Treatment of Acne Scarring
M. Alam, MD, MSCI; J. S. Dover, MD, FRCPC, FRCP
Abstract
Acne scarring is common but surprisingly difficult to treat. Scars can involve textural change in the superficial and deep dermis, and can also be associated with erythema, and less often, pigmentary change. In general, treatment of acne scarring is a multistep procedure. First, examination of the patient is necessary to classify the subtypes of scarring that are present. Then, the patient´s primary concerns are elicited, and the patient is offered a menu of procedures that may address the various components of the scarring process. It is important to emphasize to the patient that acne scarring can be improved but never entirely reversed.
Acne scarring is common but surprisingly difficult to treat. Scars can involve textural change in the superficial and deep dermis, and can also be associated with erythema, and less often, pigmentary change. In general, treatment of acne scarring is a multistep procedure. First, examination of the patient is necessary to classify the subtypes of scarring that are present. Then, the patient´s primary concerns are elicited, and the patient is offered a menu of procedures that may address the various components of the scarring process. It is important to emphasize to the patient that acne scarring can be improved but never entirely reversed.
Classification of Acne Scars
There are several classifications of acne scars. A recent, comprehensive and functional scheme was proposed, whereby scars are classified as rolling, ice-pick, shallow box-car, and deep box-car. Rolling scars are gently undulating, appearing like hills and valleys without sharp borders. Ice-pick scars, also known as pitted scars, appear as round, deep depressions culminating in a pinpoint base; in cross-section, they are shaped like a "v. Box-car scars have a flat, "u-shaped base. Broader than ice-pick scars, they are round, polygonal, or linear at the skin surface. Shallow box-car scars terminate in the shallow-to mid-dermis, and deep box-car scars penetrate to the reticular dermis.
Treatment Modalities for Textural Change
Among the therapeutic tools for treatment of acne scarring are resurfacing methods, fillers, and other dermal remodeling techniques. These methods can be adapted to treat specific scar types.
Resurfacing
Resurfacing options include:
There are several classifications of acne scars. A recent, comprehensive and functional scheme was proposed, whereby scars are classified as rolling, ice-pick, shallow box-car, and deep box-car. Rolling scars are gently undulating, appearing like hills and valleys without sharp borders. Ice-pick scars, also known as pitted scars, appear as round, deep depressions culminating in a pinpoint base; in cross-section, they are shaped like a "v. Box-car scars have a flat, "u-shaped base. Broader than ice-pick scars, they are round, polygonal, or linear at the skin surface. Shallow box-car scars terminate in the shallow-to mid-dermis, and deep box-car scars penetrate to the reticular dermis.
Treatment Modalities for Textural Change
Among the therapeutic tools for treatment of acne scarring are resurfacing methods, fillers, and other dermal remodeling techniques. These methods can be adapted to treat specific scar types.
Resurfacing
Resurfacing options include:
- Ablative resurfacing with carbon dioxide or erbium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser, medium- depth to deep chemical peel, dermabrasion, or plasma.
- Nonablative and partially ablative resurfacing with fractional laser, infrared laser (1,320nm neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG), 1,450nm diode, or 1,540nm erbium:Glass)
Ablative Resurfacing
Ablative resurfacing entails removal of the epidermis and partial thickness dermis, and is considered by most as the gold standard for pitted scars and some box-car scars. While ablative resurfacing is most effective if it is deep, thereby removing as much as possible of the depressed scar, it cannot be so deep as to destroy the base of the hair follicles; such destruction could impede skin regrowth, and induce scar formation at the treated site. Carbon dioxide resurfacing is the most effective but also most operator-dependent method for deep ablative resurfacing.
Dermabrasion is possibly even more effective, but this is another procedure that is very technique dependent. Deep phenol (Baker-Gordon) peels, also highly effective, have fallen out of favor because of the associated cardiac risk and the frequency of porcelain-white postinflammatory hypopigmentation. Definitive ablative resurfacing results in 2 weeks of patient downtime, during which period re-epithelialization occurs. More superficial resurfacing with the Er:YAG laser or plasma can provide recovery within 1 week, but deeper acne scars may be less improved.
Nonablative Resurfacing
Nonablative resurfacing with laser and lights warms the dermis and can provide modest improvement of acne scarring bystimulating collagen remodeling. All subtypes of acne scars can be improved by nonablative therapy. Among the lasers used for this indication are devices originally developed for otheruses, such as pulsed-dye lasers, intense pulsed light devices, and Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers. However, more recently nonablative devices have been optimized to specifically target textural irregularities. For example, a series of treatments with infrared lasers can significantly improve uneven contour associated with acne scarring. These treatments are typically uncomfortable and may require oral and/or topical analgesics.
Similarly, fractional resurfacing is quite effective in the treatment of acne scarring. Fractional resurfacing is a minimally ablative technique that creates microscopic zones of dermal injury in a grid-like pattern. Because only a small proportion of the skin surface is treated at one time, and since the stratum corneum is not perforated, recovery is quick. However, a series of treatments is needed.
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Ablative resurfacing entails removal of the epidermis and partial thickness dermis, and is considered by most as the gold standard for pitted scars and some box-car scars. While ablative resurfacing is most effective if it is deep, thereby removing as much as possible of the depressed scar, it cannot be so deep as to destroy the base of the hair follicles; such destruction could impede skin regrowth, and induce scar formation at the treated site. Carbon dioxide resurfacing is the most effective but also most operator-dependent method for deep ablative resurfacing.
Dermabrasion is possibly even more effective, but this is another procedure that is very technique dependent. Deep phenol (Baker-Gordon) peels, also highly effective, have fallen out of favor because of the associated cardiac risk and the frequency of porcelain-white postinflammatory hypopigmentation. Definitive ablative resurfacing results in 2 weeks of patient downtime, during which period re-epithelialization occurs. More superficial resurfacing with the Er:YAG laser or plasma can provide recovery within 1 week, but deeper acne scars may be less improved.
Nonablative Resurfacing
Nonablative resurfacing with laser and lights warms the dermis and can provide modest improvement of acne scarring bystimulating collagen remodeling. All subtypes of acne scars can be improved by nonablative therapy. Among the lasers used for this indication are devices originally developed for otheruses, such as pulsed-dye lasers, intense pulsed light devices, and Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers. However, more recently nonablative devices have been optimized to specifically target textural irregularities. For example, a series of treatments with infrared lasers can significantly improve uneven contour associated with acne scarring. These treatments are typically uncomfortable and may require oral and/or topical analgesics.
Similarly, fractional resurfacing is quite effective in the treatment of acne scarring. Fractional resurfacing is a minimally ablative technique that creates microscopic zones of dermal injury in a grid-like pattern. Because only a small proportion of the skin surface is treated at one time, and since the stratum corneum is not perforated, recovery is quick. However, a series of treatments is needed.
DOWNLOAD COMPLETE PDF HERE
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