Acne scar treatment is not about doing how many times of laser treatment. It is about diagnosis of the types of scar and giving the right treatment.
Management
Assessment is the most important step.
Classification: ice pick, box scar, rolling scar, atrophic scar. Post-acne hyperpigmentation (PIH) is the skin color darkening due to inflammation process.
At the end of the day, laser may or may not be required, based on the assessment.
Choice of acne scar treatments
- Redness and Hyperpigmentation. Uses IPL, vascular laser or pigment laser. Topical skin lightening cream can be effective.
- Scar Revision – Treat each scar types with different procedures. Usually combined treatment needed.
- Skin needling for mild and early scar.
- Energy devices like Laser resurfacing, Fractional CO2 laser, PICO Laser (Fractional System), Fraxel. Especially for box scar, open pores, rolling scar.
- Fractional RF Microneedling – Combine microneedling with targetted skin layer Radiofrequency is an effective treatment for most acne scars types .The downtime is very minimal.
- Subcision – Subcision break the tethered scars with needle underneath the skin. Dermal filler can be injection to lift up the atrophic scar.
- TCA crossed for ice picked scar. Help to stimulate new collagen.