Acne & Acne Scars

Active breakouts and the marks they leave behind need different treatments.

Acne & Acne Scars — abstract visual
Acne & Acne Scars — skin concern portrait

Acne and acne scarring are two separate problems that often get treated as one. Active breakouts are an inflammatory condition; scars are structural damage left behind after inflammation resolves. Treating scars while acne is still active tends to make both worse, so the order matters: settle the acne first, then repair.

01

Why it happens

  • Pores blocked by oil and dead skin cells, which bacteria then colonise

  • Hormonal shifts that increase oil production — which is why adult acne often sits along the jaw

  • Depressed scarring left when inflammation destroys collagen faster than the skin rebuilds it

  • Dark marks that are pigment, not scars, and fade on their own given sun protection and time

02

What helps

03

Common questions

What is the best treatment for acne scars?

For depressed scars — the kind that dent inward — microneedling and ResurFX fractional laser are the two effective options, both working by rebuilding collagen in the depression. ResurFX generally works faster and reaches deeper at the cost of more downtime; microneedling is gentler and cheaper per session. Either needs a course of three to five, not one appointment.

Are my dark marks scars?

Usually not. If the skin is flat and only discoloured, that is post-inflammatory pigmentation, and it fades on its own over months with daily sunscreen. If you can feel a dent when you run a finger over it, that is a scar and it will not fade without treatment. The distinction decides everything about what to do next.

Can I treat scars while I still get breakouts?

Not over active lesions. Needling or lasering inflamed skin risks spreading bacteria and creating new scarring. Clear areas of the face can often be treated in the meantime, but severe or cystic acne should be managed by a dermatologist before scar work begins.

Will one session make a difference?

A visible one, no. Collagen rebuilding is cumulative and slow — each session lays down a little more, and the change becomes obvious somewhere around the third. Anyone promising to clear established scarring in one appointment is overselling.

Next step

Not sure which treatment is right for you?

Book a consultation and a practitioner will assess your skin and talk you through the options. No obligation to treat on the day.

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