What are the critical factors for preventing scarring from cysts and pimples?
My daily work brings me into contact with girls and women experiencing acne at various stages in their journey. Depending on the duration of their skin issues, different acne development trends and scarring patterns emerge.
For those with recent acne issues, the skin is generally still healthy. It appears resilient and calm, with pimples disappearing quickly, leaving minimal scarring.
Women who've struggled with acne for years
However, women who’ve struggled with acne for years often have highly sensitive, reactive, flaky, and exhausted skin. Acne tends to persist longer, leaving numerous dark spots, and every pimple carries a higher risk of scarring. This is often the result of ineffective treatment over time, a lack of focus on the root causes, and years of using harsh acne products that inadvertently worsen skin health. It is truly difficult, and at times impossible, to navigate the overwhelming sea of chaotic acne information and advice.
If you have noticed that pimples leave scars on your skin, the first and most important step is to reduce inflammation—both throughout your body and locally on your skin.
Have you ever wondered how a pimple can remain for weeks and then quickly disappear? What is the deciding factor?
The key factor is whether inflammation lingers, both in the body and on the skin. When the skin has a healthy barrier and a balanced microbiome, it possesses the necessary resources to heal quickly, reducing the likelihood of scarring or pigmentation.
I’ve observed this transformation often with my clients. Through our holistic anti-acne program, their skin shifts from being reactive and unhealthy to resilient and quickly recovering, ultimately restoring its original, healthy condition. The transformation brings incredible positive emotions and turns the hope of acne healing into reality.
How do you prevent acne scars?
Scars are a result of the body’s natural healing process. Depending on the severity and type of acne, pimples can leave minimal damage or develop into deep and unpleasant scars.
Deeper scars form when the epidermis is affected and there is damage to the dermis, the middle skin layer.
Acne scars can be:
- Atrophic – depressed or level with the skin, formed due to collagen loss.
- Hypertrophic – raised above the skin level, formed from excess collagen production.
There are 3 phases of scar formation:
1.Inflammatory (day 1-4): The walls of capillaries expand and become permeable to trigger an acute inflammatory response to destroy bacteria. Fibroblasts in the dermis immediately react to the damaged dermal structure and begin to repair the wound.
2.Proliferative (day 4-21): Fibroblasts play a crucial role in the accelerated synthesis of new collagen.
3.Remodeling (day 21 – 2 years): Deeper structures start to form.
What are the key factors to prevent acne scars?
Remember, the greater the inflammation, the more serious the scar will be! That’s why it is crucial to emphasize that reducing inflammation is truly at the core of prevention.
PHASES 1 & 2
#1: Strengthen the barrier function of your skin
Redness, high sensitivity, easy irritation, and dryness (dehydration) are signs of a compromised skin barrier.
Avoid aggressive skin cleansing and be very careful with acne treatment products that cause dryness, peeling, and make your skin sensitive and vulnerable. These conditions lead to increased inflammation. Daily skincare should be gentle and soothing.
#2: Don’t squeeze the pimples.
Many scars are caused by picking or squeezing pimples. If the pimple doesn’t have a white head and you attempt to squeeze it, it is almost certain that the inflammation will worsen. It will spread to surrounding tissues, inevitably leading to a scar.
#3 Use appropriate active ingredients
If you still have active acne, use products with niacinamide, aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and retinoids. These will aid the healing process, reduce the risk of skin damage, prevent new scars, and help reduce old ones by stimulating collagen production.
! Be cautious with products containing vitamin C, as they can be too stimulating, especially if your skin feels very oily.
! Be careful with retinol creams, as they may irritate further if your skin’s barrier function is still compromised.
#4 Take care of your skin from the inside
Once you reduce inflammation in the body, acne will inevitably decrease, and your skin will calm significantly. This automatically means fewer scars. A properly chosen diet, stress management, supporting detoxification processes, balancing blood sugar, improving gut health, and balancing gut flora are all part of the acne healing process and help lower inflammation in your body.
HOW DO YOU HEAL OLD SCARS?
PHASE 3
At this stage, topical creams for acne scars are minimally effective. They cannot deeply penetrate the dermis, where fibroblasts responsible for collagen synthesis reside.
One method to stimulate healthy collagen production is through microneedling. Microneedling itself repeatedly stimulates collagen formation. When combined with active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, growth factors, or Centella Asiatica extract, which easily penetrate the created channels, it aids the process. These substances have scientific support for their effectiveness in restructuring and regenerating the dermal matrix. This procedure is known as collagen-inductive mesotherapy or microneedling.
Other methods that can help fade old scars include chemical peels, deep herbal peels, and lasers.
To achieve good results, consistency, systematics, and strict adherence to the therapeutic course are necessary.
DO NOT undergo these procedures if your acne is still in the active phase and new pimples appear!
My advice is to first focus on treating your acne, which includes strengthening the skin barrier, restoring hydration, balancing the microbiome and pH, and regulating oil production. This is crucial to protect your skin from new scars and pigmentation.
How you care for your skin cosmetically is an important part of acne treatment, but it is only a piece of the puzzle. True healing starts from the inside out. If you recognize this and feel that I can help you with your acne, I would be happy to help you – check out my anti-acne program, Basics for clear skin.
