The Pros And Cons Of Acne Surgery
If you have bad acne and have tried many different treatments to get rid of it and can't, your dermatologist may suggest having acne surgery. Acne surgery is an outpatient procedure that involves cleansing the skin, extracting blackheads and whiteheads, and cleaning clogged pores. This helps to reduce the current acne outbreak and prevent outbreaks in the near future. However, as with most medical treatments, there are pros and cons to acne surgery. Learning about the upsides and downsides can help you make an informed decision as to whether this is ideal for you. Here are some of those pros and cons.
Cons of Acne Surgery
Your Acne Could Come Back
One of the biggest drawbacks to having acne surgery is that there is no guarantee that it can get rid of your acne for any period of time. The procedure is designed to clear out your pores. However, some people find that their pores immediately fill back up or fill back up again over time. Additionally, researchers believe that acne surgery only works on certain types of acne. As such, you may pay for this surgery and your acne could come back. There is no guarantee with this type of surgery.
Infection Can Occur
The other downside to having acne surgery is that there is a small risk for infection. The pores are being opened up to remove the blackheads, whiteheads, skin cells and other bacteria that lives inside of your skin cells. And the procedure may even involve getting rid of a few layers of your facial skin. Anytime any of this is done, there is always a risk that bacteria will enter and lead to an infection. Fortunately, it is rare, especially if you follow the dermatologist's instructions following surgery. However, it is a risk that you should be aware of if you are considering this procedure.
Pros of Acne Surgery
It Can Help to Clear Up Stubborn Acne
The biggest advantage to acne surgery is that, if it is effective on you, it can help to clear up stubborn acne. If you have tried various remedies, you may be frustrated and embarrassed by your acne. While there is no guarantee that this treatment will work on everyone, when it does work, it can give results fairly quickly. In some cases, the acne continues to form because the bacteria that is causing it resides in the pores. Cleaning out the pores helps to remove this bacteria, which in turn, can stop it from spreading on the face and stop an acne outbreak.
The Treatment is Not Invasive
The other major benefit to this type of treatment is that it is not invasive. When people think of surgery, they often think of being placed under anesthesia and having to recover in a hospital. You will receive topical anesthetics, but you will not be put to sleep for this procedure. And you will be able to go home pretty quickly after the procedure is done, so there is no recovering in the hospital. In fact, you won't even need to take it easy or rest after the procedure. You can go back to work and engage in your normal activities.
There are many different ways to treat acne, including herbal remedies, prescription medications and various face washes. However, if none of these treatments are clearing up your acne, your dermatologist may recommend acne surgery be done in conjunction with other remedies. Learning the advantages and disadvantages of this procedure will help educate you so you can make the decision that is best for you when deciding whether to move forward with or forgo the treatment. For more information and different options, talk with a dermatologist, like those at Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists of Moreno Valley.