Chemical Peel for Acne Scars

Chemicals peels can be a permanent solution if medium to strong peels are performed. They cause the skin to exfoliate and produce fresh new skin cells. There are different peels of varying strengths based on the results that you want. Usually a series of peels are needed and gradual improvement is noted. Remember, mild or even weaker moderate peels are often not sufficient scarring and are better for skin texture, tone, or pigment changes. Other options for treating scars include: microdermabrasion, microneedling, subcision, and laser resurfacing. Consult with a board certified dermatologist who treats acne scarring on what procedure would work best with your needs.

There are many options available to address acne scars these days, and a chemical peel could be one of those options depending the severity of your scarring. 
For you to use a chemical peel to improve the appearance of scars, you would need to do a strong acid peel that can only performed by a physician.  It comes with significant downtime, and you will most likely need to have multiple treatments.  Most resurfacing treatments will give you long term results, if done correctly.  However, understand that you are still aging and as the collagen in the scar ages it may become more visible again, so you could need maintenance treatments in the future.
If not, what are treatments for acne scarring are available without any side effects?  One treatment that will remodel scars with little downtime is microneedling; your skin will be pink for a day, and you can apply makeup after 24 hours.  However, it takes multiple treatments (typically 6-8) to achieve your desired results.  You can also receive results with laser resurfacing.  However, this could come with more downtime after each session depending on the aggressiveness of the treatment.

There are many different chemical peel solutions available which vary in strength based on their active ingredients. These peel solutions are selected for use depending on the particular skin concern to be addressed. The lighter, more superficial peels have the least amount of downtime and lowest risk for complications, but also are not typically as effective for more severe skin issues. These peels also often need to be repeated multiple times to achieve and/or maintain the desired result. A medium or deep depth chemical peel can be a great tool for resurfacing the skin in patients who have acne scars or other irregularities, and these can provide a permanent result. However, depending on the strength of the peel, these often need to be performed under anesthesia and may require several days of "social" downtime. Other options for treatment of acne scars include laser resurfacing, microdermabrasion, microneedling, or a combination of multiple therapies. I recommend that you seek consultation with a board-certified physician who has special expertise in skin care and facial aesthetics, and who can recommend the best solution for your particular concerns. Best of luck!

Peels and laser can be effective for smoothing acne scars, but it's rarely a one time treatment. The less aggressive/risky the procedure, the more times it generally needs to be repeated to get a complete response. The way peels and lasers work is to mildly injure the skin. In the weeks to months after the procedure, your skin builds collagen which helps smooth the appearance. It usually takes 3-6 months to see final results after a single treatment. 

A series of clinical strength peels (on average, 3-6 peels) may help to reduce scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Unfortunately, a permanent solution does not exist. The best approach is to take control of the situation with corrective products, peels, Acleara, etc. When your acne becomes well managed, consider alternating with microneedling treatments or Fraxel to further improve texture and reduce scarring.

Hi There and thank you for your inquiry! Chemical peels like salicylic acid can help to clear any active acne and help to lighten any post inflammatory pigmentation.There will be slight redness, tightness and peeling which usually last 5-7 days depending on the depth of the peel being used.Another option to treat acne scars is laser resurfacing or non-ablative fractional laser, in which this will treat any textural issues, such as icepick or boxcar acne scars (depressed scars). There is minimal downtime with fractional, usually 2-3 days of redness and 6-8 treatments are usually required to improve the appearance of acne scars.Hope this has helped!