ones, we all have to endure the pains of acne during our teenage years when we already have enough reasons to feel insecure and conscious. The most tempting thing to do is to bust it open, pop it and squeeze the pus out.
Never do this. The short-lived relief will wear off once you realize you have created a wound and you have a scab on your face. More often than not, you are very tempted to pluck off that scab, too and get it over and done with. That leaves you with a scar.
Over-the-counter medication is available for treatment of acne. And though they take time, pimples do go away. If you have more severe forms of acne, visit a doctor. You will be prescribed stronger medication to deal with the problem. Do not lose your cool and pop open the bumps. It's an almost universal problem and a pimple or two should not affect your emotional health in any way whatsoever.
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