Walnut Creek patient’s restore appearance, confidence with comfortable acne scar removal
You don’t have to live with these acne scars anymore, thanks to a proven technique to rebuild the collagen and elastin that fills in depressed or uneven areas: microneedling.
Acne scars
To understand what makes microneedling such an effective
option for treatment is to understand how the scar developed in the
first place.
Your body produces natural oils or sebum, which lubricates
the hair and skin. When too much oil or dead skin cells are produced,
they build up in the pores. These plugged-up pores are the perfect
breeding ground for bacteria. Acne is inflammation caused by a pore that
becomes infected with bacteria. As the pore swells and the wall breaks,
minor lesions are left behind on the skin. If the break is deep enough,
infected material can spill out and produce deeper lesions. The scar is
your body’s attempt to heal itself.
Hypertrophic or keloid scars form when too much collagen is
made during the healing process. These areas look like raised or
elevated masses on the surface of the skin. If too little tissue is
present during the healing process, atrophic or depressed scars can
form. These indented areas include icepick scars, which are small holes,
and boxcar scars, which are rounded or oval and resemble scarring
caused by chickenpox.
Generally, your body’s attempts to repair damage will never
replicate the smooth appearance and even texture associated with
acne-free skin.
Treatment
Dr. Lee can treat these damaged areas, to smooth depressed
or elevated areas, she will use an approach known as microneedling or
collagen induction therapy.
The idea is to create tiny punctures in damaged areas of
skin using a specially-designed device, the Eclipse MicroPen™, which
contains a dozen ultra-fine needles. These controlled injuries stimulate
collagen and elastin production. In the months following treatment, you
will notice gradually smoother texture.
Dr. Lee will discuss acne scar removal options customized to
your needs during a consultation at her Walnut Creek office. In the
meantime, it’s good to know that microneedling for scars is:
- Comfortable Patients have said the micropen feels like little more than sandpaper due to the tiny size of the needles.
- Sedative-free – Since the procedure is so well-tolerated, usually little more than a topical anesthetic is applied before treatment for added comfort.
- A true lunchtime appointment – While the time required for the procedure depends on the size of the area to be treated, most microneedling sessions can be completed in about 30 minutes.
Some patients notice immediate improvements in the look of
their skin. The full effects of microneedling are typically seen in
about 6 months. If your scars are deep, the doctor may suggest more
sessions about every 6 weeks.
Dr. Lee has built upon this procedure with products and
techniques to optimize healing. For instance, she may recommend the
Eclipse Dermal Recovery System™ to quickly diminish redness following
the procedure. Microneedling can also be combined with platelet rich
plasma, which penetrates the micro-channels to rapidly and optimally
restore collagen and rejuvenate the skin.
Dr. Min-Wei Christine Lee
Dr. Christine Lee is a Board-certified Dermatologist with sub-specialties in laser surgery, cosmetic surgery, Mohs Micrographic Surgery, facial plastic reconstruction, and dermatologic surgery. She leads The Skin And Laser Treatment Institute as its Director and serves as Clinical Faculty for the Department of Dermatologic Surgery at the University of California San Francisco. Patients travel from across the globe for her expertise, and Dr. Lee has trained thousands of stateside and international doctors.
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