Acne Scars

Types & most effective treatment options

- By Dr. Thomas Griffin

Acne is an extremely common skin problem. Affecting about 80% of people ages 11-30, acne affects more than the visual, and cosmetic appearance of the skin, but the mental well-being of those affected as well. While not every person affected by acne will have signs of the acne left on their skin, about 1 in 5 who have had acne will have some degree of scarring. Acne scars are permanent marks left on the skin.

In general, acne is an inflammatory skin condition. The oil-making glands of the skin, sebaceous glands, get clogged and the increased oil production backs up. The body's immune system reacts to this build-up and creates a pimple. In acne scarring, this inflammation and the wound healing that results is the root of the problem. Those who are predisposed to acne scarring have a more robust inflammatory response that not only attacks the acne lesion but the surrounding skin as well.

Types of Acne Scars

There are 3 types of acne scars; icepick, boxcar, and rolling.

1 - Icepick scars are deep, narrow, scars that appear like large pores.

2- Boxcar scars are shallow depressions in the skin with fairly sharp, vertical, borders.

3- Rolling scars are deeper, wider, and less defined.

Most patients will have a combination of multiple types of these scars.