Acne Scarring – How it Affects Men

Acne is a concern for many men, especially in their teenage years, but acne can strike men at any age. Guys who participate in sports regularly may notice acne more because they may spend more time with their skin exposed, either when removing clothing to stay cool during heavy periods of exertion or when showering after a game. A problem that all acne sufferers need to be aware of is acne scarring. To avoid or reduce acne scarring, it’s important to understand what acne scarring is.

What Is Acne Scarring?

Acne scarring refers to the lesions that appear, often on the face, which show up as pits, raised bumps and/or discolorations that do not go away as normal acne does. Acne scarring may occur due to picking at, scratching or squeezing acne. This can be a particular danger for athletes who may simply be responding to irritation due to sweating during playing. That being said, acne scarring can occur even in the absence of scratching or squeezing. It is often dependent on the individual person and his genetic skin make-up. The only thing that is certain is that the more acne you have and the longer you have it, the greater danger you are in from acne scarring.

What Is the Relationship Between Sports and Acne Scarring?

There is no immediate relationship between sports and acne scarring. Playing in sports and sweating does not cause acne. There is a kind of acne, known as acne mechanica that occurs more often among athletes and is in fact often called sports acne. This type of acne is a skin irritation that comes from repetitive friction against a part of the skin that already has dirt and oil trapped in it. This form of acne can often be avoided by wearing breathable cotton underneath pads and uniforms to reduce friction. However, the presence of acne mechanica does not necessarily indicate that acne scarring will occur.

What Can Be Done About Acne Scarring?

If you already have acne scars that you want removed, there are some natural methods, but the only proven effective methods are medical procedures such as microdermabrasion or chemical peels, that actually remove the acne scars from the skin. To avoid getting acne scars to begin with, you will want to do everything you can to reduce the amount of acne that you are experiencing. If you are struggling with regular outbreaks of acne, you should look into a complete acne care system containing the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide is a strong acne fighter that penetrates far into clogged pores, releasing dirt and oil and killing acne causing bacteria. As a result, acne goes away faster and with continued use, new acne is less likely to form. This in turn makes acne scars less likely to form.

Final Note on Acne Scarring

It’s important to remember that for some individuals, acne and acne scarring is inevitable. However, if you take the proper care of your skin, you can minimize acne and acne scars so that they are less noticeable or even barely noticeable at all.