Acne affects a great number of people in early adulthood. While many people recover from acne without any permanent effects there are a number of people who are left with unsightly scarring. There are some topical scar removal products, however, most treatments are a combination of surgical procedures and skin resurfacing.

Treatment options depend on the type and severity of the acne scars. Two common types of scarring are ice pick scars and boxcar scars. Ice pick scars are narrow and deep as if the skin was punctured by an ice pick. They are very slim and narrow but are dug deep into the skin's surface affecting the dermis as well as the subcutaneous layer. Boxcar scars tend to be round or oval shaped depressions that have sharp vertical edges. They are most often shallow, although some can be deep, and are wider in diameter.

Types of Acne Scar Removal Treatments

*Punch Excision: This procedure is most often used on deeper scars. A punch biopsy tool is used which is matched to the size of your scar. The scar is then excised with the punch tool and the skin edges are sutured together. There is a small scar left behind from the procedure, but it is small and fades with time.

*Laser Resurfacing: This treatment is common for many types of skin defects. The lasers essentially burn the top layers of skin and through the healing process, deeper, healthier layers appear.

*Dermabrasion: This treatment is very effective for acne scars. A high speed brush is used to slough off surface skin and alters the form of scars. Surface scars can be removed all together, and deeper scars can be reduced in depth.

*Microdermabrasion: This is a newer technique and is a surface form of dermabrasion. In this treatment a vacuum tube with aluminum oxide crystals is used to remove surface skin. Only the cells on the outermost surface skin are sloughed off. Due to the surface nature of this procedure, multiple treatments may be required.

*Chemical Peels: This treatment method uses acid solutions to remove damaged surface cells. Chemical peels for acne are known to enhance and smooth the skin's texture. There are different types of chemical peels and depending on the type and severity of your scars, your dermatologist will recommend an appropriate chemical formula based on the characteristics of your skin and desired result. The chemical solutions commonly include alpha hydroxyl acids such as lactic, salicylic, and glycolic acids.

There are many options for acne scars removal and it's important that you speak to your dermatologist and choose one that is right for you. Remember that these treatments depend on the type of scars and the desires you wish to gain with the procedure. Some of these treatments can be pretty painful and expensive and therefore it is important to also research more natural options that can also promise great results.