Acne is a persistent, painful and often embarrassing skin condition that is difficult to manage, and impossible to cure. Worse yet, extreme cases of acne can often result in permanent redness and scarring, devastating to those who have suffered from acne for years and longed to rid themselves of it. Fortunately, there are a variety of acne scar treatments available, which can help to get rid of unsightly acne scars once and for all.

Regardless of which acne scar treatment you choose, remember that your skin must be free from active acne before the treatment can be started. If you are free from current breakouts, and have been for some time, then it’s okay to go ahead with the acne scar treatment; however, if you are still suffering from occasional severe breakouts, Dan Kern of acne.org suggests a regimen to follow for three months prior to your acne scar treatment procedure. If this regimen is followed strictly, you can get your skin clear in time for treatment.

There are many different acne scar treatments, and each is tailored to a specific type of scarring. There are four basic types of common acne scars: icepick, boxcar, rolling, and hypertrophic scars. Icepick scars are sometimes called pockmarks, and they present as tiny round holes in the skin. The pits are deep, but usually less than two millimeters across. Boxcar scarring is also common, and the pits are much larger than icepick scars, but not usually as deep. This type of scarring is most often found on the temples and cheeks. Rolling scars are wide and shallow, commonly present with persistent redness, and are typically caused by acne damage under the skin’s surface. Hypertrophic scars are large red bumps on the skin’s surface, commonly caused by large cysts or nodules. This type of scar typically appears on the back or chest but can also be present on the neck and face. It is possible for an individual to have more than one variety of scarring, in which case multiple acne scar treatments can be utilized for the best outcome.

One acne scar treatment that is commonly utilized for icepick, boxcar and rolling scars is laser resurfacing. This treatment is exactly as it sounds: a laser is used to remove skin so that new, unscarred skin can grow in its place. There are three types of laser acne scar treatments (CO2, Er:YAG and fractional laser), and which one is used depends upon the severity of the scarring. Chemical peels involve a similar process, except chemicals are used, instead of a laser, to remove layers of skin. Similar to laser resurfacing, chemical peels can be light, medium or deep, depending on the type and severity of scarring. Another acne scar treatment is skin needling, used only with boxcar scarring, is an acne scar treatment which involves puncturing the skin with a large needle, which induces trauma and encourages skin’s natural collagen healing process. Steroid and cytotoxic injections are commonly used only with hypertrophic scars, and involve injecting raised areas with steroids, antibiotics or both, in hopes of relieving inflammation and promoting healing.

There are a variety of other acne scar treatments available as well, and which one you choose will depend not only on your scars, but also your budget, and what potential side effects can occur. All acne scar treatments are risky, and pose some risk of unwanted effects, but that is a chance that patients must weigh, with their doctor’s help, against the hope of having clear, scar-free skin.