A quick in-office surgical technique called subcision scarring treatments is used to repair acne scars.
It entails pricking your skin with a tiny needle to separate the acne scar from the underlying tissue. As a result, your skin might increase and the acne scar's look can be lessened.
We'll examine subcision in more detail in this post, along with what to anticipate from the procedure and its price.
What is subcision and what does it entail?
A surgical procedure without incisions is called subcision. It can be used to enhance the look of:
- depressed scars
- wrinkles
- cellulite
Although scars from acne are most frequently treated with surgery, scars from other disorders, such as:
- chicken pox
- wounds
- surgery
A dermatologist will perform this operation by inserting a hypodermic needle just underneath the scar on your skin. The fibres tying the scar to the tissue underneath it are broken and made free with the needle.
This procedure encourages the release of collagen at the location of the needle insertion in addition to helping to raise a depressed scar.
Both the lifting of the scar and the collagen's release can aid in the scar's look reduction.
Typically, this process is done three to six times, with a minimum of four weeks between each session.
Not all forms of acne scars respond well to subcision. For instance, it might not be effective in treating keloid scars and elevated (hypertrophic) scars.
Oral retinoids users who also have one of the following conditions should be advised against this procedure:
- blood clotting disorders
- bacterial or viral infections
- current or active acne
Is it effective at treating acne scars?
According to a 2010 study analysis by Trusted Source, while there isn't much evidence on the effectiveness of subcision, a few studies show that it may be able to permanently reduce acne scars.
In a tiny 2005 trial, 40 patients were treated with subcision for rolling acne scars.
Despite the scars' incomplete healing, 90% of patients said their scars had improved in appearance, according to the study.
Next, 45 participants in a short 2016 research examined three treatments for acne scars. The three procedures were as follows:
- subcision
- derma rollers
- CO2 fractional laser
The doctors considered subcision to be the most effective therapy out of the three that were tried.
The study's authors came to the conclusion that subcision is a practical and cost-efficient method for minimising acne scars.
To find out more about the effectiveness and safety of subcision, further research are required.
What to expect with subcision
Subcision is often carried out at a dermatologist's office or clinic. You won't be admitted to the hospital once the operation is finished because it is often performed as an outpatient surgery.
Before you have the treatment done, the dermatologist will go through the processes.
Your dermatologist will clean the area around your scar before beginning the operation. Additionally, a local anaesthetic will be used to numb and freeze your skin in order to make the operation painless for you.
Then, behind the scar, your dermatologist will horizontally prick your skin with a needle.
Then, to aid in separating the scar from the underlying tissue, they will carefully glide the needle under the scar from side to side. Your skin fibres may crack softly when they are broken, which you could hear.
In accordance with the size and shape of the scar, this procedure may need to be repeated. After the treatment, the wound site will either get manual pressure or cold. By doing this, bleeding and inflammation are reduced.