In general, all effective acne scar treatments are based on inducing controlled injury to the dermis (where the scar tissues are located), which then sets in motion a healing process leading to gradual improvement of the acne scars.
As such, energy-based devices (laser, RF) have proven themselves as the preferred options for acne scar treatment as they are effective and safe.
Non-energy based treatment options are generally considered as secondary options as they are less effective or are restricted in usage. They include:
- Microneedling (e.g dermroller) which induces mechanical injury to the dermis and works for boxcar type scars.
- TCA Cross which induces chemical injury to the dermis. This technique is limited to the treatment of ice-pick scars only.
