Acne Scars

When a patient wants to diminish the appearance of widespread acne scarring, a dermatologist may recommend a resurfacing procedure. Resurfacing removes layers of skin, which allows the body to produce new skin cells.

Dermatologists use the following resurfacing procedures to treat depressed acne scars:

Laser skin resurfacing

Chemical peeling

Dermabrasion

Microdermabrasion (differs from kits bought for at-home use)

Resurfacing works well for treating acne scars that are nearly flat (not too deep). Even dermabrasion, which removes the top layers of skin and some of the middle layers, cannot effectively treat deep acne scars.