For most, acne is a normal part of adolescence, however, it can leave scars that last into adulthood. These scars can cause skin discoloration, as well as interruptions in the skin’s texture, such as raised or depressed skin. Luckily, acne scars can be treated safely and effectively.
What Treatments Does Dr. Manrique Offer Patients With Acne Scars?
There are many different treatment options available, depending on the type of scarring that has occurred:
Infini RF
Infini RFnow Genius RFuses radio frequency to remove acne scars and restore skin. The insulation of the needles targets scars that lie deep in the skin, breaking down scars deep within the skin without affecting the top layers of skin. It also creates coagulation zones that function to tighten skin. Overall, Infini RF provides the best results for repairing acne scars with the fastest recovery time.
Laser Treatment
Sometimes after Infini RF now Genius RF treatment, lasers can be used for further results. Dr. Manrique’s 1540 Laser Cynosure ICON technology improves skin texture and irregularities, as well as reduces the appearance of acne scars. There is also the Cynosure ICON 2940 laser which creates multiple heat zones that vaporize the outer layer of skin and stimulate collagen production. This causes the skin to self-heal and improves the appearance of acne scars. Laser treatment is quick, has minimal side effects, and requires no downtime.
Hollywood (Spectra) Laser Peel is a no-downtime procedure that helps rejuvenate the appearance of acne scarring, damaged skin. This gentle procedure is safe on most skin types and is a great way to get a quick skin refresher without the longer downtime associated with other laser procedures. The laser energy works in two ways, first it gently targets the melanin (pigmentation) in the cells breaking it up for your body’s natural removal processes, and second it heats deep in the dermis causing the skin to contract and stimulate collagen. Because the treatment is gentle, multiple passes are needed in order to obtain optimal results. It evens skin tone, reducing appearance of pigment, fine lines and acne scars, your skin will fill and look younger. The treatment can be performed alone, but works best when you have several treatments over a period of time
Chemical TCA Cross
TCA Cross (TriChloroacetic Acid Chemical Reconstruction of Skin Scars) treats acne scars by causing a localized inflammatory response that causes new collagen to be produced, altering the scar. Chemical TCA cross procedures consist of Dr. Manrique injecting TCA into the acne scar. This treatment only takes about 5-15 minutes and causes minimal discomfort, if that.
Subcision
Subcision may also be used to smooth out the skin and fill out areas of depression. Subcision is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure used to treat the depressions in tissue caused by scarring. It works through inserting a hypodermic needle into the skin and using it to break the fibrotic bands responsible for holding the scar to the underlying tissue. Often times, after subcision, Sculptra will be used to fill scarring depressions.
Sculptra
Sculptra is a type of dermal filler that is used to correct areas of depression by adding volume. Sculptra can be used to fill in acne scars to make the skin more even. It is a faster, less expensive, and less painful alternative to surgery with no recovery time.
