From ice pick to rolling and boxcar scars, our board-certified dermatology team customizes a layered treatment plan — microneedling, RF microneedling, subcision, peels, and laser resurfacing — to give you visibly smoother skin.
Schedule Your ConsultationAcne scars develop when inflammation from cystic or nodular acne damages the underlying collagen network. The body's repair process is imperfect — it can either lose tissue (creating depressed scars) or overproduce it (creating raised scars). The result is uneven skin texture that often persists long after the acne itself has cleared.
The good news: nearly every acne scar pattern is treatable with the right approach. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, modern combination protocols can deliver 60–90% improvement for most patients.
The key is identifying your scar type, treating any active acne first (see our acne treatment page), and layering complementary modalities over a 6–12 month plan.
🎬 Video Coming Soon: Dr. Teresa Moreno walks through the layered acne scar treatment process.
Deep, narrow, V-shaped pits that look like the skin was punctured by an ice pick. Best treated with TCA CROSS or fractional laser.
Wider depressions with sharp vertical edges. Respond well to RF microneedling, fractional laser, and subcision.
Soft sloped depressions giving the skin a wavy texture. Ideal for subcision combined with microneedling and filler.
Raised firm scars common on the chest, back, and jawline. Treated with intralesional steroids, lasers, and silicone.
Dark marks left after acne — not a true scar. Treated through our pigmentation program.
Generalized loss of skin firmness and smoothness. Improved with collagen-stimulating treatments.
The cornerstone of most scar plans. Microneedling triggers controlled micro-injuries that stimulate new collagen and elastin. Adding radiofrequency (RF) energy delivers heat to deeper layers for stronger remodeling — particularly effective for boxcar and rolling scars.
For tethered rolling scars, we insert a small needle beneath the scar to release the fibrous bands pulling the skin downward. Often combined with filler to maintain the lift while collagen rebuilds.
TCA peels (15–30%) accelerate cell turnover and resurface superficial irregularities. TCA CROSS — focal application of high-strength TCA — is the gold standard for ice pick scars.
For deeper or more diffuse texture issues, fractional non-ablative or ablative lasers create columns of treated skin to stimulate global remodeling. We tailor settings carefully for skin of color to avoid pigmentation.
Prescription retinoids maintain results between treatments. Daily SPF 50+ prevents new pigmentation that would distort scar texture.
Most patients achieve 60–90% improvement with combination therapy. 100% removal is rare, but realistic expectations consistently translate into very satisfying outcomes.
TCA CROSS, punch excision, or fractional CO2 laser. These narrow deep scars are too small for microneedling alone to flatten.
Most patients need 4–6 sessions spaced 4–6 weeks apart. Maintenance once or twice yearly preserves results.
Microneedling: 1–2 days. RF microneedling: 2–3 days. Fractional laser: 5–7 days. Chemical peels: 3–7 days. We tailor plans around your work and life.
We treat scars only after active acne is well controlled. This prevents new lesions from undoing your progress.
