Walnut Creek patient’s restore appearance, confidence with comfortable acne scar removal

You don’t have to live with these acne scars anymore, thanks to a proven technique to rebuild the collagen and elastin that fills in depressed or uneven areas: microneedling.

Acne scars

To understand what makes microneedling such an effective option for treatment is to understand how the scar developed in the first place.

Your body produces natural oils or sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin. When too much oil or dead skin cells are produced, they build up in the pores. These plugged-up pores are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Acne is inflammation caused by a pore that becomes infected with bacteria. As the pore swells and the wall breaks, minor lesions are left behind on the skin. If the break is deep enough, infected material can spill out and produce deeper lesions. The scar is your body’s attempt to heal itself.

Hypertrophic or keloid scars form when too much collagen is made during the healing process. These areas look like raised or elevated masses on the surface of the skin. If too little tissue is present during the healing process, atrophic or depressed scars can form. These indented areas include icepick scars, which are small holes, and boxcar scars, which are rounded or oval and resemble scarring caused by chickenpox.
Generally, your body’s attempts to repair damage will never replicate the smooth appearance and even texture associated with acne-free skin.

Treatment

Dr. Lee can treat these damaged areas, to smooth depressed or elevated areas, she will use an approach known as microneedling or collagen induction therapy. The idea is to create tiny punctures in damaged areas of skin using a specially-designed device, the Eclipse MicroPen™, which contains a dozen ultra-fine needles. These controlled injuries stimulate collagen and elastin production. In the months following treatment, you will notice gradually smoother texture.

Dr. Lee will discuss acne scar removal options customized to your needs during a consultation at her Walnut Creek office. In the meantime, it’s good to know that microneedling for scars is:

• Comfortable ­ Patients have said the micropen feels like little more than sandpaper due to the tiny size of the needles.
• Sedative-free – Since the procedure is so well-tolerated, usually little more than a topical anesthetic is applied before treatment for added comfort.
• A true lunchtime appointment – While the time required for the procedure depends on the size of the area to be treated, most microneedling sessions can be completed in about 30 minutes.

Some patients notice immediate improvements in the look of their skin. The full effects of microneedling are typically seen in about 6 months. If your scars are deep, the doctor may suggest more sessions about every 6 weeks.

Dr. Lee has built upon this procedure with products and techniques to optimize healing. For instance, she may recommend the Eclipse Dermal Recovery System™ to quickly diminish redness following the procedure. Microneedling can also be combined with platelet rich plasma, which penetrates the micro-channels to rapidly and optimally restore collagen and rejuvenate the skin.