Acne scars are lasting marks left after inflamed acne heals. Key facts cover scar type and risk, safety means avoiding skin damage and weighing treatment limits, and next steps mean calming active acne then getting dermatologist-led care for lasting scars. Depressed scars sit below the skin surface, while raised scars hold extra tissue. Early care matters because deep, painful breakouts often leave permanent marks.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What do acne scars look like?
- Who is most likely to get them?
- How do dermatologists treat scars?
- What safety limits should you know?
- What should you do next?
What do acne scars look like?
Depressed atrophic scars include icepick pits, boxcar depressions, and rolling wavy texture. Raised scars come from excess tissue, including hypertrophic scars and keloids. Cleveland Clinic describes these groups in its acne scars guide.
Scar shape helps a dermatologist choose treatment. Icepick scars are narrow and deep, boxcar scars have sharper edges, and rolling scars create uneven waves. Thick raised scars behave differently from thin depressed marks.
Who is most likely to get them?
About 80% of people ages 11–30 develop acne, and about 1 in 5 of those develops scars on the face, chest, or back. Adolescents and young adults are therefore the main affected group.
Deep nodules and cysts penetrate deeply and commonly cause permanent scars. The American Academy of Dermatology advises prompt dermatologist treatment for those breakout types in its breakouts guide.
How do dermatologists treat scars?
Dermatologists match treatment to scar type, often combining methods because no single treatment erases all scars. Options include surgery, laser resurfacing, fillers, chemical peels, microneedling, and other procedures.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized microneedling devices for facial acne scars in patients age 22 and older, as described in the FDA microneedling notice. Authorization followed review of safety and effectiveness data for facial acne scars, facial wrinkles, and abdominal scars.
What safety limits should you know?
Fractionated CO2 laser improves acne scarring by about 30–50% after one treatment. It usually needs one to three sessions six months apart.
The same hospital source says the laser is unsuitable for thick keloids and may help deep icepick scars little. North Bristol NHS Trust Bristol Laser Centre states these limits in its acne scarring treatment page. Squeezing, picking, or popping breakouts also worsens inflammation, spreads infection, and raises scarring risk.
What should you do next?
Control active acne first, then seek care for scars that persist or cause distress. National guidance recommends referral to a consultant dermatologist-led team for severe scarring or distress.
- Leave lesions alone and avoid excess washing or oil-based products
- Ask a clinician promptly about deep nodules, cysts, or spreading inflammation
- Discuss referral for persistent severe scarring or treatment-resistant acne
- Ask whether oral isotretinoin fits severe, resistant, or scarring-risk acne