subcision for acne scars in austin

The area is numbed with local anesthetic first, so most patients feel pressure or a tugging sensation rather than pain. Some tenderness afterward is normal and usually settles within a few days.

Subcision is a well established in-office treatment performed by a dermatologist. The most common effects are temporary and include bruising, swelling, soreness, and a firm or full feeling under the skin that settles over several days to a few weeks. Your provider will review what to expect and how to care for your skin before you leave.

Most people have bruising and swelling that are most noticeable in the first couple of days and ease over about 1 to 2 weeks. You can usually return to everyday activities right away, though it is best to avoid heavy exercise, heat, and sweating for a few days. Makeup can go back on once the skin is no longer tender.

Most patients have 3 to 4 sessions spaced 6 to 8 weeks apart. The exact number depends on how many scars are being treated and how deeply they are tethered, which your dermatologist will assess at your consultation.

Results are considered long lasting because the bands tethering a scar down are physically released and new collagen continues to form. Smoothing builds for several months, and most patients see their fullest result 3 to 6 months after their final session. Maintenance laser sessions may be recommended.

Subcision works best on rolling, depressed, and tethered acne scars, and it can also help some scars left by injury. It is not the right choice for narrow ice pick scars, which usually need a different approach. A consultation is the best way to confirm your scar type.

To prepare, avoid blood thinning medicines and supplements such as aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, and vitamin E for about a week unless your provider advises otherwise, stop retinoids and exfoliants 3 to 5 days before, and avoid tanning for 2 weeks. Arrive with clean skin. Afterward, use cold compresses for swelling, keep your head elevated the first night if your face was treated, protect the area from the sun, and hold off on strenuous exercise for a few days. Your provider will give you full instructions.

Neither is better, because they work in different layers of the skin. Microneedling builds collagen at the surface, while subcision releases scars that are anchored from below. For rolling and tethered scars, the two are often combined rather than chosen between.

Subcision has a well established safety record when performed by a board-certified dermatologist. The most common effects are bruising and swelling for 1 to 2 weeks. Less common effects include temporary firmness or a small nodule at the treatment site, which your dermatologist will discuss with you beforehand.

Most surface redness, swelling, and rough texture improve within 5 to 7 days, and makeup can usually be resumed once the entry points have closed. Deeper bruising is expected, and a hematoma, meaning a collection of blood beneath the skin, is common after subcision and can take 4 to 6 weeks to fully resolve. Scar improvement continues gradually over several months.

You will receive written instructions when you schedule. In general, plan to pause certain pain relievers, supplements that increase bleeding risk, strong skincare products, and tanning in the weeks before treatment, and arrive with clean skin. Do not stop any prescribed medication without first speaking with the prescribing provider.