Scarring is an inevitable outcome of significant skin inflammation. The deeper the scars, the longer it takes to completely remove them. Acne scars are caused by either increased tissue formation or loss of tissue. The best possible means for prevention of acne scars can be its early and complete treatment.

The selection of the method for acne scar treatment depends mainly on the morphology of the scar. Dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, punch excision, subcision, skin grafting, dermal filler, and chemical peels are the commonly used scar treatment methods.

Dermabrasion involves the cutting down of the normal skin with a power-driven hand piece to make the scar look less pitted. Its use has decreased because of the associated risk of blood-borne diseases with it. Also, it fails as a therapy for all kinds of scars. Microdermabrasion is a new technique which achieves surface skin removal for acne treatment by making use of aluminum oxide crystals passing through a vacuum tube. This option for acne treatment holds the advantage of causing no additional wounds.

The technique of laser resurfacing holds the benefit of being more precise, safer, controlled and less operator dependent than dermabrasion technique. Lasers of various wavelength and intensity may be used depending upon the desired results. The carbon dioxide laser that emits light at a wavelength of 10,600 nanometer (nm) may be used to actually remove the tissue. The laser treatment has the requirement of a local or general anesthetic and potential of causing both bacterial and viral infection. The other disadvantages are its possible inability to remove very-deep scarring and causing further scarring (rare). This procedure cannot be used for hypertrophic and keloid scars.

The punch excision method makes use of a punch tool to excise the scar and thereby remove ice-pick scars. The procedure of subcision makes use of a surgical probe to detach the scar from deeper tissues and thereby elevate a depressed scar.

The method of skin grafting which implants a small piece of skin into the scar site helps treat pitted scar. Dermal fillers, a non-surgical procedure, are a means of supplementing the skin’s collagen to help treat scars.

During the chemical peel procedure, the top layers of the skin are treated with a chemical solution, most commonly alpha-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic, salicylic, or lactic acid. Chemical peel solutions help to unblock the pores, open the blackheads and whiteheads, and stimulate dermal regeneration.