Ways To Get Rid Of Acne Scars | Shinagawa Blog

Ways To Get Rid Of Acne Scars

Acne is most people’s nightmare, especially if it continues to worsen with every breakout.

Have you suffered through a severe case of acne that left behind unsightly scars? Long after pimples clear up and the redness and irritation are gone, some of us carry such unwanted reminders.

Whether scars are raised or sunken, there are several good ways to mask or minimize them.

How to get rid of your acne scars

Acne is a common skin condition affecting about 80% of those between the ages of 11 and 30 at some point. It can be on your face, chest, back and shoulders. It may seem like the irritation will never go away, but it does. When it goes away, then you can deal with any remaining scars.

Your first line of defense is to consult a dermatologist. They will first focus on getting your acne under control. The fewer breakouts you have, the fewer scars you’ll get. The good news is that not all acne scars are permanent.

When your doctor turns attention to the scars your acne has left behind, they will typically explore three main treatment options:

1. Laser treatments

Vascular-specific lasers target blood vessels and can help lighten flat or raised scars that are pink or purple and help flatten raised scars. Doctors often use fractional or carbon dioxide ablative lasers to treat acne scars.

Laser treatments aren’t just for acne. Doctors use lasers to treat other types of scarring as well — including those from burns, skin cancer and tattoo removal.

2. Chemical peels

Your dermatologist may apply a chemical solution to the skin. This causes it to blister and eventually peel off, creating new, regenerated skin that’s usually smoother than the old skin.

Peeling usually causes redness, and sometimes swelling and cold sores, for up to seven days. This treatment also is less expensive because you typically will need only one treatment session.

3. Microneedling

Also known as collagen induction therapy, microneedling uses either a fine-needle roller or pen device to create tiny holes in the top layer of the skin. The procedure stimulates collagen production, which helps improve fine lines and skin texture.

Redness occurs afterward and typically last a couple of days. Most people will need four to six microneedling treatments for the best results.

The doctor may use more than one type of treatment, depending on your needs.

It’s never too late to treat those scars

Although it’s not possible to get rid of your acne scars quickly, it’s never too late to treat them. Teenage patients may have to wait until their early 20s before undergoing treatment to make sure there’s little risk of future acne flare-ups.

While there’s no real way to get rid of acne scars naturally and at home, there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of getting acne scars:

  • Quit smoking or don’t start smoking.
  • Keep your hands off of your face. Resist the urge to pick or squeeze your pimples.
  • Treat your acne as soon as possible to reduce the chance of scars.

Scarring can happen at any age, no matter if you’re a teenager and your hormones are changing or you’re an adult. Sometimes when adults lose weight or lose elasticity in their skin as they age, scarring from years past becomes more evident.

Getting rid of acne scars starts with the right treatment. We have the best acne treatment program at Shinagawa Aesthetics.

Schedule a consultation with our skin experts to solve your acne problems! Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat here on our website.

Rachel Andres' LASIK | Shinagawa Feature Story

Rachel Andres: Brother Knows Best In Terms Of Vision

Sometimes, brothers know best, too!

It was Rachel Andres’, one of our patients, brother who recommended LASIK to her and the rest were all satisfaction.

From a 425 eye grade with astigmatism pre-LASIK, she now enjoys a 20/12 vision!

“My brother recommended LASIK to me and I did it! I expected a 20/20 vision but even got results beyond that, a 20/12 vision! I’m so satisfied!” expressed Rachel, who is a Customer Service Representative.

Before that, Rachel shared how she’s been ailing with her then poor vision for the longest time.

“Imagine, my vision since birth, especially my left eye, was blurry and really dark because of my astigmatism. I’ve been wearing eyeglasses since I was in Grade 6. My eye grade back then was 425.”

Like her brother, she also wants to recommend Shinagawa to those who want a bright vision.

“I can really recommend Shinagawa Lasik Center, too!”

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat here on our website.

Ways To Ensure The Smoothest LASIK Recovery For You | Shinagawa Blog

Ways To Ensure The Smoothest LASIK Recovery For You

Recovering from any surgery can be a daunting task that may turn you off of a surgical procedure. But LASIK is a procedure that is well worth the tiny effort required.

And even better: recovery is actually not all that long and difficult. You will need to be more careful about getting things in your eyes and try not to exert yourself.

Over the course of your brief recovery period, you will be able to slowly resume your normal life and routine.

At Shinagawa, our staff, nurses, and doctors will constantly provide you with instructions on what you need to do during your brief recovery after LASIK.

Here are some more detailed tips on how to ensure a comfortable and speedy recovery after LASIK:

Avoid Water in Your Eyes

After LASIK, your eyes will be particularly in danger of becoming infected. Even clean tap water can carry germs and microbes that cause infection.

Chlorinated pools or hot tubs are no better, as the chemicals can be irritating to irritate eyes. As such, you should not plan on swimming for several weeks after your surgery.

Avoid all bodies of water like lakes, pools, the ocean, and even hot tubs. You should also be careful to not get water or shampoo in your eyes while showering.

Keep your eyes closed as much as possible until your eyes have healed more.

Do Not Bend Much or Lift Heavy Things

During the early stages of your recovery, your eyes will be extraordinarily delicate. An important part of the procedure involves creating a flap in the cornea.

This is essential to reshaping the cornea and removing corneal tissue. These flaps need enough time to heal, as they are more likely to become detached.

A detached flap can lead to serious complications. You should be careful not to damage your eyes by playing sports or doing other risky activities.

At the beginning of recovery, say no to strain or any kind of lifting or bending at the waist. Even this mild strain can be enough to create pressure on the delicate flaps. Do yourself a favor and take it easy for the first week after you have LASIK.

Do Not Rub Your Eyes

There’s never a good time to rub your eyes, but after getting LASIK is the very worst time to do it. Your eyes may be itchy and irritated after the procedure.

You may be extremely tempted to rub your eyes but it’s a sure way to cause flap complications. It will also not provide lasting relief.

Instead, use eye drops proactively to prevent itching from occurring. You should be applying drops regularly to keep your eyes hydrated during recovery.

You should do this even when your eyes are not itchy. Applying eye drops and artificial tears can make a difference in reducing dry eyes.

Attend Your Scheduled Post-Operative Check-ups

Within 24 hours after the surgery, you will need to check in with the doctor. This is so they can see how your initial recovery is going.

You’ll also need to come back several times over the next month (a week and a month after the procedure) as you continue to recover.

If there are any problems or complications, they will be able to catch them before they get out of hand. If your eyes are bothering you, let your doctor know sooner rather than later.

Ready to start your journey to a clear vision? Schedule a LASIK Screening at Shinagawa! Why wait any longer when perfect vision is just right around the corner?

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat here on our website.

The Different Types Of Acne | Shinagawa Blog

The Different Types Of Acne

There are many terms out there used to describe acne. Words like blackheads, breakouts and blemishes are all widely used. Many of us no doubt have our own self-inflicted negative phrases that we use too! But there are many different types of acne and it’s important to know how to treat specific acne types to help clear up any symptoms quickly and effectively.

So, if you don’t know a pustule from a papule, then we’ve come to the rescue with our guide to identifying and treating different types of acne. Armed with this information, you can view your skin with a more positive approach and minimize breakouts.

Blackheads

Blackheads are a very common form of acne that usually break out on the nose, chin, and forehead (the T-zone) of those with oily skin. Unlike most other forms of acne, blackheads are not painful and rarely cause any bumps in the texture of the skin (although many may lead to an uneven texture). That doesn’t mean that blackheads are not a distressing problem – they often begin in our teenage years and can knock our confidence and plague our skin for many years later.

Blackheads are perhaps the easiest kind to cover up if you wish to.

Each blackhead is a result of dead skin, dirt, and excess oil becoming trapped in the pore, which then oxidizes and turns black when exposed to the air. The result is that the pore’s entry is ‘plugged’ by a black, grey, or dark brown dot.

Establishing a good skincare routine is vital for blasting blackheads, and one particularly effective ingredient is activated charcoal. Using a cleanser or soap bar regularly on problematic areas will help to banish the blackheads and give you clearer-looking skin. Indeed, a good cleansing and exfoliating routine will help to prevent the build-up of grime on your face that can lead to clogged pores.

Whiteheads

Whiteheads are defined by the small, round bumps on the skin that tend to cluster on the face, shoulders, and back. They are formed in a very similar way to blackheads, but whiteheads are closed pores. This means a layer of skin has formed over the pore, unlike blackheads which remain open to the air and exposed.

Whiteheads are the quintessential ‘zit’. They can be painful and feel like shining beacons on your face, even though in reality most people won’t notice their existence!

Should you squeeze a whitehead? We know it’s tempting (and undoubtedly satisfying) to pop a pimple, especially as you may feel it’s then easier to cover with makeup and will alleviate the pain. But it can lead to more bacteria entering the inflamed pore. Whiteheads are best tackled with the weekly use of a gentle exfoliating face scrub to help remove the dead skin and cleanse the pores.

Pustules

Pustules are not pretty and can be painful. They are a type of acne that is filled with yellow pus and can take a long while to go down. They are the bane of many acne sufferer’s life. It’s not unusual for them to be long-lasting and very difficult to tackle.

Pustules can be caused by hormonal changes – hence so many teenagers suffer from spots – but they can also be caused by other conditions such as psoriasis or rosacea. Understanding what causes your acne can help you to manage it more effectively.

These blights on our skin can be incredibly difficult to conceal – and always seem to pop up just before a first date or job interview! So what can be done to get rid of them?

First of all, resist the temptation to pop a pustule as this can cause infection and scarring. Experts agree that these spots should be left alone. Squeezing a pus-filled spot could cause it to spread or get larger. It could also make the discomfort you experience considerably worse.

One way to minimize pustules is to use a gentle cleansing balm to remove your makeup and any bacteria and impurities every night.

Papules

If you’ve ever experienced a raised spot that is red, sore, and never seems to form a pus-filled head, then the chances are that you’ve had a papule. Sometimes a papule will turn into a pustule, but often they tend to hang around on the face like a bright red flare that feels – to you at least – like it can be seen from space!

Cystic Acne

Cystic breakouts are one of the most severe forms of inflammatory acne, resulting in deep-rooted pus-filled swollen lumps under the skin which can be very painful and larger in size than papules and pustules.

Acne cysts can be difficult to treat and can cause scarring. So while a healthy skincare routine can help to prevent under-the-surface acne cysts, we advise that you seek help from a dermatologist for extreme or painful breakouts.

A dermatologist can give proper advice on the best way to treat cystic acne, which usually involves antibiotics or topical prescription creams.

Blitz those breakouts

Although you really are not alone, the symptoms can be very distressing. By understanding the different types of acne and the best methods to combat breakouts, you can minimize the symptoms, adapt your skincare routine and say goodbye to pimples.

We know how to take care of your acne the right way at Shinagawa Aesthetics! Schedule a consultation and let our doctors take charge.

Call our Patient Care Lines: (+632) 7-368 5238 l (+63) 917 862 7454 l (+63) 921 217 0517 for inquiries, questions, and appointments or talk to our consultants via LiveChat here on our website.