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Our facial complexion is a delicate skin area that requires a lot of self-understanding to maintain. The skincare industry churns very high sales volumes because many people regard their complexion as a priceless asset, and are willing to invest in good skincare products to keep the complexion healthy-looking and smooth.
The glossy fashion magazine covers and spreads prove to us that the most beautiful people have flawless complexions. Of course we also know that the models in the photographs have undergone of image-editing to attain that level of physical perfection. In comparison, we may feel inferior and inadequate in society, especially if our complexion is far from smooth, having to live on with oily pores, blackheads, whiteheads, or worse, scarring from acne attacks.
As part and parcel of growing up, we all have gone through the face of puberty that unleashes the acne problem during our teenage years. Except for the blessed handful of individuals who were fortunate enough to have had it easy, we are all familiar with how it can affect our appearance, thus lowering our levels of self-worth. The pus-filled acne that relents on without signs of demising can drive us up the wall. Not only are they unsightly, they can even be painful too.
Of course acne does not affect just teenagers. It could affect anyone from the age of 10 to 40 and above. The word “acne” can be considered as a collective term to describe cases of congested pores, whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, pustules and cysts (or deep pimples).
Generally, these afflictions occur when the sebaceous glands that secrete oil either get congested or infected. Not only can it affect your face, you can also get acne at other areas of your body where there are sebaceous glands, like your chest and back.
Treatment for severe acne conditions is available upon consultation with a skin specialist. The doctor can prescribe the appropriate treatment depending on the type of acne. Treatment types include oral medication like antibiotics, and medicated creams and lotions that can be applied on the affected areas. If left untreated for an extended period of time, acne can leave scars, and that is when it really starts to get complicated.
Acne can leave scars with raised textures. These scars can be unsightly and upsetting. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that can make it go away completely.
However, there are many forms of cosmetic procedures that can lessen the appearance of acne scars, and many of these methods have proven to show remarkable results. These procedures either aim to stimulate collagen rejuvenation, or skim off the layer of damaged skin and encourage new and smoother skin to regrow at the affected area.
With advances in technology in conjunction with medicine, laser energy can be directed at the treatment area to encourage collagen replacement, encouraging the epidermis at the scarred area to be replaced. Intense pulsed light (ipl) therapy can also produce the same effect of stimulating collagen regrowth.
With a few sessions of treatment, patients can expect a reduction of scarring as the skin rejuvenates and slowly reduces the appearance of acne scars.
Laser energy can also be used to scale off the scarred area, while stimulating collagen regrowth at the same time. The latest form of this genre of procedure is fractional cO2 laser skin resurfacing. The trained specialist utilizes a laser device to resurface the target area, whilst being able to adjust the level of intensity based on the nature and severity of the scarred area. The laser energy also penetrates in the deeper dermis, and the heat stimulates new collagen. it is interesting to note that while this procedure is effective for reducing the appearance of acne scars, recipients of the procedure have also reported tighter skin as a late result. Dermatologist Dr Cheong Lai Leng at ll cheong Skin & laser clinic has recently incorporated the fractional cO2 laser device, and is excited about the capabilities of this new technology, as it has been proving to be effective towards treating acne scars by resurfacing the skin.
Thinking of erasing the horrible effects of severe acne? It is prudent to understand that our skin is an organ, and like all the other organs in our body, our skin requires professional care by specialist doctors. When considering any forms of cosmetic or surgical procedures to reduce acne scarring, do consult a doctor who is trained to not only assess your problem, but also to advice on the appropriate form of treatment. Often these procedures involve special equipment that requires the operator to be well-trained and experienced to ensure an effective result with little or no complications.
