Acne Scars

Acne is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and appears mainly during adolescence. Due to the inflammatory nature of the disease, acne very often leaves scars, mainly on the face, back, and chest. Acne scars can cause significant psychological and emotional distress, with a major impact on the patient’s social life.

How many types of acne scars are there?
There are two types of acne scars:
– hypertrophic acne scars or keloids. These scars are caused by excessive collagen production during the healing process, resulting in raised scars.
– atrophic acne scars. These scars are caused by destruction of skin tissue due to inflammation. Atrophic scars may be narrow and deep, as if made by an ice pick (ice-pick scars), or wide and depressed like chickenpox scars (boxcar scars).

How are acne scars treated?
These categories of acne scars usually appear in combination, and treatment is individualized depending on the extent and nature of the problem. The techniques used mainly aim to stimulate collagen and elastin production, remodel collagen fibers, and replace type III collagen fibers (which characterize scars) with type I and II collagen fibers found in normal skin.

Which treatments are used for acne scars?
– Injectable hyaluronic acid. It is used to fill and lift atrophic (depressed) scars, restoring skin smoothness. Results are immediate, but their duration is limited (1–2 years).

– Chemical peeling. Acne scar treatment with chemical peeling aims to remove the superficial layers of the skin and smooth acne scars. Several sessions are usually required, often combined with other treatments such as Fractional CO2 Laser.
– Fractional CO2 Laser. This is one of the most effective and safe treatments for acne scars. It stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin, helping to smooth atrophic scars, while also remodeling collagen fibers in hypertrophic scars, without destroying or thinning the skin. The number of sessions required varies depending on the case; on average, 6–8 treatments are needed at intervals of 3–4 weeks. Results appear gradually as more collagen is produced and the skin texture improves.
– Autologous mesotherapy with platelet-rich plasma (Platelet Rich Plasma – PRP). This is one of the most effective treatments for acne scars, as it stimulates collagen production and skin regeneration, achieving impressive results, especially when combined with Fractional CO2 Laser.

What should I expect after the treatment?
Each of the treatments mentioned above has its own specific characteristics, but it is important to understand that acne scar treatment cannot be achieved in one or two sessions. Multiple sessions and a combination of treatments are required to achieve the desired result.