Age 28 - What would you recommend for these mild acne scars? (photo)

Question

Had cystic acne as a teen but at 17 I went on accutane and that cleared me up thankfully! 28 now and looking to see what I can get done for these :)

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

Hello! My name is Jessica, I am a physician assistant, and one of the providers at Aesthetic Skin - Winnetka & Chicago. This is a great question. For treating acne scars at 28, Morpheus8 and CO2 resurfacing laser are both excellent options that can help significantly improve skin texture and appearance. Morpheus8 combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy, which makes it highly effective for targeting deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production and promote healing. This treatment is great for rolling or atrophic scars, as it encourages skin regeneration and smooths out uneven texture over time, with minimal downtime compared to other methods. On the other hand, CO2 resurfacing laser is more aggressive and works by removing the outer layers of damaged skin while stimulating collagen production beneath the surface. It’s particularly effective for pitted or deep acne scars, as the laser energy helps to resurface and smooth out the skin’s texture while also improving overall tone. Though it requires a bit more recovery time, CO2 resurfacing delivers dramatic results in terms of scar reduction and skin rejuvenation. Both treatments can complement each other depending on the severity of your acne scarring. I hope this helps and best of luck!

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

It's great to hear that Accutane was effective for you in managing cystic acne. For addressing mild acne scars, there are several treatment options available that can help improve skin texture and appearance:

Chemical Peels: These involve applying a chemical solution to the skin, which exfoliates the top layers and can help reduce the appearance of scars.

Microneedling: This procedure uses fine needles to create tiny punctures in the skin, stimulating collagen production and helping to smooth out scars.

Laser Therapy: Fractional laser treatments can target scarred areas to promote new skin growth and reduce scar visibility.

Dermal Fillers: Temporary fillers can be injected to raise depressed scars to the level of the surrounding skin.

Microdermabrasion: This non-invasive procedure exfoliates the skin to help improve texture and reduce the appearance of scars.

Topical Treatments: Prescription-strength retinoids or over-the-counter products containing ingredients like alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) can aid in skin renewal and improve scar appearance.

I recommend consulting with a dermatologist to assess your specific skin type and scar characteristics. They can provide a personalized treatment plan that addresses your concerns effectively.

Jeffrey H. Spiegel, MD · Answer

For acne scaring there's one treatment that outperforms all others, and that's Morpheus. The difference between treating mild, moderate or severe cases is the different settings on the machine.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

At least from the photos provided, the vast majority of acne scars appear to be of the Indented rolling acne scars variety. What's more the majority do not look to be particularly deeply depressed. 
If this is indeed so, then individual subcisions would help to elevate and smooth them. 
Subcision, which I have been performing with gratifying results for thirty years, has a several decades' long track record for safety and efficacy for elevating and smoothing acne boxcar and rolling scars. 
For old,  so- called "mature" scars, one can reasonably expect a 60-80 percent overall improvement in appearance. Although some people achieve this after just one treatment sessions, the majority will require on average about three treatment sessions (spaced at a minimum of six week intervals, the time it takes for the person to produce one's own new collagen and new elastic fibers--which is responsible for the typically long-term to permanent cosmetic improvement). 
No doubt, in your research you will be bombarded with claims for the benefits of treatment with this or that, expensive, supposedly "next big thing" laser or RF device. Just be aware and exercise a great deal of 'buyer beware" caution when evaluating these options, since the hard science to back up the claims for these gizmos lags well behind the heavy marketing hype and social media buzz to hawk them. 
You would be wise to make sure to consult with an experienced, board certified cosmetic dermatologist acne scar treatment specialist. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Acne scars are usually characterized within the subtypes of atrophic, hypertrophic, pigmented, or inflammatory. These subtypes of acne scars can be visually discerning in ambient light and can cause significant cosmetic concerns. Indented and atrophic scars require a combination approach to stimulate collagen and elastin, thereby smoothing contour and uneven skin. These are usually combined with lasers and depigmentation protocols to reduce inflammatory hyperpigmentation (Melarase AM and Melarase PM). Our Hidef protocols for acne scars include fillers such as Sculptra, Juvederm, Radiesse, and Restylane to improve deep acne scars; Vascular lasers to reduce inflammation and post-inflammatory redness and erythema; Fractional lasers to smooth contour and collagen; and Fractional RF to stimulate production of collagen within atrophic scars. Textural improvement and superficial scarring can be improved with Cosmelan peels, TCA Cross for ice-pick scars, deep chemical peels, and fractional CO2. We offer a personalized approach to your combination of scars and a formal evaluation with consultation is recommended to help you achieve your final results. Our plastic surgery office offers subcision and combination TCA Cross to help reduce deeply pitted scars. In terms of pigmentation and skin resonance, we recommend daily use of Melarase AM and Melarase PM coupled with Retinoid creams to achieve brilliant skin.

Best,
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best, 
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Daniel A. Barker, MD · Answer

A C02 Laser with subcision and fat grafting would be a great option for you. By doing these methods, we can resurfacing the skin and gaining back a youthful, smooth appearance.

Age 28 - What would you recommend for these mild acne scars? (photo)

Answers (6)

More Scar Removal Questions

Raised and indented scar on nose from a cyst. What are my treatment options? (Photos)

Surgery to correct club feet - How can my scar from surgery be improved? (Photo)

Revision to areola scars after kenalog injection?

Dog bite lip scar revision (photo)

Nose indentation from nose piercing? (photo)

How to treat scar tissue lump/thickened skin in my cheek from subcision complication? (Photos)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS