Common Types of Acne Scars include
Atrophic Scars (depressed or indented scars)
- Ice Pick Scars: Narrow, deep indentations.
- Boxcar Scars: Broader depressions with sharp edges. They range from shallow to deep craters.
- Rolling Scars: Irregular, wavy depressions that create a rolling appearance on the skin. These scars cause a ripple or undulating skin effect.
Hypertrophic & Keloid Scars
Raised, thickened scars caused by excess collagen formation. These scars are often red or dark in colour and can be itchy and painful.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
dark marks left after acne heals. These are due to excess melanin formation.
Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)
is redness or pinkness that remains after acne lesion has healed. PIE is due to dilated blood vessels or residual inflammation.
What Causes Acne Scars?
Acne scars form when breakouts penetrate deep into the skin, leading to damaging inflammation that damages the collagen layer leaving behind textural irregularities, dark spots, red spots and indentations. The inflammation due to acne can be particularly damaging to the skin if not well controlled.
Acne scars can vary in their appearance along with severity, and can often impact a person’s confidence, a person’s perception by others and overall skin health. Early intervention to help manage and control acne is the key to preventing acne scarring. Untreated or poorly managed acne can lead to more severe lesions and prolonged inflammation resulting in a higher likelihood of scarring. Picking and squeezing acne lesions can also contribute to scarring.
Best Acne Scar Treatments for Smooth Even Skin
At KDAA, we offer cutting-edge scar treatments tailored to an individual and their type and mix of scars, their severity along with skin type. Often the best treatment will involve combining several different treatments (including lasers) in the same session plus a series of in clinic treatment sessions 4-8 weeks apart.
Our most effective acne scar removal options include:
Laser Acne Scar Treatments
- Fractional Laser Resurfacing (ALMA Hybrid, Acclaro UltraClear, Candela Nordlys 1550): Columns of laser energy stimulate collagen production to reduce textural acne scar changes. Non-ablative lasers are used for less severe scarring and ablative for more severe scaring.
- CO2 and Erbium Laser Resurfacing (ALMA Hybrid, Acclaro UltraClear): Ideal for deep and more severe acne scars. Laser utilized is tailored to type of scars present and a person’s skin type with the UltraClear suitable for darker skin types including type V and VI skin.
- Cold Fibre Erbium Laser Microcoring (Acclaro UltraClear): this removes a multiple tiny cores of skin the full depth of the scar effectively removing part of the scar leading to a reduction in scar size along with new collagen production with healing.
- Picosecond Laser Therapy (Candela PicoWay): PicoWay laser treatment is a suitable option for people with olive or darker skin types, less severe acne scars or those wanting minimal downtime.
- Pulsed Dye Laser (Candela V Beam Prima) and IPL (Candela Nordlys): is used to treat PIE or red acne scars along with PIH – dark marks left after acne.
Integrated Medical-Grade Skincare
- Skin Products containing tailored actives along with Chemical Peels: These can assist with speeding healing and recovery after acne scar treatments and enhancing outcomes. They can be utilized on their own for mild forms of acne scarring such as PIE and PIH.
Silicon Gels and Gel Sheets
- Silicone Gels: Used to assist with healing and flatten and smooth hypertrophic and keloid scars by hydrating and protecting the scar tissue.
Radiofrequency Microneedling (Candela Matrix)
- RF microneedling uses radiofrequency energy to tighten and reduce acne scar size plus stimulate new collagen and elastin production and skin remodelling. This is a good option for mild to moderate severity acne scars including ice pick scarring.
Subcision Treatment for Acne Scars
- Subcision: involves breaking up fibrous bands that tether and pull down the skin resulting in sunken in acne scars. This is performed as a stand-alone procedure or at the same time as acne scar laser or volumizing and contouring treatments. This also stimulates new collagen production and skin remodelling.
TCA CROSS (Trichloroacetic Acid for Ice-Pick Scars)
- A high concentration of the chemical peel TCA is applied to the edges of acne scars triggering skin contraction and remodelling localised to where it is needed.
Medical Injected Treatments
- Rejuran: is a polynucleotide (PN) injection which is known for its regenerative properties. It provides a matrix or scaffold that supports skin repair and collagen production assisting in the remodelling of the skin and scar tissue. This is often combined with Subcision and laser acne scar treatments.
- Facial Contouring and Volume Treatments: Medical treatments to replace lost volume and contour the skin can be utilized to elevate sunken acne scars.
Find the Best Acne Scar Treatment Near You
If you are searching for acne scar treatment in Sydney or a top rated dermatologist provided and supervised acne scar removal service near you contact KDAA.
The best acne scar treatment will likely involve a treatment program tailored to you, your type of acne scars, their severity, your skin type and tolerance of downtime.
In line with the latest TGA guidelines, we are unable to display some specific acne scar treatments however our full range of treatments remains available.
Book Your Consultation Today
While all these treatments can have benefits, for personalized recommendations based on your individual assessment, a holistic approach and consideration of potential risks including rare complications. A consultation with a dermatologist or aesthetic practitioner at KDAA is required to assess your suitability and discuss expected outcomes.
