What are the causes of acne scars and how to care for them?

Many people are concerned about acne scars after they have pimples. Acne scars are the redness, hyperpigmentation, and craters that remain after acne has healed. Since it is difficult to improve acne scars with ordinary acne treatments, specialized care for acne scars must be adopted. In this article, we will explain the causes of acne scars and how to care for them according to the type of acne scars.

There are five major causes of acne scars!

It is a misconception that “acne always leaves acne scars. In fact, there is a high possibility that acne scars are caused by acne care. Let’s first investigate the causes.

Causes of acne scars (1) “If you crush a pimple, it will most likely remain as a crater!

Many men think that crushing a pimple will make it heal faster, but this is actually a big misconception. Crushing a pimple damages the dermis layer of the skin, destroying elastic components such as collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. This causes the skin surface to cave in, resulting in a crater, also known as uneven skin. In addition, the damaged dermal layer is difficult to improve through self-care and requires long-term laser treatment or chemical peeling at a beauty clinic. Crushing pimples is absolutely not a good idea, as it can lead to prolonged skin problems.

Cause of acne scars (2) “Inflammation of the skin becomes chronic and leaves redness.

Acne is caused by the accumulation of sebum and waste products in the pores of the skin, which are then used as food for acne bacteria to multiply. At this time, capillaries dilate in order to quickly heal the inflammation caused by the immune reaction, and blood flow to the skin increases, which is said to cause redness. In other words, if the redness has not gone down even after the swelling has healed, the inflammation inside the skin has not healed. It is also possible that the barrier function has been disrupted and the skin has become thin, allowing blood vessels and muscles to show through. Either way, “chronic inflammation” is the cause, so the skin needs to be soothed and the barrier function needs to be improved.

Causes of acne scars (3) “Disruption of turnover due to aging leaves brown acne scars.

Many men, especially those suffering from adult acne, may experience “brown acne scars. At first glance, acne scars look like blemishes, but they are caused by inflammation of the acne, which stimulates melanocytes. Melanin is produced and appears as hyperpigmentation on the skin, which usually disappears with the elimination of plaque. However, after one’s twenties, the turnover of the skin is disrupted, making it difficult for melanin to be expelled. Accumulated melanin and dead skin cells are not expelled and remain in the horny layer, making it difficult for adult skin to heal acne scars.

Cause of acne scars (4) “Irritation from shaving can cause acne and acne scars”

Shaving is essential for men to keep up appearances, but this can cause acne scars and acne growth. Unintentionally crushing pimples or stressing the skin with razors may cause sensitive skin and inflammation. Therefore, it is necessary to shave avoiding areas with pimples.

Causes of acne scars (5) “When acne progresses to red acne, it tends to remain as acne scars.”

The condition of the acne determines whether it is more likely or less likely to result in acne scars. White and black pimples in the early stages are less likely to cause acne scars if they are cared for in a way that does not aggravate them. However, advanced red acne is highly likely to cause acne scars due to its severe inflammation. It is important to remember that early care of acne is also important to avoid acne scars.