Ice pick scars: Definition, Causes, Treatment options, Fraxel laser for ice pick scars and prevention

Gururaj Swamy
6 min readSep 6, 2019

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Acnes are formed when the dead skin cells, along with bacteria, get accumulated in your skin pores. Although acne might go away, but they leave behind a scar which can cause physical and emotional pain.

Acne scars look like dents in the skin where there exists loss of skin tissue which can hamper your confidence.

Thanks to the latest technology, you can bring back your lost beauty and fight acne scars.

Fraxel laser treatment and microneedling can be helpful to make your skin flawless.

Your body got its mechanism to heal acne by forming more collagen.

Thus skin texture is disturbed, and indentations are formed on the skin. Due to the excess production of collagen, a scar is formed.

What are an ice pick scars?

Ice pick scars are a kind of acne scar and lead to deep and narrow impressions.

Ice pick scars are more dangerous than atrophic and boxcar type of acne scars.

It is difficult to treat them at home, so it is better to get professional help.

You can notice an improvement in your appearance.

How ice pick scars look and why do they form?

Similar to other types of acne scars, ice pick scars also result in an acne outbreak.

Some acne scars are thin and flat, i.e. atrophic.

Other scars (Boxcar and rolling scars) are wide and got sharp edges.

Ice pick scars are more narrow and deeper than other types of scars.

Ice pick scars can be detected by narrow pitted shapes over the skin.

You can easily notice them.

Ice pick scars are formed due to severe acne, which includes cysts and papules present deep in your pores.

Treatment options which are best to cure Ice pick scars

Surgery and resurfacing procedures are traditional methods performed by a skilled dermatologist.

Improvement can be noticed by both resurfacing and surgery. Other procedures are:

Punch grafting

This treatment includes removing the scar and switching it with a skin graft mostly from behind your ear.

Punch grafting fills in deep and narrow ice pick scars.

The only problem is that you require many grafts, i.e. up to 20 for a single scar.

Sometimes the treated area is more raised than the surrounding skin area.

Punch excision

In this method, ice pick scar is removed, and later the skin is covered from all sides.

Although it is a good one, you might be left with a thin scar

Punch excision cannot get rid of any nearby skin discolouration.

If you are searching for the best laser for ice pick scars, then you should try out Fraxel laser treatment

How does Fraxel laser for ice pick scars help you?

It peels away all the skin imperfections such as acne scars, fine lines and hyperpigmentation to give you a stunning look.

Laser ice pick scars are a perfect option to treat textured acne scars such as boxcar, rolling scars and icepick.

The intricate and deep areas where it is impossible for creams to reach, Fraxel laser digs deep to break up scar tissue.

How does laser treatment for ice pick scars work?

Fraxel Dual Laser Treatment works by making use of dual lasers with frequencies digging deep into the epidermis & dermis layers of the skin. This laser enters the damaged skin and activates the collagen to form new healthy skin cells.

This method needs topical anesthesia to be smeared on the targeted area one hour before the treatment.

A jet of cold air is used to give comfort to the patient.

Ice pick scars laser treatment needs 20–25 minutes for an entire face, and you can return to routine after a day or two.

You can witness better results after 3 to 5 treatments.

How laser for ice pick scars can heal the damaged area

Scars are formed when your skin gets damaged by injury. Collagen fibers help to heal by forming new skin cells and thus creating a scar. Sometimes, the body produces more collagen, and thus an elevated ice pick scars are formed.

How old should you be for Fraxel Laser ick pick scar treatments?

There is no minimum age barrier for Fraxel Laser Treatments, but it is better to consult with a certified dermatologist before undergoing the procedure.

Be it wrinkles, ice pick scars or sun damage around eyes, this safe method (laser ice pick scars

Treatment) will surely give you smooth and young skin without any brown spots or irregularity.

How many sessions of Fraxel laser for ice pick scars should one undergo to see results?

Well, it depends on the target area. If it is a pigment, you can witness results in 1 to 2 sessions. If the problem is acne scarring or wrinkles, it will take 3 to 5 sessions.

If you got wrinkles or acne scarring, it takes 3 to 5 sessions.

If you got both acne and wrinkles, it is better to maintain a lapse of 4 weeks between sessions.

How much ice pick scars laser treatment costs?

It is expected to vary from $1200 to $1600 for each session

Side effects of ice pick scars laser treatment

Some patients might get a breakout of whiteheads due to rapid skin turnover.

Microneedling

The method of microneedling for ice pick scars includes several fine needles punctured over the top layer of your skin.

Microneedling produces many microscopic holes in the skin, leading to peeling of the epidermis and mid-dermis.

This helps to trigger the production of elastin and collagen.

You can notice results within six to twelve weeks.

This treatment is quite popular as it is affordable.

Side effects include slight bruising.

Microneedling includes using a dermaroller device with 12 tracks of small needles in a cartridge rolled over the skin many times.

The purpose of microneedling is to make micro-traumas to the skin to stimulate the production of collagen.

How to prevent Ice pick scars

Acne is a temporary problem, but they can become permanent.

Scars are the natural healing process of the body after injury. Most of the wounds heal without scarring. Sometimes dermis is damaged, which lead to scar formation on the skin.

Although you cannot prevent acne scars, you can reduce the chances of getting them.

You can treat acne as soon as it forms.

Avoid over-the-counter acne medicines and seek the help of a doctor.

If you can prevent pimples, you can stop scarring.

Never Squeeze Pimples:

When you squeeze a pimple, debris is forced deeper into the dermis and thus spreading infection.

Your healing process of the skin is increased, and thus, a permanent scar is formed.

Decrease Inflammation

Large acne blemishes leave more scars than non-inflamed breakouts or blackheads.

Try to calm inflammation and never do anything that irritates your skin.

Forceful scrubbing and the use of aggressive skincare products must be avoided.

Never Pick at Scabs

A scab is the natural bandage of the skin which guards the wound in the healing process. So it is wise to avoid picking scabs.

When you pick a scab off your wound, time for the healing process is increased.

Some people are more prone to scarring, and others are healed without a scar.

It is better to consult a dermatologist to discuss about acne treatment and check if you are vulnerable to scarring.

Deep and large breakouts can cause severe damage

While small blemish scar your skin, the big ones are a piece of bad news.

They extend deep into the skin, and cystic breakouts damage the skin tissue to form scar

Conclusion

Most of the acne scars never go away after treatment.

Ice pick scars decrease in appearance with time.

Consult a dermatologist to find a solution for your ice pick scars.

Quick results depend on the type of treatment and how frequently you need follow-up procedures.

In order to avoid losing your time and hard-earned money, it is better to start working on the problem before it is too late.

Get your scars treated from a doctor without any hassle through Oliva Clinic.

Our experts will surely answer your question to give you a quick solution.

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Gururaj Swamy
Gururaj Swamy

Written by Gururaj Swamy

Technical content writer | ERP | SaaS | Cybersecurity | ERP | IAM | CXaaS |https://www.linkedin.com/in/gururaj-swamy

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