Do you have acne scars on your face? Are they stopping you from living your life to the fullest? You are not alone. Research shows that scarring can have a negative impact on one’s self-confidence regardless of where it came from – a burn, a genetic condition or acne. With lower self-esteem, individuals with scarring are less likely to feel relaxed and attend social events.
Fortunately, there are ways to lighten your scars and improve your self-confidence without any downtime. ResurFX uses non-ablative, fractional laser technology to improve skin discoloration, stretch marks, scars, wrinkles, and more. Let’s learn more about this treatment and the positive outcome it can have for individuals with acne scarring.
Does Acne Lower Self-Esteem?
Acne is one of the most common dermatologic complaints, though that doesn’t stop people from being embarrassed by it. In fact, research shows that people with acne experience social, psychological, and emotional ramifications at the same level as people with chronic health conditions.
It’s also important to point out that acne can occur in other parts of the body. For example, a person who has acne on their shoulders, upper back, or chest might not want to go swimming or wear certain clothes because of their acne.
Bottom line: Acne most definitely has a negative impact on self-esteem. The face is the part of your body that everyone sees, so it’s only natural that people are self-conscious about deep acne scars.
How Does Acne Affect Mental Health?
Acne can affect a person’s emotional health as well. Researchers have found that people who have acne or acne scarring are more likely to develop:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Poor self-image
- Decreased quality of life
- Feelings of being alone
Some of the emotional pain is internal as people with acne tend to feel self-conscious about the way they look. Sadly, people with acne can also get bullied. Kids have been known to toss around words like “crater face” and “pizza face.” Girls, in particular, suffer significant stress from having acne and often end up feeling unattractive. These feelings can lead to depression or anxiety.
Even into the adult years, acne can still cause problems with self-image. Adults might feel self-conscious during job interviews while going out on dates, or when attending special events like weddings or corporate parties. Because acne is less common in adults, many feel even more lonely and isolated from their peers.
What Does Acne Feel Like?
Acne can be uncomfortable or painful, though it doesn’t have to be. The reason why pimples often hurt is that the body is trying to push out the stuff that doesn’t belong there like dead skin, oil, and bacteria. As the body tries to get rid of this, it produces redness, swelling, and inflammation and this is what causes the pain.
Cystic acne is the most serious type of acne. It develops when cysts form underneath the skin, causing large swollen bumps to develop. They’re often sensitive to the touch. Picking at the pimples or trying to break them is one of the worst things you can do because you’re sending all that bacteria back into your body and increasing the risk for permanent scarring.
ResurFX: A New, Non-Invasive Solution for Treating Acne Scars
There are a number of over-the-counter treatments you can use to clear up acne. Keep in mind that acne treatments need about four weeks to start working so it’s important not to mix medications. If you don’t see any improvement after four to six weeks, you can then try another product. It’s best to talk to your dermatologist about the best acne treatments to use on your skin.
Unfortunately, if you’ve had acne or are still dealing with acne, there is a chance for scarring. Acne scars are the result of inflammation. The acne pores swell and breakdown occurs in the walls of the pore. Some scars end up being small and shallow while others are like pits or holes. This can be embarrassing, especially after years of struggling with acne. Fortunately, there is a treatment solution: ResurFX.
What are the Benefits of ResurFX?
ResurFX uses fractional technology to target areas on the skin to make more collagen. As collagen increases, the skin looks tighter, even, and youthful. ResurFX also treats sun spots, fine lines and wrinkles, stretch marks, loose skin, and discoloration.
The benefits of using ResurFX to treat acne scars are:
- Only one pass is needed. ResurFX only needs one pass, which is unique compared to other fractional technologies. This saves time and protects the skin.
- Optimal treatments. As an advanced scanner, ResurFX offers more than 600 combinations of shape, size, and density for the best outcome possible.
- No downtime. Have a wedding coming up? A job interview? No problem! ResurFX has very little downtime. You can return to your normal activities the day after treatment. You may experience some redness, swelling, and irritation, but these effects typically subside in a few days.
- Highly effective. We have seen great results from ResurFX. Results typically peak after one week and you can enjoy continued healing with each treatment. Most importantly, you get your self-confidence back.
ResurFX is a series of treatments, and we usually recommend 3-4 treatments one month apart to get the best results. Thankfully, the treatments are short and have limited downtime so you can be in and out of the doctor’s office quickly.
How Much Does Acne Scar Treatment Cost?
The estimated price for each ResurFX treatment for the face is $900+, spot treatments are available starting at $200. There is some variation to this based on the following:
- Number of scars you’re treating
- Size of the area you’re treating
- Number of treatments you’ll need
- Experience level of your doctor
- Location of your doctor’s practice
So how does this compare to other similar treatments? According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average out-of-pocket cost for laser skin resurfacing is around $2,000 for ablative and $1,100 for non-ablative treatments. ResurFX falls in line with these estimates.
Schedule a Consultation to Learn About ResurFX
If you have questions about treating acne scars with ResurFX or another similar treatment, contact SF Plastic Surgeon in San Francisco CA for a free consultation. Dr. Shahin Javaheri has extensive experience treating acne scars and is confident in his ability to help patients of all severities. Book your consultation today at 855-923-3800.
