Tips to Minimise Acne Scars

by Dr Wan Chee Kwang
June 21, 2024

Dealing with acne can be an exasperating experience, especially when unsightly scars linger. While it might seem almost impossible to prevent these blemishes from marking your skin, the good news is that there are steps you can take to minimise acne scars.

Understanding how acne scars form and learning simple steps to prevent them can help you minimise their appearance and maintain healthy skin. Here are some handy tips. 

How do acne scars form?

Acne scars often develop due to the skin's response to inflammation caused by acne. When a pimple becomes inflamed, the pore swells, causing a break in the follicle wall. If the break occurs near the skin's surface, it tends to heal quickly; however, deeper breaks can cause more severe lesions by allowing infected material to spill into the surrounding tissue. 

To repair this damage, the skin forms new collagen fibres. If the body produces too much or too little collagen, scars can form as indentations or raised tissue on the skin. Scars can also form from excessive inflammation. 

Tips to prevent acne scars

Early intervention

Treating acne in its early stages is key to preventing scars. At the first sign of acne, adopting an effective skincare regimen can help manage breakouts and minimise inflammation, thus reducing the risk of scarring. If your acne is bad or shows signs that it will become scars, it is also crucial to go for professional treatments, as highlighted below.  

Over-the-counter products with ingredients like tea tree oil, benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or retinoids can be beneficial. If your acne is persistent, it is best to consult a doctor for a tailored treatment plan.

Avoid picking or squeezing acne

While it can be tempting, picking or squeezing pimples is a major contributor to scarring. This practice pushes bacteria deeper into the skin, leading to more significant inflammation and damaging the skin's collagen. 

Let pimples heal naturally, or seek professional treatments to address stubborn acne.

Gentle skincare routine

A gentle skincare routine can help reduce irritation and inflammation. Non-comedogenic, fragrance-free products are preferable as they are less likely to clog pores or aggravate sensitive skin. 

Products containing retinoids, vitamin C, or glycolic acid can help reduce the formation of acne scars and refine overall skin texture.

Cleansing twice daily and after sweating, using lukewarm water and gentle circular motions, can help prevent further irritation and promote healing.

Sun protection

Spending time in the sun can darken acne scars and make them more noticeable. It can also hinder the healing process. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen like SPF 30 or higher is essential, even on cloudy days.

Healthy lifestyle habits

A balanced diet, adequate hydration, and regular exercise can improve skin health and prevent acne. Foods high in antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, and a reduction in high-glycemic foods and dairy products may help manage acne and support skin healing.

Professional acne scar removal treatments

The above tips can only help you manage your acne scars to a certain extent. You should not wait for your acne condition to get severe before going for professional treatment. The earlier your treatment, the less likely you are to develop scars. 

Some popular acne scar removal treatments include:

  • Fractional laser: This treatment uses laser technology to deliver heat into the skin, which promotes collagen production and resurfacing. It's effective for both atrophic and hypertrophic scars.
  • Pico laser: Pico lasers deliver ultra-short pulses that shatter pigment and stimulate collagen without heat, minimising the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This treatment is ideal for darker skin tones.
  • RF microneedling: Combining microneedling with radiofrequency energy can induce collagen and elastin production more deeply than standard microneedling. This treatment is ideal for deeper atrophic scars.
  • CROSS: Chemical Reconstruction of Skin Scars (CROSS) employs trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which is applied precisely to scars to encourage skin regeneration.
  • Subcision and filler: Subcision involves using a needle to break fibrous bands that tether the scar to the underlying tissue, combined with fillers to lift the depressed scars immediately.
  • Keloid treatment: If your acne leads to keloid scars, you will need other treatments. Vascular laser utilises wavelengths that target haemoglobin in blood vessels supplying the keloid while injectables suppress the over-healing allowing resorption of excess scar tissue. 

Acne Scar Removal in Singapore

Minimising acne scars requires a combination of preventive measures and proper skincare. Following the tips provided can significantly reduce the risk of long-term scarring. If you have existing acne scars, getting treatment from a professional can make a big difference.

At 1Aesthetics, we prioritise precise acne scar identification to develop truly effective treatments. For the best outcomes, we customise our approach by integrating two or more of the previously mentioned methods, tailoring each treatment to the distinct characteristics of each patient's acne scars.

Book a consultation for acne scar removal.

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