Are the scars and marks left behind after your latest flare of acne frustrating you and bringing you down? You aren’t the only one dealing with these pesky acne scars. As you might know already, there are quite a few treatments out there that claim to be an effective solution for this particular problem. Unfortunately, there often isn’t much to these claims that we can rely on. A question that often comes up when we’re discussing this issue with our patients is: “Do Chemical Peels Help with Acne Scars?” This is the question our experts at Enfield Royal Clinic Abu Dhabi are going to attempt to answer for you today. So, without any further delays, here is what we know about it.

What Are Acne Scars?

Our task will be much easier if we explain acne scars themselves before talking about chemical peels. Acne scars are, well, scars that damage the texture of the skin and form indentations as a breakout of acne heals. It is important to note now that scars may be common with certain severe kinds of acne, but they don’t always happen. These defects appear when the skin fails to heal the acne properly. The condition often gets exacerbated if an individual damages their skin by popping a deep pimple or trying to remove acne at home without appropriate preparation or tools. These can also have different shapes and forms. Some of these types are easier to deal with; others can be more stubborn. But more on this below.

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Do Chemical Peels Help With Acne Scars?

The answer to this question is yes; however, that is regrettably not the complete answer. We’ll clarify why this situation is complicated, but for that, you should understand how a chemical peel works. This treatment employs different chemicals to remove the outer layers of the skin and utilizes the skin’s natural healing process (including the collagen and elastin production) to make the skin smoother, healthier, and generally more flawless. This procedure has proven to be quite effective at reducing the mild, shallower blemishes, but for the deeper scars, it does not work as well.

Let’s take a look at the relative effectiveness of specific chemical peels on different scar types:

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation Scars:

These are dark or red spots left behind after acne heals. For these marks, light or superficial peels with glycolic or lactic acid work really well.

Atrophic Scars:

This type of acne scar looks like depressions or indentations on the skin. They include boxcar, rolling, and ice-pick scars. We often use the more powerful types of chemical peels for these (such as TCA or trichloroacetic acid) as they are considerably deeper and more stubborn.

Hypertrophic Scars:

These look raised and often have a firm scar tissue that is difficult to treat. Chemical peels are not effective for these at all. We have to use alternative treatments like steroid injections for these instead.

Best Types Of Peels For Acne Scars:

We mentioned a few different types of chemical peels in the section above. For those of you wondering what they are, here’s a little more detail on them that may help.

TCA Peels: This is considered the gold standard for treating moderate or deep acne scars. It is very effective for replacing damaged collagen and filling up sunken marks on the skin. It is often used in an advanced technique called TCA Cross.

Glycolic Acid Peels: A type of Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that facilitates cellular turnover and regeneration. Particularly popular for dark spots and discoloration.

Salicylic Acid Peels: A Beta Hydroxy Acid (or BHA), which works exceptionally well on oily skin. It is used to reduce mild scarring and prevent new breakouts.

Book Your Appointment For The Best Acne Treatments:

We hope that this was a satisfactory answer to your question, and now you have some useful information to deal with skin problems like these. If you have more questions or concerns like “Do Chemical Peels Help with Acne Scars?”, send them our way through our helpline or via WhatsApp. Want an expert’s opinion about a particular skin condition or problem you have? Fill out the form given below to schedule your appointment with one of our experienced dermatologists at the Enfield Royal Clinic Abu Dhabi.