Up to 55% of teens – 1 in 2 – get some form of scarring on the face due to acne. Scars may make people feel self-conscious and embarrassed. Severe acne scarring, while rare, has been linked to depression and suicide.
What are acne scars?
Acne scars are round or jagged-edged, small holes in the skin or appear as raised, pink, thickened lumps on the skin.
What causes acne scars?
Scars are a result of injury to the skin caused by acne and a faulty healing process. Scarring occurs at the site of previous acne spots, most often the face but also on the back and chest.
Top 2 Tips to prevent acne scarring
Who is at risk?
5 important facts about acne and scarring:
Those with inflammatory acne (seen here), whether moderate or severe, are more likely to develop scars after spots have healed.
Generally, the more intense the inflammation (redness, pus, pain), the greater the injury to the skin and risk for scarring.
Check here for more information on the different types of acne scars or here for Treatments available for acne scarring. (*All images courtesy Dr. Jerry Tan)
Test your acne knowledge. You may be surprised at some of the answers…