Ask the Acne Expert
Each week, the acne experts at Clear Clinic answer questions from patients. This week’s question is about atrophic acne scars, which are scars that appear on the skin as indentations due from loss of tissue.
Question: What is the best way to treat indented scars left over from active acne breakouts?
Answer: An atrophic (indented) acne scar like the ones pictured on the left will respond beautifully to treatment with a Fractional CO2 laser. Fractional CO2 lasers work by using laser energy in tiny columns to penetrate the skin and stimulate collagen renewal. The result is the production of healthy collagen, which will soften the appearance of this atrophic scars. Most patients will see 50-75% improvement of atrophic scarring after one Fractional CO2 laser treatment and the improvement is permanent. We also recommend the F.A.S.T. Laser treatment for acne scars. In the latest issue of New Beauty magazine, F.A.S.T. was featured as one of the best new treatments to treat acne scars. Clear Clinic’s founding dermatologist, Dr. Schweiger, spoke of the benefits of F.A.S.T. saying: “We are finding patients with focal acne scars are doing unbelievably well with a single F.A.S.T. treatment, and are not having pigmentation problems.”