Duration needed to reduce Acne Scars

Scars from acne can seem like double battle— first battle is to deal with acne, and second battle is all about curing / reducing the Acne Scars.

 There are now multiple effective Acne Scar treatments available to smoothen your skin and combat these Acne Scars but the common question is “How much time is needed for me to see results or improvement?

This article will elaborate more.

Are all Acne Scars the same?

The type of acne scars influences the time needed for your skin to heal and the type of treatments needed. Hence, we believe that understanding and identifying the type(s) of acne scars that you have is the most important step in the treatment of Acne Scars.

The illustration below explains the different types of acne scars.

Different types of acne scars and their appearance

Rolling Scars:  Wide base, rounded edges

Ice Pick Scars: Small entry point with sharp steep edges; like a “V”

Boxcar Scars: Wider base, sharply demarcated edges; like a box; They can be superficial or deep.

Pigmented scars: Dark spots /discoloration left behind by acne.

Hypertrophic scars and Keloids: Raised, thick scars

Usually, we are affected not just by 1 scar type but by a combination of Acne Scar types.

At M-Aesthetic Clinic, we offer the full range of acne scar removal treatments to treat all kinds of acne scars; raised and red, flat, pigmented or depressed.

Can Acne Scars heal naturally?

For flat pigmented acne scars such as discoloration or dark marks, it will fade away over time.  Quick resolution of these scars will be within a month, however, most of the time it will take months and even more than a year to fade.  

To accelerate this healing process, Dr Ho uses a combination of different pigment-specific lasers to break down these pigmented marks so that they can be cleared more quickly.

However, if there are depression in skin texture, such as pitted, box, rolling scars or ice-pick scars, then these scars will be permanent and improvement can only be achieved through the different Acne Scar treatments.

 The types of Acne Scar treatments.

Medical aesthetic treatments such as Lasers, Subcision, TCA CROSS technique, Acne Scar Fillers, Microneedle Radiofrequency etc helps to break scar tissues, stimulate new collagen and induces the tissues to recover thus smoothening the skin.

As we are usually affected by a combination of different types of Acne Scars, a very customized treatment plan which is suited just for you is important. The combination of the right/ appropriate treatments can treat and get rid of scars, producing good results.

What is the duration to reduce Acne Scars?

There is no definite answer as to how long of a duration of time is needed for best results. Taking the many factors such as current skin condition, intensity and type of acne scars, skin response, type of treatments and lifestyle habits, we can only give a rough estimation of duration

But what remains known is that Acne Scars cannot be reduced fully just with one treatment.

The table below illustrates the Type of Acne Scars, Recommended Treatment Plan, No of Sessions and Estimated Duration needed for best results.

Conclusion

Treating Acne Scars early often result in the best outcome. The Acne Scar Removal Treatment Plan may require a length of time, but with diligence and patience to follow through with the plan, it will bring satisfying results.

Here at M-Aesthetic Clinic, we understand how Acne Scars can affect a person’s confidence and psychological well-being. Dr Ho Rui Ming goes the extra mile during the consultation to not only assess the skin condition, but to also understand each patient’s lifestyle and customise a treatment plan for them.

Dr Ho believes that no Acne Scar is the same, and every scar is unique, hence a one-off treatment will not work but instead requires careful planning and execution.

If you are facing Acne Scar issues and are struggling with it, do talk to us so that we can assist you in overcoming this condition together.