Disclaimer: The below are not affiliate links. The products and services mentioned are from the personal experience and opinion of a skin therapist and myself. You should consult a professional before making purchasing choices, especially in severe cases. Be wise and use common sense.
What? How? When? Why?
As promised I come to you with a post on the dreaded scars, they are the most stubborn thing I have ever encountered. If dealing with acne wasn't enough these tough guys decided to stake their claim on my face and thus began another journey to my ultimate goal of clear and healthy skin. I decided to consult my personal Skin Therapist on this topic to make sure I give my readers something more tangible and factual in dealing with the beasts.
For those based in Johannesburg please contact Elfriede, here, for all your skin woes. She is fully committed to getting you to your goal with affordable and sustainable solutions. For those of you based elsewhere, still get in touch, she is willing to consult and ship products where needed.
What are scars and how are they formed on the face?
'Scars are mostly caused by acne. The reason for scarring during acne breakouts is that the tissue around the hair follicle gets damaged and breaks down causing a scar. Inflammatory acne is more likely to cause scarring than superficial comedones (pimples). Another factor is the duration of breakouts. If you have acne for a long period of time, the risk for acne scars to form increases since the tissue gets weaker over time from continuous breakouts.'
'The scar can take various forms such as ice picks or boxcar scars. Ice picks are deep, small indentions. Boxcar scars are wider and flatter. Sometimes discolorations are considered scars but this is not the same as indentation, and the treatment also differs. The discoloration is caused by the trauma of the pimple and it is the skin's first reaction to the pimples, it is called post-inflammatory pigmentation (PIH).
Darker skin tones struggle more with discoloration problems rather than actual indentations. Indentation of the skin happens with continuous trauma (pimples) in the same area of the face, this is clinically referred to as acne scars. The area where the breakout occurs will determine how quickly the skin scars. The forehead and temples scar easier since there is less tissue around the follicles than cheeks.'
Can you permanently heal or remove scars?
'This really depends on the depth of the scars, the age of the scars, and the age of the person. Young adults respond better than mature adults because young people naturally produce more collagen than older people. Mature scars that have been left for a couple of years before treatment occurs, will also not respond as well as "fresh" scars.
The depth and width of scars will also determine the amount of treatment that is required. Very deep ice pick scars may require more treatment than shallower scars. The location of the scars will also determine the effect of treatment - the forehead and temples normally require more treatment since there is less tissue. Overall all scars can be improved and some can be healed with sufficient treatment and home care solutions.'
What is your go-to in-salon treatment for facial scars?
'Microneedling has become the gold standard for treatment. This is a collagen induction therapy modality. The idea is to stimulate the fibroblast cell in the dermis to produce collagen. The micro-injury by the microneedling device triggers the fibroblast to start the healing cycle which ends in collagen.'
Source: Dermapen World
'The Dermapen 4 treatment is the fastest microneedling device on the market but it is an expensive treatment to do and since multiple treatments are required to lift the scars, not always a practical solution. However, there are many microneedling devices on the market and it is important that the needle quality is good when picking a microneedling device.
The next important factor is the serum that is used during microneedling. The device creates channels into the skin (Basically the needles are pricking your skin causing small holes) and only ingredients that are safe for penetration into the skin should be used. The ingredients should further support the collagen induction process. Growth factors are very important to use during microneedling since these ingredients perform cell-to-cell communication to the fibroblast cell that produces the collagen.'
'Resurfacing treatments can also be considered in conjunction with microneedling. Chemical peels, especially TCA (tri-chloroacetic acid) peels which cause deeper exfoliation can be added to the treatment plan.'
What do you usually charge for this type of treatment?
'The prices vary depending on the type of microneedling device that I use since the needle cartridge cost varies significantly between the devices. The Dermapen 4 treatment is R 1250 per treatment and the other standard microneedling device that I use is R 770 per treatment. Prices vary significantly in the market depending on the device and the location of the salon.'
How long, of course dependent, would you say it takes to start seeing results?
'Collagen production from induction to maturing takes 3 months on all skins - young or old. It is best to do a microneedling treatment monthly for 3 months and at the end of this time, you will see a softening of the scars. You will not see a difference after 1 treatment. You may see an improvement in colour sooner since melanogenesis (pigmentation formation) occurs in the epidermis. Mostly a series of treatments should be done to achieve optimal results.'
If someone can’t afford this treatment what would suggest they do at home?
'The derma roller is a home treatment option. The depth of the roller is important and any depth from 0.5 to 0.75 is sufficient. Home microneedling should not be done at depths deeper than this since there is a risk of infection, if not done properly, and if the technique is bad, it can cause micro-tears in the skin. If a home roller is used there must still be sufficient time in between treatments for the skin to heal, to prevent continuous inflammation, i.e. redness, since this will break down collagen. The serum used at home is also important since you are still creating channels in the skin. Copper peptides, work well for home use since it increases healing.'
'Copper Peptides serve as an antioxidant, promote collagen and elastin production and also remove damaged collagen and elastin from the skin' By Erin Jahns, check out her article here on how to use copper peptides and why they're like Nature's Botox.
My 2 Cents
* Let's take a break and hear my experience on this topic, she says arrogantly. I use the Dermafix ACC Copper at R830, expensive I know but you use such a small amount, that it has a long life expectancy on your shelf, also, I'm all about those vegan products and this is another one of them.
I have in-salon microneedling about every 3-4 months and between this, I use my derma roll for extra results. It is important to note that my scars are severe and have aged, not gracefully, on my face. This was suggested by Elfriede based on her analysis of my skin, so be sure to consult a professional in order to prevent more damage. This routine isn't always consistent as I may get a pimple enforcing its ugly head, which I wait to heal first, as microneedling over damaged tissue could cause the pimple to spread and no one wants that. I got my derma roller from Takelot, it's affordable and I've seen the results. I watched a good old Youtube video on the best way to use the roller at home, which you can check out here.
My personal scar treatment collection.
Also, it is very important to note that you should clean your derma roller before and after use. I purchased some medical-grade alcohol from Dischem and put it in a spray bottle. I am all set to keep my space hygenic. This became pretty handy when the virus broke out. I have a convenient bottle of alcohol spray with a 2-in-1 use for my home scar treatment and hand sanitation.
Ok, I think it's time to get back to the professional here.
What creams or serums can help heal scars?
'Growth factors are the best to use in between treatments since they perform cell-to-cell communication to stimulate more collagen. Vitamin C is also important since it helps to mature collagen into the weave structure in the dermis required to lift the indented tissue. L-Ascorbic Acid (another form of Vit C) can be used in between treatments. This will help increase fibroblast activity, especially in mature skin.'
Can you give us any tips on the best way to prevent scars?
'Do not leave acne breakouts unattended since this is the cause of the scars. You have to solve the problem of acne first. Then start treating the scars since it is best to prevent scars. Retinoic Acid (a form of Vit A) used at night is very successful to reduce breakouts. Furthermore, a good routine includes cleansing twice a day with a cleanser for problematic skin. A good day moisturiser that controls bacteria and inflammation is also very important. Oral supplements with zinc picolinate and niacinamide can also be very useful to prevent acne. '
*Check out my post on 'Problematic Skin?' and the products I used to get my acne under control.
'If the cause of the acne is more hormonal, oral contraceptives can greatly assist to minimise acne in women. If the acne is severe, with cystic/ nodular pustules, a form of Accutane should be considered. This will bring the acne under control to prevent future scarring.'
There it is folks, straight from the horse's mouth. I hope you found this informative and helpful rather than overwhelming. I know there was a lot going on but it's always good to know. However, rather read this, than throw some product on your face or pay hard-earned money for a treatment you don't understand. So take the first step, the little step, contact a professional, and begin the journey to your ultimate skin goals.
Comentarios