Beyond Skin Deep: Laser Treatment for Back Acne Scars

What Causes Back Acne and Scarring?

Back acne or also called, “bacne” is acne breakouts that develop on your back. Acne happens when sweat, oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria are trapped in your skin’s pores and typically our backs are something we find difficult to clean up often. Additionally, back friction from backpacks, sweaty clothing, or sports gear can cause acne to become worse. Other factors that can cause bacne are hormones, genetics, medication side effects, and stress.

Back acne scars are formed when someone has inflammatory acne or chronic cystic acne because there is inflammation happening in the skin, resulting in the underlying tissue being damaged, hence the scars. In addition, when acne on your back is left untreated or picked, it summons the formation of pigmentation which leads to acne scarring.

Preventing Acne and Acne Scars at Home

1. Frequent showers.

Taking shower every after a workout or any physical activity that produces intense sweat can help reduce the harm that the sweat brings to acne-prone skin. Droplets of sweat can contribute to the formation of back acne together with oil, bacteria and the kind of fabric you are wearing.

2. Wear loose clothing or with soft fabric.

To prevent your skin from further development of acne which can be caused by friction and trapped bacteria on your back.

3. Vitamin C. 

Taking enough Vitamin C not just enhances your immune system but also helps to decrease the pigmentation of dark marks caused by active acne. For healed acne, pimple or black & white heads, you can apply a Vitamin C serum to prevent the acne from leaving a dark mark.

CeraVe Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid is highly recommended because it is formulated with 10 percent l-ascorbic acid, the purest form of vitamin C, to help brighten the complexion and promote a more even skin tone.

4. Exfoliate.

Exfoliating might sound like a surplus but it is actually recommended to have clearer and renewed skin. Some do this weekly but you can exfoliate bi-weekly just scrub out dead skin cells and unclog your pores to prevent them from forming bacne. 

Brooklyn Botany Himalayan Salt Body Scrub does not just exfoliate your body but also moisturizes your skin and can be used all over your body. Try it now.

5. Use good acids.

I was scared to use acid on my face before but they are actually essential in taking care of our skin. According to Dr. Michelle Green, MD, the key products to use for back acne are those with salicylic acid and alpha hydroxyacids because they increase skin cell turnover and help unclog your pores. You can also opt for moisturizers with acids as they offer two benefits in one product:  skin- and scar-softening.

Clinical Treatments for Back Acne Scars

There are several clinical procedures patients can go through to treat back acne and bacne scars but the ultimate decision should come from your dermatologist, along with your approval, of course. Specific types of back acne scars call for specific treatments. At the end of the day, your treatment will depend on the type of back acne scars you have.

The common treatments dermatologists offer to their patients to treat back acne scars include:

• Resurfacing Laser Treatments
• Chemical Peels
• Dermal Fillers
• Micro-Needling
• LED Treatments
• Prescription Medication

Types of Back Acne Scars Laser Treatment You Must Know

If you are among those that are looking for laser treatment for acne scars on back, there are now more options to choose from. Most dermatology clinics nowadays offer these types of back acne scars laser treatment below. These are grouped according to the laser category they belong:

1. Ablative laser resurfacing

• CO2 Ablative Laser

This type of laser ablation uses a continuous wave CO2 laser for facial rejuvenation. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the CO2 laser produces an invisible infrared beam, emitting energy, which is primarily absorbed by water and is excellent for ablation of the skin. They also stated that the discomfort associated with CO2 laser therapy often requires local anesthesia.

• Er:YAG Ablative Laser

This laser produces laser light and uses water, similar to CO2 laser but energy absorption is 12 to 18 times greater. In this type of laser, resurfacing of the wound of the epidermal layer occurs more rapidly when compared with CO2 lasers, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Unlike with the CO2 laser, topical anesthetic alone is often sufficient for treatment with Er:YAG lasers.

2. Non-ablative laser resurfacing

• Vbeam laser 

Vbeam laser is a pulsed dye laser which is a non-ablative kind of laser. It uses a 595 nm wavelength of intense light to treat skin discoloration problems such as rosacea, acne scars and photo damage, all without any discomfort or downtime. 

Skin specialists use laser technology like Vbeam laser to medicate skin issues including your back acne scars. This laser works very well in treating facial rosacea, acne scars, facial veins and more. 

• IPL PIH treatment

This laser or Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a non-ablative procedure to improve the texture and color of the skin, which utilizes light energy to target certain pigments, making it effective for treating a range of skin conditions. The alineamedicalspa.com mentions that IPL therapy can create a more even skin tone and a more youthful look.

3. Fractionated laser treatment

• Fraxel

Fraxel is a kind of fractionated laser treatment that uses unique technology to treat thousands of microscopic treatment areas. Dr. Green of michelegreenmd.com says that this treatment relies on the microscopic beams that can both treat deep within the dermis and leave surrounding tissue completely unaffected. 

• Sublative Skin Rejuvenation

This kind of laser uses bi-polar radio frequency energy to heat below the skin surface while keeping the top layer of skin intact, according to michelegreenmd.com.