Do Extractions Cause Scarring?

It’s pretty normal to wonder if something will leave a scar on your skin, or what to do if you already have scars.

But first things first, let us help mitigate your fears about scarring.

When done by a professional who has been trained to do extractions: No, they will not usually cause scarring. (However, this is slightly dependent on what kind of acne the person has.)
But when done by yourself or by someone who is not trained in extractions: Yes, they will usually cause scarring, particularly if you pick at the same scabbed spot over and over with your fingernails, or the acne becomes inflamed or infected.

The reason skin professionals and master esthetician's do extractions is to loosen up and remove acne that is either a) stuck deep within the skin, like a back head or b) needs to be opened up to remove pus, dirt, infection, or dead skin cells.

Oftentimes the reason a person gets a breakout after a facial is because the technician uses oils or lotions that would be fine for a person with normal skin, but for someone with acne, they result in clogged pores or aggravated skin. Besides that, you never know if the technician has ever done extractions before.

So to further answer this question, it really all depends on how and when you do the extraction that could possibly result in scarring.

It is also important to note that some who come to us may already have severe inflamed acne; this means that many times the pore has been compromised by bacteria and infection from the acne itself. Unfortunately, this type of acne tends to lead to indented scarring on its own---with or without extractions. We are always careful to extract those inflamed areas as soon as they are ready to any alleviate scarring as much as possible.

You might have already heard this at some point, but the first step to prevent scarring and indentations is not picking. Then the next step is immediately getting to a skincare professional where they can properly relieve and alleviate the acne/blackhead/pimple. It’s much easier and faster to care for when you go in quickly because a specialist can extract it before it becomes worse (more likely to cause a scar) and the temptation to pick grows stronger.

To get your acne under control, you most likely need professional help, especially when it come to the complexities of scarring. Anyone who has acne knows it’s a total bummer and dreads the thought of having permanent reminders of it. The good thing is, we’re here to help.

Our extractions are done properly but indentations that may appear are a byproduct of severe inflammatory acne.  Our promise to you is that we can lighten the red pigment inside the scars with our products and program.

Here’s the link to book your appointment today.