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Acne and acne scarring
ACNE
Acne, a disorder of sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin frequently affects teenagers and young adults of both sexes but adult acne is on the rise with more and more people experiencing blemishes, blocked pores and cystic acne later in life.
At Court House Clinics we offer a range of treatments including Omnilux™ Blue Light Therapy, skin peels and Derma Roller to treat active acne and often a combination of these treatments provides the best solution. For anyone suffering with problem skin a consultation is essential to determine the best treatment options for you and at home skin care is vital to enhance and maintain results.
ACNE SCARRING
Not every acne suffer will develop permanent scars and the likelihood of scarring depends on a number of factors including the severity of the initial condition and individual genetic factors determining susceptibility to scarring; the more severe the acne, the more likely there will be scarring.
For those unfortunate enough to develop long term scarring and in whom the active acne has burnt out or is properly controlled, we now have a number of treatments which are effective in improving the appearance of the skin. Careful assessment by our skilled cosmetic doctors & dermatologists will enable a bespoke treatment plan to be devised; often a combination of treatments is the best solution.
Court House clinic currently offers the following treatments:
Frequently asked questions
What are the 2 main types of acne scarring?
1. Scars caused by increased tissue formation
These include hypertrophic and keloid scars. They are raised and sometimes red and itchy. Genetic factors are important as well as ethnicity. Although both hypertrophic and keloid scars do occur in white skins, they are much more common in darker skin types. They result from over-production of collagen by skin cells as a result of injury or inflammation and persist for many years or in some cases indefinitely.
They are often difficult to treat, but may improve with steroid injections and the use of occlusive silicone gel or sheets.
2. Scars cause by loss of tissue
These are more common than keloids and hypertrophic scars and take different forms.
Ice Pick Scars usually occur on the cheeks. They are generally small with steep sides and a jagged edge – like wounds from an ice pick. They may be shallow or deep and may be hard or soft to the touch.
Depressed fibrotic scars can be quite large with sharp edges and steep sides. They are sometimes referred to as a boxcap type scars. 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 and have gently sloping rolled edges that merge with normal skin and are sometimes referred to as a rolling scars. They give an undulating appearance to the surface of the skin.
Atrophic macules scars are flat, ivory white scars which occur on the face and upper trunk. They vary in size and are less noticeable in white skins.
What is Subscision?
Deeper scars are often attached by their bases to the structures and tissue layers underneath the skin which pulls them down like deep-buttoned upholstery.
Subscision is a technique whereby a special cutting needle is introduced through the skin under local anesthetic and used to cut the adhesions and free the scarred area of skin from its deep attachments thus allowing it to rise and flatten. It works well for some types of scarring e.g. depressed fibrotic scars, in conjunction with other treatments.
What is Punch Excision?
Individual, deep ice pick scars can be removed by punch excision. This uses a circular blade like an apple corer to cut out the scar and the edges of the skin are stitched together. A local anesthetic is applied to minimize discomfort.
Before and after
