Have you been struggling with unsightly acne scares and have not yet figured out how to minimize them? I too have been struggling with acne scars for over 15 years and I finally feel like I have a way to combat acne scars without breaking the bank. I would like to have laser skin resurfacing someday but at this point the three to five thousand dollar cost for the removal of acne scars by laser skin resurfacing is way out of my budget. I am going to share what I have tried for the removal of acne scars and what is working for me right now.
Microdermabrasion
Since I did not have the money to pay for laser skin resurfacing, I thought Microdermabrasion was the solution to the removal of acne scars, it wasn’t. I spent $600 on 4 treatments that in the end left my face no different than when I went in. I did my research and I was even told that my acne scars were not that bad and they should be gone with about 6 sessions at $150 each. Each Microdermabrasion session left my face red and peeling but after that my acne scars remained unchanged. After 4 sessions with no change to my acne scars, I decided to give up Microdermabrasion.
I have read a hundred and one different opinions about the removal of acne scars via chemical peels and have come to the conclusion that it works for light acne scars only. I may be wrong but my acne scars are moderate and I had two chemical peels that left my acne scars unchanged. On that note I have to say that there are numerous different chemical peels available and I only did a moderate one but I felt that if this wasn’t going to work at all, I doubt that a bigger one will clear my acne scars. As I stated I read numerous online opinions and decided that even a huge chemical peel would probably just leave me with a red and peeling face and maybe some light relief of my acne scars but nothing like I felt I needed for my acne scars. In other word I have not seen anyone say that a chemical peel got rid of their acne scars, maybe they have helped a little but nothing complete.
I know you are wondering how on earth I could say that Microdermabrasion works for acne scars when that contradicts what I said earlier. It is not the Microdermabrasion alone that I am endorsing now for the treatment of acne scars, it is the combination of glycolic acid and Microdermabrasion that seem to make the difference with acne scars. Even the dermatologist that did my chemical peel told me that glycolic acid was great to remove fine lines and to help reduce acne scars. That made me think that maybe I was on to something. I had been using glycolic acid (of course only 10% solution can be purchased at the store) for acne scar treatment for a while but then I thought about my old days with Microdermabrasion. I knew that Microdermabrasion helped get rid of dead skin so why not try it again now that I could use it at home for my acne scars? That is exactly what I did and I still use it today with glycolic acid to treat my acne scars and I feel as though I am seeing a slow but steady improvement.
How Do I Use It?
I found a brand called Derma 36 that sells the 10% glycolic acid that I use for my acne scars. I use this every day two times a day. I also bought the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion kit and use it at least two times per week and I make sure to do 2 minutes per area of acne scars. After I am done with the Microdermabrasion, I use the glycolic acid and I can feel the tingling of my face and acne scars. It is the exact same feeling that I felt when I was having a chemical peel which made me conclude that I was really on the right path for treating my acne scars. I have been using this system together for a little over 2 months at least two times per week. My face feels clean and pure after each treatment and I feel as if it is slowly working to lighten and remove my acne scars. I have even switched from covering my acne scars with heavy foundation to using Neutrogena tinted moisturizer and powder only! I still feel that if I ever have the money to throw around, I will get laser skin resurfacing but right now I feel my program is working well to minimize my acne scars.
