Minimizing the Appearance of Acne Scars

A pockmarked face that's the result of acne can haunt you well into adulthood and put a major dent in your self-image. Of course, leaving pimples alone and not picking them reduces the likelihood that they'll scar, but hindsight is 20/20 when you already have scars. So is there any way to get rid of them completely? First, when you have a pimple, take extra precautions as it heals to reduce the appearance of a scar. Sun exposure causes more skin damage, so it's important to wear a good sunscreen at all times. It can take up to six months for an acne scar to heal fully. Once acne heals, then the scars can be treated in a few ways, depending on the shape of the scar. Typically, acne scars in four shapes: ice pick, the deep, small pocks in the skin that make it look as if it were punctured by an ice pick; boxcar, which look a lot like chicken pox scars with sharp vertical edges; rolling, which give skin a wave-like appearance; and hypertrophic, which are raised, lumpy scars.