How to Deal with Acne Scars?

The treatment can vary depending on type of scar, and the treating dermatologist. Broadly the following schedule is followed :

1. Ice-pick scars : Ice-pick scars are slim, pointed scars that make the skin appear it has been punctured with an icepick. They are usually narrower than 2 mm and extend into the deep dermis or subcutaneous layer .  Ice-pick scars are usually treated with TCA CROSS technique. In this , trichloracetic acid is applied to the floor of the scar , resulting in gradual filling up of the depth.
2. Boxcar scars : Boxcar scars are round to oval depressions that have sharp vertical edges. Unlike ice-pick scars they do not get thinner to a point at the base. Shallow boxcar scars are 0.1-0.5 mm in depth and can usually be treated with conventional skin resurfacing techniques such as fractional laser or microdermabrasion. Deep boxcar scars are >0.5 mm in depth and require full-thickness treatment techniques.
3. Rolling scars : Rolling scars occur as a result of tethering of otherwise normal-appearing skin to the subcutaneous tissue below . This process gives the skin a rolling, undulating or wave-like appearance. Conventional skin resurfacing techniques do not work on rolling scars . They must be corrected by breaking up the subcutaneous fibrous bands, by a process called subcision.
4. Hypertrophic scars : Hypertrophic scars are raised and lumpy . They are likely to appear on the back and chest , but can also appear on the neck and face . They are often the result of more severe acne lesions , such as cysts or nodules . Hypertrophic scars generally stay within the boundary of the original wound , and may decrease in size as time goes on . Keloid Scars ( a type of hypertrophic scarring ) , on the other hand , may scar beyond the original wound site. They can be corrected by local injection of steroids