Acne is the most common skin condition, and acne scars are the most common long-term complication of acne. We fully understand the personal distress that post-acne scarring can cause. The hard truth is that post-acne scarring is permanent, which is the main reason why we aggressively tackle acne conditions in our patients. That being said, with newer technologies developed, we are able to use the very best clinically proven acne scar removal treatments at The Ogee Clinic to improve the appearance of acne–scarring, returning a high level of skin quality and confidence back to our patients.
There is nothing that can restore the skin to its original pristine condition after scarring has occurred. However there are many techniques available to soften the appearance of scarring. The appropriate treatments to be instituted are determined by the type of acne scars present during assessment.
These are broad depressions in the skin that have gentle sloping edges. Usually a larger area of skin is affected.
Discrete individual scars that are deeper than they are wide. The classical appearance is that of an indentation made in a snow-filled ground by an icepick. They have a narrow opening on the skin surface, and have steep slopes that ends in an even narrower base in the skin.
Broad rectangular depressions within the skin giving a punched-out appearance.
These acne scars are fundamentally different from the above-mentioned scars. They occur due to an increased inflammatory response to the skin injury, and the scars formed appear elevated, raised, and thick compared to the surrounding skin.
This Scar:ELIMINATE programme is specially catered for patients with varying types of longstanding acne scars and is suitable for all skin types.
Before commencement of the treatments, Dr Heng will assess your skin condition to ensure that you do not have the following:
Inform Dr Heng or our therapists if you have been taking any medications or are on any long-term supplements. These may affect the response the treatments.
Your program will be customized after a comprehensive assessment by Dr Heng. At The Ogee Clinic, we understand that every individual’s skin is different, and we have an array of tools under our SCAR Elimination Program to cater to different scar conditions and concerns:
To obtain the best result, you will need a tailored approach to target your acne scarring condition with the ideal treatments. During the consultation, Dr Heng will perform a thorough assessment before advising you on the right acne scar treatments, the combination to be done, and also the sequence that the treatments will be performed in. There is no one size fits all when it comes to acne scar treatment, and we believe the best outcome is the combination of different methods, customized to your skin type and scar type.
Prior to the procedure, our therapist will help you apply a local anesthetic cream on the intended treatment areas. During the procedure, Dr Heng will direct the laser handpiece or RF device over your skin. The whole procedure may take 15-20 minutes to complete. Occasionally, your treatment session may include other types of treatment instead of laser therapy. In this case, the duration of treatment will differ based on the severity and extent of the treatment area.
You may feel some mild pinching sensation during the course of the treatment. For our subsicion or TCA CROSS procedures, some patients may feel a warm or sunburn sensation during the procedure. We will take the necessary precautions to ensure each treatment session is comfortable for you. Anesthetic cream, anesthetic solution injections, and even cryo-air flow infusion may be applied before and during the procedures.
After the initial downtime, you may be able to see some improvement in your skin texture just after the first session. With the subsequent treatment sessions, the skin texture will be notably smoother, the enlarged pores will improve, and the overall skin complexion will look more glowing.
Certain treatments will cause a short downtime in our patients. These may include mild skin swelling, redness, and peeling. We recommend those having higher energy treatments to schedule their treatments around a time where there are no important social functions for 5-7 days. Some patients may prefer to take leave from work too, to allow for recovery.
After the treatment, you may be advised some topical products for home-use to reduce the discomfort and aid in the recovery. Refrain from scratching or traumatizing the skin, and judicious use of sunscreen is recommended after the procedure. Staying indoors and avoiding intense sun exposure is highly important during the first week after our Resurfacing Laser treatment.
The type of treatment and the number of sessions for each treatment will vary for different patients, and are usually dependent upon the type of acne scars and severity of the scars. In addition, your lifestyle and work commitments will also play an important role in determining the type of treatments we can recommend. We will be able to explain in more detail after your consultation as to the treatment program that has been customized for you.