Acne Scar Treatment
What Is It?
An acne scar is, in fact, scar tissue. When the body is wounded, it makes collagen quickly and in a disorderly way so that the wound closes fast. The wound might come from an operation, a fall or a stone that hit your head as a child, and it might just as well come from a squeezed spot. What stays on the skin after acne clears shows up in three forms: pitted scars where the tissue has sunk, marks that have darkened in colour, and redness left behind after healing. The three are structurally different and need different routes.
That is why one method doesn’t solve it. With pitted scars the aim is to rebuild the tissue, with darkened marks to balance the pigment, with redness to reduce the vascular appearance. One person may have all three at once. Then we build a combined protocol, usually using methods such as laser, microneedling and mesotherapy in sequence.
How Is It Done?
At the examination we establish the type of scarring. I look separately at the depth and edges of pitted scars, the type of any darkening and how widespread the redness is. If there is active acne, that has to be brought under control first; we don’t plan scar work on skin that hasn’t healed. We also note your skin type, because in darker skin the risk of darkening after treatment is higher and we adjust the settings for it.
We build the protocol around the scar type, and usually more than one method comes in, one after another. We leave time between sessions for the skin to recover. A plan of around 3 sessions is common, though the number varies with how dense the scarring is. Each session takes about 30 minutes on average, and we apply a topical anaesthetic cream beforehand. The months when the sun is weak are better for planning.
Who Is It For?
It suits people whose active acne phase has passed and who are left with scars and uneven texture. We get the clearest response with scars that sit near the surface and have soft edges.
We don’t do scar work while there is an active acne infection; the acne needs to be brought under control first. Recent use of isotretinoin (an acne medication), a history of keloid or excessive scarring, tanned skin, pregnancy and breastfeeding, uncontrolled diabetes and medication that makes the skin sensitive to light change the plan. We discuss each of them separately at the examination. Darker skin types can be treated too, but the settings and aftercare need more attention.
Process & Recovery
Scar type analysis
We look at pitting, darkening and redness separately; if acne is active, we deal with that first. We note your skin type, build the protocol around it and take photographs.
Session day
Once the topical anaesthetic cream has had time to work, we apply the method we planned. The session takes about 30 minutes on average, followed by cooling and repair care.
First 3-5 days
Depending on the method there is redness, mild swelling and fine flaking. You use repair cream and high-factor sunscreen without missing a day; if a crust forms, we wait for it to come off on its own.
Between sessions
We give the skin time to recover. The real difference shows as the sessions add up, so don’t expect a marked change in the scars in between.
Months 2-3
The collagen response and the reorganisation of the tissue build up in this period. When the protocol ends, we compare photographs and assess the result.
Results & Duration
With scar treatment the result comes as the sessions add up; don’t expect a marked change after a single session. Redness and darkening usually respond earlier. With pitted scars the tissue is being reorganised, so the process stretches over months.
How much improvement you get varies a great deal with the type and depth of the scar and the starting condition of the skin. With superficial, soft-edged scars the difference is clearer; with deep, sharp-edged scars the result is more limited. In the past, laser was about all we had to shrink these scars. Today we can combine it with other treatments, and that has made our work a good deal easier. Keeping the result depends on sun protection.
What Is Not Promised
Acne scar treatment doesn’t erase scars completely. With what we know today we can make scar tissue smaller, and removing it entirely is beyond us. Our aim is to make the scars less visible and improve the overall texture of the skin. With deep, sharp-edged scars one method may not be enough, and several approaches may need to be planned together.
No one can promise a particular percentage of improvement, number of sessions or duration. If scar work is done while acne is still active, the improvement doesn’t hold, which is why the order matters. Without sun protection the result doesn’t hold either.
Key Benefits
- Reduced scar appearance
- Cellular renewal
- Improved skin texture
“We can’t wave acne scars a complete goodbye, but we can say “my, how much smaller you’ve got.” Pitted scars, dark marks and redness can sit together on the same skin. If we don’t build the protocol around that, we get half a result on all three.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my scars disappear completely?
They get smaller, though they don’t disappear completely. With superficial, soft-edged scars the difference is clearer; with deep scars the result is more limited.
How many sessions are needed?
A plan of around 3 sessions is common. The number varies with the type and density of the scarring.
I still have active acne — can I start?
We bring the acne under control first. Scar work comes after that; when we keep to that order, the improvement holds.
Is it painful?
Most people tolerate it comfortably. We apply a topical anaesthetic cream beforehand; depending on the method, you may feel heat and stinging.
How will I look afterwards?
You will be red for a few days. For the first 3-5 days there may be redness, mild swelling and fine flaking. If a crust forms, we wait for it to come off on its own; you don’t pick it.
When will I see the result?
Over months. Redness and darkening respond earlier; in pitted scars the reorganisation of the tissue stretches over 2-3 months. We assess the result when the protocol ends.
Can it be done in summer?
The months when the sun is weak are better. I decide the right time for you from your skin type and your relationship with the sun.
Which situations need separate assessment?
Active acne infection, recent isotretinoin use, a history of keloid, tanned skin, pregnancy and breastfeeding, uncontrolled diabetes and medication that makes the skin sensitive to light change the plan. We discuss these at the examination.