Sometimes people experience back and body acne breakouts for many of the same reasons as facial acne. Body blemishes are caused when naturally occurring oils react with follicle-plugging bacteria to produce breakouts. Body acne is common on the back, shoulders and even chest. It can be embarrassing and can even limit your wardrobe, especially in the summer months.
So is there a remedy? Of course!
There really is no clear-cut answer to that question. The results you get from facial treatments depends on many factors, most importantly the severity of your acne, how often you have the procedure done, how consistent you are with your skin care regimen at home, and the skill of the esthetician performing the treatment.
People with blackheads and other non-inflammatory blemishes may indeed find regular facials help to reduce the amount of breakouts they experience. During a facial treatment, estheticians perform extractions by manually removing pore blockages, or comedones. By extracting these impactions, the pores are cleared of excess oil and cellular debris. Blemishes are less likely to form, improving some cases of non-inflammatory acne.
Mild inflammatory acne can also be treated at the salon, but a dermatologist should see anyone who has moderate to severe acne. A good esthetician will know when a case of acne is beyond her expertise and will refer you to a doctor.
This isn’t to say that those with more advanced cases of acne can’t enjoy or benefit from regular facials. An esthetician can offer treatments complementary to a doctor’s care. Some dermatologists even employ estheticians to perform facials right in their office.
During a facial, the esthetician begins by thoroughly cleansing the skin. Various masks, steam baths, and facial massage may be incorporated into the treatment. The esthetician may use products to reduce surface oil, remove dead skin cells, soothe, or hydrate. Your esthetician can also recommend products for at-home use, like cleansers and moisturizers, that won’t aggravate your acne.
Acne scar surgery remains one of the most effective treatment options for treating depressed acne scars. With many types of acne scar surgery now available, dermatologist can remove, raise, fill, and even separate the scar tissue from the underlying skin.
The purpose of all acne scar surgery is to replace a large, deep scar with a smaller, flatter scar, which will be less noticeable and more likely to fade. After your skin heals from the surgery, your dermatologist may treat the smaller, flatter scar with laser skin resurfacing. This tends to make the scar even less noticeable.
Surgery is usually performed in a dermatologist’s office. Before the surgery, patients usually receive a local anesthesia (numbs only the area to be treated) or light sedation (you remain awake). The more common acne scar surgeries that dermatologists perform are:
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Punch excision – A surgical instrument that looks like a round cookie cutter is used to remove the entire scar.
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Punch elevation – After removing the scar, your dermatologist carefully raises the remaining tissue so that when it heals, it will be level with the rest of your skin.
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Punch graft – After removing the scar, your own skin is used to fill the opening.
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Subcutaneous incision – Your dermatologist uses a surgical probe to separate the scar tissue from the skin, which will raise the skin and flatten the scarred surface.