Acne Scarring

Atrophic (Indented Scars)

These scars look like skin-coloured smooth indents. They are skin coloured and therefore must occur under the part of the skin that produces colour (they must be under the dermo-epidermal junction).

When the inflamed sebaceous gland that causes the acne finally shrinks, all the skin above it caves in. It is rather like a coal mine collapsing underground, all the earth falls in and eventually it leaves a depression in your previously flat lawn. The sebaceous gland sits in the dermis layer 3-4mm down, next to the hair root, which means these scars can be quite deep.

Hypertrophic (Raised Scars)

Hypertrophic Scar is the name we use to describe a raised pink, skin coloured or even white scars. Treatments for this type of scar include:

Rolling Scars

These scars usually appear following Cystic Acne. They are quite difficult as the defect is in the fat underneath the skin, making the skin have an uneven appearance. It is especially noticed on smiling.

They are defined by their sloping edges, giving the skin a wavy and uneven appearance. However, they aren’t always the same size as the original acne lesion that caused it, as the size depends purely on how the skin heals.

Boxcar Scars

Boxcar is how we describe scars that are often pigmented, with sharply defined boarders. These scars are wider that Ice-Pick Scars caused from acne, but not as wide as Rolling Scars mentioned above.

Ice Pick Scars

Ice Pick Scars are the most difficult to treat of Acne Scarring. They are very narrow, and very deep. Sometimes it is easiest to excise them out using a miniature apple core type tool.

Keloid Acne Scars

Raised pink/dark but shiny and growing uncontrollably. Often on the back and shoulders usually respond to steroid injection or steroids or Steroid/laser combination. There is more information on treatment of Keloid scars in section on Scarring. [HYPERLINK]

Epidermal Defects

Most often seen with chickenpox rather than acne but can be with both. Look like a little indent with a white base. The dermo-epidermal junction where the melanocytes sit is damaged so you cannot stimulate this with needling or laser.

CANNOT be treated by filling them as it makes them MORE VISIBLE, people often come with horror stories of multiple attempts at treatment by practitioners who do not understand what they are doing and blindly starting needling.

Best option need VERY CAREFUL excision and stitching and it has to be done very well by a competent and experienced plastic surgeon.

Treating Acne Scars

Because of the variety of Acne Scars that exist, and because we are all individuals, it is hard to say one procedure can treat all. However, we do have a plethora of fantastic treatments that have proven to be successful in treating Acne Scarring! These treatments are listed below.

To treat scars that are indented, we would use any of the following:

• CO2 Laser for skin types I-III only
• Fractora for all skin types, which is also great for treating active acne
• Morpheus 8 for acne scarring particularly where skin tightening is required
• EndyMed FSR for all skin types, and those that cannot take time off work
• Micro-Needling – Dermaroller
• Fillers
• Subcision (a dry needle is inserted in to the dermis to stimulate it and thicken, so it brings up the base of the scar)
• Stem Cells and Nanofat Transfer

Although the Rolling Scar is considered a form of Atrophic Acne Scarring, we do not recommend CO2 Lasers for this, as this can make the situation worse!

We would treat scars that are raised by using:

• Cutera Laser Genesis
• Radiosurgery
• CO2 Laser 

Why Choose Zenith Cosmetic Clinics For Acne Scarring Treatment?

Here at Zenith Cosmetic Clinics, we are experts at treating scars and have a huge variety of machines and procedures available all under one roof! It is a complex area and most patients need combinations of these approaches to get the best outcomes. We treat every person as an individual and take time and care into assessing the cause and the type of scar, as well as your lifestyle and budget to ensure you have a full treatment plan that works for you, as well as offering fantastic results!