Acne scars are marks left after pimples heal badly. When a pimple gets inflamed, it damages the skin underneath. Your body tries to fix it with collagen, but sometimes too much or too little – boom, a scar! Common on cheeks, jaw, back. Indian skin scars more because of melanin and picking habits.
These look like small, deep pinpricks – like someone poked your skin with an ice pick. They happen when acne destroys tissue deep down. Fix: Lasers or punch excision fill them. Takes 3–6 sessions for smooth skin.
| Rolling Scars | Boxcar Scars |
| Wavy, uneven dips | Sharp, box-like craters |
| From bands pulling skin | From lost collagen |
| Look like hills/valleys | Round or oval pits |
| Best: Subcision | Best: Lasers/Fillers |
Both sunken – but different shapes!
Hypertrophic: Raised, red bumps on the pimple spot. Stay small. Keloid: Grow beyond the spot, like thick ropes. Common in chest/back for Indian skin. Fix: Injections or silicone to flatten. Don’t pick!
Atrophic = Sunken/dented (ice-pick, rolling, boxcar). Too little collagen. Hypertrophic = Raised/thick. Too much collagen. Sunken = fill/lift. Raised = flatten.
These aren’t dents – just dark brown/black flat marks after acne heals. Extra melanin from inflammation. How it happens: Pimple irritates skin → body overproduces color. Fix: Vitamin C, niacinamide daily + peels/lasers. Fades 50–80% in 3 months. Sunscreen is key!
These are flat red or brown spots after pimple fades – not dents, just color. Called PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). Common in Indian skin. Fix: Sunscreen + vitamin C. Fades in 3–6 months, or laser speeds it.
Men get scars on jaw/beard area from razor bumps + deep pimples. Shaving irritates healing skin. Fix: Electric trimmer, salicylic wash, lasers. Many see 70% improvement in 4 months.
| Microneedling | Laser |
| Needles poke skin, build collagen | Light breaks scar tissue |
| Cheaper (₹3k–8k) | Costlier (₹10k–25k) |
| 4–6 sessions | 3–5 sessions |
| Mild redness 1 day | 3–7 days healing |
| Good for texture | Best for deep pits |
Microneedling = natural repair. Laser = fast reset.
| PRP | Fillers |
| Your blood heals scars | Gel lifts dents |
| Gradual (months) | Instant plump |
| ₹5k–10k/session | ₹15k–30k |
| Builds collagen | Temporary (6–18 months) |
| Natural | Synthetic but safe |
PRP = long-term. Fillers = quick boost.
| Chemical Peels | Subcision |
| Acid peels top layer | Needle cuts under-scar bands |
| For marks/texture | For tethered dents |
| ₹2k–6k | ₹5k–10k |
| Weekly | 1–3 sessions |
| No downtime | Mild bruising |
Peels = surface polish. Subcision = lift from below.
| MediFacial | CO2 Laser |
| Clean + hydrate | Resurface deep |
| Monthly glow | 1–3 big sessions |
| ₹4k–10k | ₹15k–40k |
| No downtime | 5–7 days red |
| Early scars | Old/deep pits |
MediFacial = maintenance. CO2 = heavy duty.
How it works: The doctor brushes a safe acid (like glycolic or salicylic) on your face. It gently melts the top bumpy layer of scarred skin. Over a week, it peels off like dry skin after sunburn. New smooth skin grows back in its place – like a fresh page. Best for: Mild atrophic scars, dark acne marks (PIH).
How it works: Tiny needles (as thin as hair) make micro-holes in your skin. This wakes up your body’s repair mode – it rushes collagen (skin’s building block) to fill the holes and smooth scars. RF adds gentle heat for extra boost. Best for: Rolling/boxcar scars, uneven texture.
How it works: A smart laser makes thousands of tiny “pin holes” only in scarred areas. Old bumpy skin around the holes falls off. Your body fills them with fresh, even collagen. Takes 5–7 days to heal – like a mini skin reset. Best for: Deep ice-pick scars, boxcar scars.
How it works: Ultra-fast laser pulses (trillionth of a second!) break scar tissue and dark marks without burning skin. It also triggers collagen – so scars flatten and fade. Feels like tiny snaps, zero downtime. Best for: Dark acne marks (PIH), early atrophic scars.
How it works: A tiny needle goes under the scar and cuts the tight bands pulling your skin down (like tethered dents). Once free, the skin pops up. Doctor may add filler or PRP to keep it lifted. Best for: Rolling scars, tethered/deep dents.
How it works: Hyaluronic acid (a natural skin plumper) is injected into the scar. It instantly lifts sunken areas to match normal skin level. Lasts 6–18 months – like temporary scaffolding. Best for: Deep boxcar or rolling scars (quick fix).
How it works: Your blood is taken, spun in a machine to get healing platelets, then injected or applied on scars. These platelets release growth factors that repair and smooth skin from inside. Often combined with microneedling. Best for: All scar types, especially with dull texture.
How it works: For deep ice-pick scars, the doctor uses a tiny cookie-cutter tool to cut out the scar completely. Then stitches the hole or lets it heal. Result? A tiny line (way better than a pit). Best for: Single deep ice-pick scars.
How it works: In MediFacial, a machine gently scrubs off dead skin + sucks out oil, then pushes in vitamins and hyaluronic acid. Smooths texture and fades early red/dark marks. Like a monthly skin polish. Best for: Superficial scars, redness, rough texture.
| Your Acne Scar Type | Best Treatment |
| Dark marks only | Pico Laser / Chemical Peel |
| Sunken/rolling scars | Microneedling / Subcision |
| Deep ice-pick holes | Punch Excision / CO2 Laser |
| Red/raised scars | Silicone Gel / PRP |
| Uneven texture | MediFacial + Microneedling |
Your skin can be smooth again – one step at a time!
At-home lasers → safe mini devices. Soon: Fix scars in 1–2 visits!
Cult Aesthetics is a Cosmetic Surgery chain based in Gurgaon & Delhi. Our journey began in 2019 and under Dr. Gaurav Solanki’s leadership and within a span of 3 years we’ve built a name that many centres seldom make in a decade!
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