There is considerable variation in types and degrees of acne scarring from one person to another but the emotional turmoil this condition causes is shared by all. For many years the only treatment options for acne scars were much too invasive and only minimally effective. Today with lasers like the Smoothbeam, Vbeam and Fraxel and dermal fillers such as Restylane and Radiesse, we have treatment options that require minimal or no downtime, and results that we only dreamed of years ago.

Scars may be flat or depressed and red, white or normal skin color. They may fairly well localized or generalized. They may look worse due to volume loss under the skin from aging. They may be recent or old. All of these factors help us determine the prudent course of action. For more information on scar types, see section entitled types of acne scars.

The only sure method of preventing or limiting the extent of acne scars is treating acne early in its course, for as long as necessary. Topical and oral medicines are good first line treatments, but they often fail, and when they do lasers represent a great option to treat this troublesome condition. See laser treatment for acne scars for more details.


Today’s treatment options include laser therapy, filler injections, skin surgery and dermabrasion. Lasers are the desired option for most due to good outcomes, low risk and minimal or no downtime.

Laser treatment for acne scars

Lasers have become the treatment of choice today for acne scars. Lasers work by stimulating collagen production in the skin, thereby smoothing out scars. This can be accomplished in a non ablative fashion (without removing tissue), ablative fashion (vaporizing or removing outer layers of skin) or in a microablative (microscopically removing tissue). The microablative or fractional method of resurfacing skin which the Fraxel laser uses has revolutionized the treatment for acne scars has become the gold standard today. Below please find details on all of the available technologies at Reflections used to treat acne scars below:

• Fraxel Patient Experience Video 30 wmv megabytes

Treatment Technologies
 Name Of Device(s)

Fractional resurfacing for acne scars

Fraxel SR 1500 Restore laser

Portrait resurfacing

Portrait PSR

Diode laser for acne scars

Smoothbeam Laser

Erbium laser or CO2 laser

C02 or Erbium full depth resurfacing


Non Laser Treatments for Acne Scars

Non laser related treatments for acne scars consist of dermal filler injections, fat transfer, dermabrasion and surgery. Filler injections are the most popular of these options and this involves the use of specialized products to stretch or fill out the scars or to replace volume loss under the skin to make the scars look better.

Treatment Technologies
 Name Of Device(s)

Dermal Fillers

Restylane, Juvaderm, Perlane, Radiesse

Sapphire Abrasion

Sapphire 3 Photo Abrasion

Microdermabrasion

MegaPeel

Autologous fat transfer for acne scars

Fat Transfer

Dermabrasion

Dermabrasion

Skin surgery

Subcision, surgery


Treatments for redness in acne scars and blemishes
The Pulsed Dye laser (Vbeam laser) and Intense Pulsed Light Systems (Starlux, Ellipse IPL) are very useful in treating red acne scars and blemishes, targeting the tiny blood vessels that give these marks a red color. Whether the scars are flat, raised or depressed, the energy from these specialized systems can make these annoying marks less visible. They are very commonly used in combination with the Fraxel or Smoothbeam lasers which smooth the scars out.

Treatment Technologies
 Name Of Device(s)

Pulsed Dye Laser for red acne scars

Vbeam Pulsed Dye Laser

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) for red acne scars

Starlux, Ellipse IPL