If acne has finally settled but the scars are still affecting how you feel about your skin, it’s completely understandable to want one clear answer: Can you get rid of acne scars completely? Usually, it isn’t realistic to promise that every acne scar can be erased completely. However, many acne scars can be significantly improved with the right treatment or combination of treatments.
The crucial part is identifying what you’re actually looking at. Ice-pick scars, rolling scars and boxcar scars behave differently. Flat red or brown marks left after acne may not be true scars at all and require a completely different approach. This is why the question shouldn’t simply be, “What’s the best treatment for acne scars?” It should be: “What type of acne scarring do I have, and which treatment is best suited to it?”
What are the main types of acne scars?
Ice-pick scars
These are narrow, deeper scars that look almost as though the skin has been punctured.
Boxcar scars
These tend to be broader depressions with more defined edges.
Rolling scars
Rolling scars create uneven, wave-like depressions because of changes beneath the skin.
Many patients have more than one type. That’s one reason a single treatment doesn’t always address everything.
Are red and brown acne marks actually scars?
Not necessarily. Flat red marks can represent post-inflammatory erythema, while brown or darker marks may be post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
They can certainly be distressing, but structurally they’re different from indented acne scars. Treating pigmentation as though it were an indentation, or vice versa, doesn’t make much sense.
Can you get rid of acne scars completely? And which treatments improve acne scarring?
At Skin Perfection London, treatment options may include Dermapen 4 medical microneedling, laser skin resurfacing and other advanced skin treatments, depending on the scar type, skin tone and severity.
Microneedling works by creating controlled micro-injuries that stimulate the skin’s natural repair processes and collagen production.
Laser treatments can target different aspects of texture, pigmentation and skin rejuvenation depending on the technology selected.
For some patients, combination treatment gives us the most appropriate route.
How many treatments will I need?
There isn’t a universal number. Your scar type, severity, skin response and treatment chosen all matter.
Collagen remodelling also takes time. We’re changing the structure of skin that may have been scarred for years. That’s not something I expect your body to repair by Tuesday.
Ayse’s Advice
After treating acne scarring for many years, I’ve noticed patients often arrive wanting one thing: perfectly smooth skin.
I understand why. But I try to move the conversation away from perfection and towards meaningful improvement.
Can we soften the shadows? Improve texture? Make scars less noticeable in normal lighting? Help you stop thinking about your cheeks every time someone stands close to you?
Those changes can be enormous, even if I can still find a scar when I’m examining your skin from ten centimetres away. That’s a much healthier definition of success.
Ready to get glowing skin clear of scars, marks and spots?
If acne scars are affecting your confidence, book a consultation with our experienced skin specialists at Skin Perfection London, Oxford Circus.
We’ll identify your scar type and create a treatment plan specifically for your skin.
