Acne is a build-up of oil called sebum and dead skin cells in the pores of our skin. These pores are tiny holes in our skin from where hair starts to grow. And the sebum helps moisturize our hair and skin. So, this excess buildup of oil, dirt, and dead skin cells in pores leads to clogging. This clogging commonly causes bumps, pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, blemishes, acne spots, and scars on our face, chest, and back.

Acne scars and spots are not just limited to teenagers; adults also have acne more often than we think.

Now that we are familiar with acne, let’s understand some more associated concerns. In that regard, the most common one is acne scars. These are raised and depressed areas of our skin left behind after acne has healed completely. It’s like a ghost of dead acne that stays back to haunt us more. These scars are basically of two types:

1. Hypertrophic Acne Scars- These acne scars are also known as keloid scars. Hypertrophic acne scars on our skin get thick because of excess collagen production during acne healing. This type of acne scar is common in people with darker skin tones.
2. Atrophic Acne Scars- Atrophic acne scars get depressed or sunken into our skin because of a loss of tissues during acne healing. These acne scars can be classified into icepick, boxcar, and rolling scars.