Depressed Acne Scar Treatment: Truth or Misconception to Increase Success Rate

Many people have a long-standing misconception that depressed acne scars are difficult to treat. However, I am Kang Jin-moon, a dermatologist. If you choose the truths I speak of today and appropriate treatment methods, you can expect improvement to the point where others may not recognize you. Let's explore ways to enhance treatment effectiveness through the misconceptions and truths about depressed acne scar treatment.

Unlike general scars that result from surface skin injuries, depressed acne scars form due to chronic inflammation in the dermis, leading to the abnormal addition of fibrous tissues. Because they form within the dermis rather than on the skin's surface, the scars are typically deeper than they appear.

Many people commonly believe that the older an acne scar is, the more difficult it is to treat. However, to state the conclusion first, this is incorrect information. The difficulty of acne scar treatment is determined by how deeply the scar is depressed and the individual's skin regeneration ability, and is completely unrelated to when the acne scar occurred.

As explained earlier, it is difficult to treat depressed acne scars formed within the dermis with lasers that only stimulate the skin surface, such as fractional lasers. Effective procedures tailored to the shape and area of depressed acne scars must be performed.

Rolling Scars (Rounded Shape)

Another method involves using fillers. While fillers are effective, it's important to consider that their duration is temporary, lasting approximately 1 to 2 years.

Icepick Scars (Most Common Type)

Icepick scars, the most common type of depressed acne scar, often have a narrow but deep area. Dot Peeling, which involves applying medication deep into the scar area to intentionally induce injury and promote new skin growth, is most effective. However, this is predicated on the condition that the procedure is performed correctly.

Boxcar Scars (Square Shape)

For square boxcar scars, the treatment method varies depending on their size. For smaller ones, the aforementioned Dot Peeling can be helpful, while for larger ones, Subcision is recommended.

Although depressed acne scars are conveniently classified into three types based on their shape, the shape and depth of the depression vary from person to person, making each treatment essential alongside laser therapy. The reason most people believe depressed acne scar treatment is difficult to achieve noticeable results is that 1-2 sessions are often insufficient for significant improvement.

Depending on the severity of the scar, deep scars may require more than 6 months of treatment, and complete skin regeneration after laser treatment can take over a year. Therefore, we recommend approaching treatment with a long-term perspective.

• At least 5 sessions
• At one-month intervals
• Combining continuous laser treatment with procedural treatments will lead to significant improvement.

The effects of depressed acne scar treatment can be considered permanent. This is one of the major advantages of acne scar treatment; the probability of the scar becoming depressed again after treatment is extremely low. However, this comes with the condition that acne does not reappear in that spot.

So far, I have discussed the misconceptions and truths about depressed acne scars. There are no depressed scars that cannot be improved with appropriate treatment from a specialist. If you receive appropriate treatment tailored to the shape and severity of your scars, and consistent treatment for at least 5 sessions, your depressed acne-prone skin can definitely improve.

If you have any other questions related to depressed acne scars, please leave a comment.