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Lesions or scars left on facial skin, chest or back are usually caused by acne inflamation that has come and gone. There are two general classes of acne scars, defined by tissue response to inflammation:

(1) Scars generated by exaggerated tissue formation, and

(2) Scars generated by loss of tissue.

Scars Caused by Exaggerated Tissue Formation.

The creation of scars caused by exaggerated tissue formation is known as keloids. Keloid scars are associated to disproportioned amounts of the cell substance, collagen. The overproduction of collagen is the body's response to damaged skin cells. This extra production becomes piled up in fibrous accumulations, resulting in a characteristic firm, smooth, irregularly-shaped scars.

The typical keloid scar is 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, but some may be 1 centimeter or larger. This abnormal growth of scar tissue is more likely to occur in susceptible people that is, people who are often related to others with similar types of scarring.

Keloid scars persist for years, but may diminish in size over time.

Scars Caused by Loss of Tissue

Acne scars associated with loss of tissue, like scars resulting from chicken pox, are more common than keloids. Scars associated with loss of tissue are:

Ice-pick Scars or Pitted Scars

Commonly occur on the cheek. They are usually small, with visible jagged edges and steep side-like marks that seem to create an "ice-picked" shape. When touched, ice-pick scars may be soft or hard; they can affect the skin superficially, or reach the deeper layers. Soft scars can be treated by stretching the skin; hard ice-pick scars cannot be stretched out.

Depressed fibrotic scars

Are usually big in size, with sharp edges and steep sides. When touched, the base of these scars feels firm. Ice-pick scars may evolve into depressed fibrotic scars over time.

Soft scars

Superficial or deep and feel soft when touched. They have smoothly sloping rolled edges that combine with normal skin. They use to be small, and either circular or linear in shape.

Atrophic macules

Are usually fairly small when they occur on the face, but may be a centimeter or larger on the body. They are soft, usually with a slightly wrinkled base, and may be bluish in appearance because of the blood vessels lying just under the scar. Over time, these scars fade from bluish to ivory white in color in white-skinned people, so they become much less noticeable.

Follicular macular atrophy

They are more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with acne. These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin something like whiteheads that didn't fully develop. This condition is sometimes also known as "perifollicular elastolysis." The lesions may persist for months or even years.

Acne Scars Treated with Natural Ingredient

You can hope that your tissue imbalance can be treated with common chemical-based acne treatments that promise freeing your skin of acne breakouts, but that are incapable of treating the scars that are left behind after and acne inflammation has subsided. By using these products you will likely end-up with a drier skin texture that can present side-effects such as sun sensitivity, irritation or simply show no change at all. Your best bet is to use natural ingredients that bring collagen production back-up to normal and help 'disintegrate' and regenerate scarred tissue.

Most skin regenerative ingredients contain natural oils, but only one ingredient is capable of supplying a balanced mix of ingredients that trigger skin rejuvenation. That miracle ingredient comes from a snail and is becoming the newest revolution in skin and scar treatment. Investigation has shown that snail secretion contains a balanced mix of naturally occurring elastane, allantoine, vitamins, glycolic acid and collagen, however, you have to keep in mind that complete scar renewal depends on the treatment itself and the extension of the scar.

So next time you look at your acne scar in a mirror and wonder why all the acne creams you've tried haven't changed a thing, try using an natural ingredient that treats and regenerates scarred skin.