Doctor's Guide to Treating Acne in Singapore

by Jason C. professional doctor

If severe acne breakouts are not managed properly, they can leave permanent scars on the face which can be damaging for your self-esteem and confidence. Depressed acne scars are often seen as unwanted reminder of your annoying, painful teenage years when you had to battle with recurring acne.

The good news is that acne scars do not have to be permanent, as there are some home remedies and medical treatments that can effectively reduce the appearance of acne scars.

We speak with esteemed aesthetic doctor in Singapore, Dr. Siew Tuck Wah, as he tells us more about how we can achieve smoother skin by getting rid of unwanted acne scars.

Home remedies

The internet has thousands of suggestions which people claim are effective in treating acne scars. While some of these remedies can be effective, one must be discerning to fully understand the ingredients and how these home remedies work to avoid further scarring.

Dr. Siew shares some ingredients that are scientifically proven to aid in reducing acne scars.

SALICYLIC ACID It is a naturally occurring compound that is often found in acne skincare products. It is mainly used to dissolve dead skin cells, clear debris and dirt from inside the pores. It also helps to reduce swelling and redness in the area. People have also reported that the regular use of salicylic acid could minimize the appearance of scarring.

Doctors often advise patients with sensitive skin to do a patch test before using it, as it may could dryness and skin irritation.

RETINOIDS Topical retinoids can aid in intense skin repair and rejuvenation. Doctors found that retinoids reduce skin inflammation, reduce lesions on the skin, and encourage skin repair and renewal.

If you suffer from hyperpigmentation post-acne, retinoids are also excellent for treating hyperpigmented acne scars. It is important to note that the skin is hyper-sensitive to sun exposure when undergoing treatment with retinoids. Using sunscreen is crucial when going outdoors.

ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS Commonly known as AHA, this powerful ingredient helps to get rid of dead skin cells and prevent clogged pores by dissolving the debris and dirt accumulated from the environment.

Evident from its name, it is a mild form of acid that gently dissolves the outer layer of the skin to encourage new skin growth. Over time, skin discoloration will improve as new skin from underneath grow.

Medical treatments for acne scars and acne marks

CHEMICAL PEELS For first timers, you may consider a mild form of treatment involving chemical peel, a stronger form of acid that you may use at home.

Chemical peel treatment is one of the oldest skin treatments for aging skin because it is convenient and inexpensive. Even with newer technology for treating acne scars, doctors still sometimes use chemical peels to treat skin irregularities.

Chemical peel is essentially a skin resurfacing treatment that uses a strong acid to apply on the top layer of the skin under close supervision of the doctor. The treatment removes the superficial layer of dead skin cells. The skin that grows back after a chemical peel is softer and smoother, reducing the appearance of depressed scars.

DERMAL FILLERS Injecting soft tissue fillers to reduce scars is an option to treat severe depressed acne scars. Depending on the doctor’s familiarity of the products, he may use hyaluronic acid fillers or collagen fillers such as Radiesse or Ellanse to plump up depressed acne scars to smoothen out the rough edges.

Dermal filler treatments in Singapore can last between 6 months and 24 months, depending on which type of fillers is used.

INFINI Radiofrequency micro-needling is currently one of the most effective treatments for acne scars in Singapore. It is the process of inserting tiny needles into the skin to stimulate the skin to produce more collagen.

Depending on the severity of the scars, a few sessions may be required to stimulate the skin to produce collagen to plump up and smoothen out the skin.

The only downside of this treatment is that people may experience a relatively long downtime of about 4 to 5 days, ranging from skin redness, pain, and inflammation.

LASER TREATMENT The general idea is to use very precise laser to ablate and remove the top layer of the skin to reveal the younger skin underneath, which will reduce the appearance of depressed scars over time.

Although it is a relatively old technology, CO2 fractional laser resurfacing remains one of the most effective ways to treat acne scars and other skin irregularities such as wrinkles. Despite the good results it can achieve, people are apprehensive in undergoing the treatment because of the long downtime and the discomfort following the treatment.

A new generation laser, called Pico laser is a new generation laser that delivers ultrashort laser pulses in picosecond. In layman terms, this means that the laser pulses stay on the face for a much shorter period, significantly shortening the downtime of the treatment, without compromising the results.

Through its targeted mode of energy delivery, Pico laser is able to reach the dermis to stimulate collagen growth with increased precision, causing little damage to surrounding tissue.