acne scar treatment Archives | Dr Anastasia Therianou

Subcision for scars

drmacli — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 15:47:27 +0000

One of the main reasons for scarring is acne, an inflammatory disorder of the skin which results in clogged pores and produces pimples. Acne doesn’t just cause a problem above the skin but below it, too. During a flare up, the deeper layers of the skin become inflamed, resulting in scarring.

What is subcision? Ηow does subcision work?

In some cases, acne may leave you with “rolling acne” scars; dips in the skin caused by the base of the scar being attached to deeper layers of the skin which pulls it inwards. Subcision is the best form of treatment for this type of scar.

Subcision is a minor in-office surgical technique used to treat acne scars. It involves the insertion of a needle beneath the skin to break up the fibrous bands of tissue that are causing the scarring. This way, it allows your skin to rise and diminish the acne scar.

Although subcision is most often used to treat acne scars, it may also help reduce scars caused by other conditions, like: chicken pox, wounds, surgery, scars or even cellulite.

Dr Anastasia Therianou and her team has extensive experience in the management of acne and acne scars. Recently, Dr Anastasia acted as a principal investigator in a large national study about an acne treatment known as Safa study.

What is the procedure?

Before surgery, you will be given a local anaesthetic. A hypodermic needle is inserted underneath the scar to cut the fibres which are pulling it downwards. Your body will then automatically increase collagen production to heal the wound and lift the skin, with the wound expected to heal in around six to ten weeks.

Immediately after the surgery, icepacks will be placed on the wound to help reduce any swelling, but you should expect a degree of bruising and swelling for a few days afterwards whilst our sterile technique minimises any risk of infection.

How long does it take to see the results from subcision?

The results of subcision can be immediately visible sometimes. Usually, there is quite a lot of swelling from the anaesthetic. This can take a day or two to settle. The results are usually seen within 1 to 3 months.

Subcision aftercare

We will discuss all aspects of aftercare with you. Some of the most important aftercare advices are:

For the first 24-48 hours after the procedure, it is normal to feel slightly sore in the treatment areas. Mild swelling usually lasts less than 48 hours, but in some rare cases, swelling may persist for up to a week.

Do not touch the treatment areas, as this may lead to infection.

Regular washing or shower activities may be resumed after 24 hours unless instructed otherwise.

For swelling and soreness, apply a cold, wet cloth to the treatment area in intervals of 10-15 minutes.

Do not wear makeup or other cosmetic products in the treatment areas for 24 hours.

Apply a thin layer of vaseline after showering.

Do not pick scabs that develop in the treatment area.

Is subcision treatment the best for acne scar treatment?

Subcision is often recommended alongside other medical treatments to diminish acne scarring. These treatments may include:

Dermapen Microneedling. It is a completely natural treatment that has both anti-ageing and restoration effects, and is used to significantly improve atrophic scars following acne, injuries, chicken pox scars or enlarged pores.

Dermabrasion. This procedure uses a wire brush or a diamond wheel with rough edges to remove and level the uppermost layer of skin.

Laser treatment. This treatment involves using lasers to remove your uppermost layer of skin and heal scarring.

How many sessions are needed?

One or two sessions should be needed, depending on the severity of the scarring.

What is the cost?

Between £200 and £700

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Benzoyl peroxide for acne treatment

drmacli — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:36:05 +0000

A big skin myth that is not spoken about enough, is that acne is often thought of as a skin condition mainly reserved for teenagers. This is, in fact, not true, acne can occur at any age. In fact, one recent study found some degree of facial acne in 54% of women and 40% of men older than 25 years.

So, if you’re struggling, you’re not alone, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek treatment.

What is acne?

Acne occurs when the sebaceous (oil) glands begin to overwork. The purpose of these glands is to secrete sebum to keep your skin moist and protect your skin’s barrier, however, when a raised level of sebum is released, it can begin to clog pores and trap bacteria and dead skin cells that are present, creating – potentially painful – spots.

Treating acne with benzoyl peroxide

The good news is, acne can be treated. Though it can be tempting to try and pop or scratch spots, this should be avoided to prevent any acne scarring or the spreading of bacteria to other parts of your face or body.

One super-effective treatment is benzoyl peroxide, a potent chemical compound that normally comes in the form of a gel or face wash. Though severe acne might need stronger, professional treatment, many people who suffer with mild to moderate acne find that this over-the-counter cure helps to minimise redness.

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How does benzoyl peroxide work?

Benzoyl peroxide works as an antiseptic to reduce the number of germs on the skin. Also it peels away the skin to get rid of dead cells and excessive oil. There are gels that combine benzoyl peroxide with antibiotics or retinoid creams. These come only under prescription.

How to use benzoyl peroxide

The most common products contain 1- 5% of benzoyl peroxide and should be used once or twice a day, or as directed by the medical professional you are working with, and can take up to four months to completely clear acne. Make sure to apply to the entire infected area, rather than simply dabbing on individual spots.

During this time it is best to avoid strong sunlight and use an oil-free sunscreen of SPF30 or above on a day-to-day basis.

Take care to avoid your clothing and hair while applying as the benzoyl peroxide gel or face wash can discolour them, and be aware that initial use can cause skin irritation. If this happens, reduce the amount of gel or wash you are using and let your skin gently build up to a higher concentration. Consult your doctor or the medical professional you are working with if skin irritation persists or worsens.

What types of acne is benzoyl peroxide good for?

Benzoyl peroxide products are usually used to treat mild to moderate acne. More specifically, these products are commonly used to treat the following types of acne:

Blackheads and whiteheads: These can be both apparent in blemish-prone skin. Blackheads look like black dots on your skin and whiteheads look like white dots. They are caused by plugged pores, and benzoyl peroxide can remove oil and dead skin cells that clog your pores, so it helps to clear the skin from back and whiteheads.

Acne pimples (pustules): Pimples are small applies on the surface of the skin, which are inflamed and contain pus at their tips. Benzoyl peroxide works to treat acne pimples by killing the bacteria called P.acnes underneath the skin, as well as helping the pores shed dead skin cells.

Cystic acne: Cystic acne is a severe form of acne that results in large, pus-filled cysts forming underneath the skin’s surface. Over-the-counter products may help mitigate the inflammation and bring it down a bit, but dermatologists typically recommend a combination of oral and topical prescriptions in these cases.

Can you use benzoyl peroxide when pregnant?

The good news is that you can use benzoyl peroxide if you are suffering with acne while pregnant or breastfeeding as it is applied to the skin in small amounts and so shouldn’t cause any complications, even if passed through to the baby.

If you’re breastfeeding just make sure that the baby doesn’t come into direct contact with the gel or face wash and avoid using it down your neck or chest area, or take care to thoroughly wash it off these areas before feeding.

If you’re actively trying for a baby, or hope to in the near future, there are no known effects on fertility caused by use of benzoyl peroxide.

Can benzoyl peroxide work for severe acne?

Though you can try a benzoyl peroxide gel or face wash as a first treatment, more severe acne cases might need further, more intensive, treatment, carried out by a dermatologist. The good news is, there are other options available that Dr Anastasia and her team would be more than happy to discuss with you, you can contact them here.

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How can you fix acne scars with injections?

drmacli — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:24:54 +0000

Injections are one of the options for treating scarring, and especially atrophic scars. It is produced by the patient’s own blood cells.

Blood cells have various growth factors and proteins which accelerate healing. These growth factors have the potential to stimulate stem cells to produce collagen, to grow new tissue and improve scars.

During the appointment, a small sample of blood, less than 20ml is taken from the patient. The blood sample is placed in a centrifuge and a specific blood component is extracted. Then, it is injected into the areas that have atrophic scars with a very small needle.

In our clinic this method is usually combined with medical needling (Dermapen) and you can return to your activities straight after the treatment.

Who might be a good candidate?

Individuals with atrophic scars on face. But remember: we never treat scars when acne (spots and pimples) are still present. We first treat the acne and then focus on the treatment of scars.

How many sessions are needed?

We recommend treatments every 4-6 weeks for around 5-6 sessions, but everyone has different needs so we individualize our treatment according to the each patient.

Are there any risks?

It is generally a well-tolerated treatment. Mild pain at the sides of the injections is not uncommon. Also mild swelling, bruising or numbness might occur. A very rare side effect can be getting an infection and we minimise this risk by using a sterile technique.

How long does each session last?

It takes around 45 minutes as we combine it with medical needling (Dermapen) for
better results. We have in our team a great qualified nurse who performs the
treatment.

What is the cost?

The cost is 200 pounds per session.

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Dermapen: Microneedling for treating scars

drmacli — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 14:29:03 +0000

Dermapen is the industry-leading medical needling device, which works as a skin repair treatment to significantly improve atrophic scars following acne, injuries, chicken pox scars or enlarged pores and is an effective acne scar treatment.

What is Micro Needling?

Micro needling or medical needling is a wonderful, completely natural treatment that “helps the skin to help itself”. Micro needling has both anti-ageing and restoration effects.

How does Dermapen work?

Instead of injecting any substances into the skin, Dermapen treatment only involves an advanced automatic needle pen which is equipped with sterile, ultra-fine needles.

Dermapen and medical needling in general, mechanically mimics the effects of fractionated laser technologies by creating microscopically small punctures in the dermis, where our collagen and elastin live.

This mini-injury induces thousands of tiny, controlled wound-healing responses in this deep layer of the skin. Consequently, growth factors are released, and fibroblasts are stimulated into synthesizing new skin matrix such as collagen. In time, this will lead to a better skin surface.

But always remember:

Acne (active spots and pimples) has to be treated before considering any scarring treatment!

Dermapen is an effective treatment for the following concerns

How many sessions are needed?

Usually, we recommend a course of three to six sessions at four-to-eight-week intervals. The procedure is performed by our qualified test after application of an effective numbing cream for pain prevention as it is well tolerated by all of our patients.

Sometimes we combine this technique with injections or subcision based on each patient’s type of scarring and needs.

You also may have heard of needle-rollers for use at home. The high quality, sterile micro-needles that we use in clinic go much deeper. Not surprisingly, they’re much more effective than home rollers in all respects. In fact, home rollers don’t actually reach the collagen containing dermis.

Are there any risks?

It is generally a well-tolerated treatment. Mild pain at the sides of the injections is not uncommon. Also mild swelling, bruising or redness might occur. A very rare side effect can be getting an infection and we minimise this risk by using a sterile technique. In patients with dark skin there is a risk of leaving some darker marks called post inflammatory hyperpigmentation, that is why we always offer a test prior to the actual treatment to be able to check how the skin responds.

Is Dermapen safe for everyone?

Dermapen is not suitable for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and people who have keloid scarring or are immunocompromised with delayed wound healing.

How long does each session last?

It takes around 30 minutes and when we combine it with injections it takes up to 60 minutes. We have in our team a great qualified nurse who performs the treatment.

How long do the results last?

If Dermapen is used to treat scars or stretch marks, the improvements are permanent. If it is used for rejuvenating, the results last for approximately 12 months.

What actions should I take after my Dermapen treatment?

Use the aftercare products as recommended by our team.

Avoid intense sunshine for 2 weeks after the treatment. During this period you must always use high factor sunscreen (30+) SPF.

Avoid hot water or any other extreme temperature (eg saunas, etc) for 48 hours.

Avoid any unnecessary contact with the treated area for 2 days.

What is the cost ?

The cost for Dermapen is 180 pounds per session.

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