Understanding the Causes of Acne Scars
Prevent acne scars by learning what causes them
No one wants acne scars. By learning what causes these unsightly scars on your face, and preventing permanent damage, you are avoiding the distress of having these marks for life.
How does acne scarring occur?
A scar is the result of the natural healing process your skin goes through when recovering from any type of wound. Most people don't tend to think of acne as causing a "wound" but that is exactly what is happening.
Your skin is made up of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. The epidermis is the outermost layer and if you have a small injury to this layer, it can heal without any scarring.
The problem comes when there is damage to the dermis. This is the middle layer of your skin and contains the blood and lymph vessels along with the nerves, hair follicles, sweat and oil glands.
Acne occurs when you have an infection in the follicle or skin pore. If the pore swells and causes a rupture deep in the hair follicle, the infection seeps into the dermis and destroys your healthy skin tissue. After this happens, it is the healing process that causes the deep scarring often associated with acne.
Prevent acne scars
To prevent acne scars, you need to reduce the amount of breakouts as much as possible. You can do this by:
1. Seeing a dermatologist and getting prescription strength cleansers and antibiotics;
2. Keeping your skin clean and oil-free;
3. Resist the urge to squeeze your pimples as this spreads infection;
4. Picking "scabs" off of old pimples; and
5. Eating a healthy diet that gives your skin the nutrients it needs for growth and healing.
By understanding the cause of acne scars and taking the necessary precautions to prevent breakouts, you have the best possible chance of completely avoiding permanent scarring.