Is it a scar or a fading mark?
| What you see | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Flat red or darker marks | These colour changes after inflammation often improve over months or longer. They can also occur alongside true scars. |
| Indented scars | Ice pick scars are narrow and deep, boxcar scars have distinct edges, and rolling scars have sloping edges. These usually persist, but treatment can improve them. |
| Raised scars | Hypertrophic scars stay within the original injury and usually flatten and fade. Keloids grow beyond it and do not usually flatten or fade without treatment. |
Acne scars form when inflammation damages skin and healing changes its collagen, the tissue that gives skin structure. Too little replacement tissue leaves a depression; excess collagen produces a raised scar. General scar fading can take two years or more, but that is not a countdown to an acne pit disappearing.23
What should you do now?
- 1Get ongoing acne under control before starting scar procedures. New inflammation can create more scars, and acne treatments can interfere with scar treatments.
- 2Avoid picking or squeezing spots. Wash acne prone skin twice daily with a gentle cleanser rather than scrubbing.
- 3Protect scars from the sun. Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or more, and cover scars with clothing where practical.
- 4Arrange a dermatologist appointment to identify the scar types and choose treatment around their depth, location, your skin tone and your budget.
Can creams remove acne scars?
Creams can reduce the appearance of acne scars, which is a smaller promise than the word 'erase' would like you to notice. Options include retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, lactic acid and salicylic acid. A dermatologist can help match a product to your skin and scar type. Natural home remedies cannot get rid of established acne scars. Makeup can disguise acne scars, a job description that does not require the word 'miracle'.135
Which treatments help lasting scars?
Chemical peels and laser resurfacing can smooth scarred skin. Fillers lift depressed areas, while subcision releases tissue holding a scar down. Deep pits sometimes need surgical removal. Steroid injections can flatten raised scars, although repeated sessions are needed. Several scar types can occur together, so a treatment plan can combine procedures. The realistic goal is improvement, not completely restoring the skin to its appearance before acne.135
Professional microneedling stimulates collagen production and can make scars less noticeable. Improvement can begin within weeks, with full results taking several months. A dermatologist might use three to five sessions spaced two to four weeks apart. Redness or darker colour, burning and swelling usually settle within a few days to a week; wait 24 hours before applying makeup. Home devices give less noticeable results and can cause infection or further scarring.6
When should you get medical help?
Seek acne treatment promptly for deep, painful spots or breakouts causing scars. You can also seek help if scarring is painful or affecting your mental health. Get urgent medical advice if a scar becomes swollen, warm or leaks pus. Before microneedling, tell the dermatologist about isotretinoin use, poor healing, a weakened immune system or any history of keloids. Active infection and deep, painful or pus filled pimples require postponing microneedling.246
Does acne go away?
Acne can clear, but it can also persist for years and affect adults as well as teenagers. If pharmacy treatments are not helping, a doctor can offer prescription treatment. Clearing active acne reduces the chance of new scars; it does not automatically remove scars already there.145
Where this answer comes from
- 1Acne Scarringdermnetnz.org
- 2Scarsnhs.uk
- 3Acne Scars: Causes, Diagnosis, Types & Treatmentmy.clevelandclinic.org
- 4Acnenhs.uk
- 5How To Get Rid of Acne Scars: 11 Solutionshealth.clevelandclinic.org
- 6Microneedling can fade scars, uneven skin tone, and moreaad.org
