So, does microneedling help with ice pick scars? In general, the answer is yes – microneedling may be an effective treatment for ice pick scars. In fact, in a study published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, microneedling was found to be more effective than pulsed laser therapy for the treatment of ice pick scars.
Chemical peels can help reduce the appearance of ice pick scars by removing the upper layer of your skin. Standard chemical peels — done professionally and through at-home kits — often contain glycolic acid (“medium” peels). Other kinds may have Jessner's solution or trichloroacetic acid (TCA).
If you have pitted scarring, microneedling will stimulate collagen production to fill in the holes in your skin, raising the level of the pits and smoothing them out.
Deeper scars like an ice pick and boxcar scars, for example, cannot be treated with microdermabrasion, as they penetrate below the epidermis and cannot be reached with this surface-level procedure.
Laser skin resurfacing is one of the most common resurfacing techniques that dermatologists use to treat ice pick scars. The procedure involves using monochromatic light to deliver thermal energy to the scar, which stimulates the production of collagen and elastin.
“In general, ablative lasers such as the Erbium or CO2 are the most effective for indented scars.
Dermatologists recommend microneedling for scars, discoloration, and fine lines. Some use it to tighten sagging skin or fade stretch marks. This procedure works great for melasma, thermal burns, surgery scars, and acne scars. Unlike microdermabrasion and chemical peeling, it's safer and causes less damage to the skin.
After having microneedling treatments, your acne scars will not come back. As part of the natural aging process, you may lose some volume overtime, making residual scars somewhat more noticeable. However, your microneedling treatments will make your skin smoother in the long-term.
For many patients, it takes 3 to 6 treatment appointments to have a full reduction of scarring. However, between your first appointment and your desired results, you will notice a gradual improvement of the scar texture, usually within 6 to 8 weeks of your first appointment.
These injuries usually heal within two days and new collagen is formed inside of the scar. Collagen is a protein that help gives our skin strength and elasticity.
Treatment options for Ice Pick scars include punch excision and this can be an option with a broad price range, as you might pay between $500 and $1000 per individual scar.
The Fraxel Laser is able to treat a variety of skin conditions. It's able to remove a variety of atrophic scars, which includes ice pick and boxcar acne scars, surgical scars, and scars from injury.
Although results can be seen immediately with Juvéderm, most people see their most impressive results three to five days after injection, as swelling and bruising disappear. Juvederm is most effective on depressed acne scars, especially ice pick scars.
The pitted scars are particularly troublesome. Not only can they require a variety of treatments, but they can also take quite a while to fade. And, in some cases, they'll never disappear completely.
“Chemical peels, micro-needling radiofrequency and intradermal radiofrequency, fractional minimally ablative CO2 laser and dermal fillers are some of the recommended treatments for long-term reduction of acne scars,” she adds.
Results: Patients received one to six consecutive monthly microneedling treatments. All scars improved at least 50 percent after an average of 2.5 treatments. Over 80 percent of patients had 50 to 75 percent improvement, and 65 percent of patients demonstrated over 75 percent improvement.
How Often Should You Get Microneedling Done? You can safely book your microneedling treatments every 4 to 6 weeks until you get the results you want. If your goal is scar reduction, you'll likely need 3 to 6 treatments. For collagen induction, 3 treatments is a good starting point.
Microneedling has been successfully used as a treatment for scars for several years. It involves creating micro-punctures in the skin, which help to break down old scar tissue and stimulate fresh new collagen and elastin.
The right treatment for you will depend on your primary concern. For instance, if you are looking to minimize your acne scars, then microneedling will most likely be the treatment for you. Alternatively, if you are looking to address age spots caused by sun damage, a laser treatment may be more appropriate.
In general, you can expect the results of microneedling treatments to last for about three to five months. The longevity of the results depends on two factors; how long new collagen lasts in your skin and the degree of your skin concerns.
As soon as the deepest layers of your skin are penetrated by the needles, “micro-wounds” are created. This triggers your body's wound healing processes to heal your micro wounds immediately. However, the most dramatic results will not be visible until four to six weeks after treatment.
Answer: Retinoid treatment
Topical retinoids are effective in treating superficial skin texture issues and comedonal acne, but unfortunately, retinoids are not effective in treating deep ice pick scarring.
Retinol: Your best bet, according to Dr. Maiman, is to choose active ingredients known to stimulate collagen production, like retinol, to reverse the collagen deficiency that creates the appearance of those scars.
Ice pick and narrow boxcar scars respond to the chemical reconstruction of skin scars technique (CROSS technique) where a high-strength (90-100%) trichloroacetic acid (TCA) peel solution is placed at the base of scars with the goal to promote dermal remodeling.