The treatment type depends on the severity and the type of scarring. Most treatments aim to fill the scarred and depressed area of skin left damaged by acne breakouts.

Regenerative therapies like lasers and anti-inflammatory agents stimulate collagen and other cells to even out the skin’s most visible layer.2

As with any medical procedure, talk to your dermatologist first to help determine which is safest and most effective for your skin type.

The use of chemicals has a broad range of over-the-counter availability and strengths to professionally applied options in a doctor’s office. Topical choices vary from mild peeling agents to simple silicone scar dressings, most of which are available in a local drugstore. However, a medical-grade peel is optional for those with higher levels and severity of scarring.

The ultimate goal is the same with both options: forcing the outermost layers of skin to rebuild itself evenly.3

This option is excellent for those dealing with not only mildly depressed acne scars but also hyperpigmentation left from the acne.3 As one of the least expensive and less-invasive options for acne scar treatments, chemical peels are an excellent place to start if you are curious about options and what would work best for your skin.3

Different laser therapy options are available for treatment in a dermatologist’s office, but most address similar therapeutic functions: penetrate under the top layer of skin and stimulate collagen to grow.2

This growth leads to an overall evenness in the skin’s appearance and treats various acne scars.1 Depending on the laser therapy’s aggressiveness, some patients could experience intense redness, swelling, and minor discomfort for days to weeks following a procedure.

More invasive (and highly effective) acne scar treatments such as microneedling and dermal fillers offer further options for stubborn acne scar treatments. A dermatologist may suggest micro-needling to break down scar tissue and stimulate new cells to grow.2

While this is a more aggressive treatment option, it is an effective outpatient office procedure. This method creates new micro-wounds in the skin, which forces it to begin healing from scratch, this time with more focused growth and resurfacing in the area of the old scar.2,3

Numbing medicine is applied to the skin, and tiny sterile needles roll over the scarred skin.3

With so many options available to patients, there is hope for those who feel their appearance is holding them back from living fulfilling lives. Acne scarring can be debilitating for some, and it doesn’t have to be.

Researching options for treatments and working with professionals on payment plans can make any of the methods mentioned above available for almost anyone.

1. Acne Scars: Diagnosis and Treatment. American Academy of Dermatology Association. Retrieved on February 11, 2023. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/derm-treat/scars/treatment
2. Goodarzi, A., Behrangi, E., Ghassemi, M., Nobari, N. N., Sadeghzadeh-Bazargan, A., & Roohaninasab, M. (2020). Acne scar; a review of classification and treatment. J Crit Rev, 7(5), 815-823. Retrieved on February 11, 2023. Visit the resource here
3. Gupta A, Kaur M, Patra S, Khunger N, Gupta S. Evidence-based surgical management of post-acne scarring in skin of color. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2020;13(2):124-141. doi:10.4103/JCAS.JCAS_154_19