Acne Scar Types

Acne scars occur when spots become inflamed or don't heal properly. While scarring for some people seems to depend on hereditary factors or skin color, precautions can be taken to prevent scars and treatments are available to significantly reduce scarred skin's appearance.

In the simplest terms, scars form at the site of an injury to tissue. They are the visible reminders of injury and tissue repair. In the case of acne, the injury is caused by the body's inflammatory response to sebum, bacteria and dead cells in the plugged sebaceous follicle.

Two types of true scars exist:

(1) Depressed areas such as pitted acne scarring or ice-pick scars, and

(2) Raised thickened tissue such as keloids. When tissue suffers an injury, the body rushes its "repair kit" to the injury site, imagine, when you have injured the skin active all the immune and repair system, where elements as white blood cells, inflammatory molecules and regenerative elements that have the task of repairing tissue and fighting infection. However, when their job is done they may leave a somewhat messy repair site in the form of fibrous scar tissue, or eroded tissue.

Not always is that way. White blood cells and inflammatory molecules may remain at the site of an active acne lesion for days or even weeks.

In people who are susceptible to scarring the result may be an acne scar. The occurrence and incidence of scarring is still not well understood, however. There is considerable variation in scarring between one person and another, indicating that some people are more prone to scarring than others (ex. hereditary factors or skin color). Scarring frequently results from severe inflammatory nodular cystic acne that occurs deep in the skin.

But, scarring also may arise from more superficial inflamed lesions.

Types of Acne Scars

There are two general types of acne scars, defined by tissue response to inflammation:

(1) Scars caused by increased tissue formation, and

(2) Scars caused by loss of tissue.

Scars Caused by Increased Tissue Formation

The scars caused by increased tissue formation are called keloids. Keloid scars are associated with excessive amounts of the cell substance collagen. Overproduction of collagen is a response of skin cells to injury. The excess collagen becomes piled up in fibrous masses, resulting in a characteristic firm, smooth, usually irregularly-shaped scar.

The typical keloid scar is 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, but some may be 1 centimeter or larger. This abnormal growth of scar tissue is more likely to occur in susceptible people, who often are people with relatives who have similar types of scars.

Keloid scars persist for years, but may diminish in size over time.

Scars Caused by Loss of Tissue

Acne scars associated with loss of tissue —similar to scars that result from chicken pox— are more common than keloids. Scars associated with loss of tissue are:

Ice-pick scars or Pitted Scars

Usually occur on the cheek. They are usually small, with a somewhat jagged edge and steep sides —like wounds from an ice pick. Ice-pick scars may be shallow or deep, and may be hard or soft to the touch. Soft scars can be improved by stretching the skin; hard ice-pick scars cannot be stretched out.

Depressed fibrotic scars

Are usually quite large, with sharp edges and steep sides. The base of these scars is firm to the touch. Ice-pick scars may evolve into depressed fibrotic scars over time.

Soft scars

Superficial or deep are soft to the touch. They have gently sloping rolled edges that merge with normal skin. They are usually small, and either circular or linear in shape.

Atrophic macules

Are usually fairly small when they occur on the face, but may be a centimeter or larger on the body. They are soft, often with a slightly wrinkled base, and may be bluish in appearance due to blood vessels lying just under the scar. Over time, these scars change from bluish to ivory white in color in white-skinned people, and become much less obvious.

Follicular macular atrophy

Is more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with acne. These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin —somewhat like whiteheads that didn't fully develop. This condition is sometimes also called "perifollicular elastolysis." The lesions may persist for months to years.

Natural Acne Gel, Rosacea Remedy & Scar Healing BIOSKINCLEAR

This gel is oil free and a natural remedy for acne, rosacea, and scar healing with moisturizing seaweed extracts. Best for people with very oily skin conditions.

BIOSKINCLEAR Benefits

Made in the USA. One Month's supply 50 grams = 1.76 oz

50 Grams in One Airless Pump Bottle: $49

Save at least 20% off price & save on domestic or world wide shipping costs
when you order more than one month's supply

Discount Price Two Bottles: $39.20 each, at checkout within our secure shopping cart.

All our products are safe for children, moms-to-be and breast fedding mothers.