Texture + Acne Scarring
Improve uneven texture, enlarged pores, and facial scarring—whether from acne or injury—with treatments designed to support healthy skin renewal and collagen production.
What You’ll Find on This Page
Scarring and uneven texture can occur for many reasons, and the right treatment depends on the type, depth, and severity of the concern. This page will help you understand what may be happening within your skin and explore options for improving its overall texture and appearance.
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A simple understanding of acne scarring + uneven texture
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Different types of atrophic acne scars
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Factors that influence scar appearance + treatment outcomes
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Professional treatment recommendations
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Skincare to support healthy skin renewal
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Frequently asked questions
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Where to start if you're unsure what your skin needs
Understanding Texture + Acne Scarring
Acne scarring develops when inflammation or injury disrupts the skin's normal healing process and alters collagen production. Depending on how the skin heals, this can leave behind depressions, irregular texture, or changes in the skin's surface.
Not every mark left behind after acne is a true scar. Flat red, pink, brown, or purple marks are often post-inflammatory discoloration, while true atrophic acne scars involve a physical change or depression in the skin's structure.
Because different types of scarring behave differently, successful treatment isn't about simply exfoliating the surface. The goal is to identify what type of scarring or texture we're working with and choose treatments that encourage appropriate skin renewal and, when needed, collagen remodeling.
While scars cannot always be completely erased, their depth, texture, and overall appearance can often be significantly improved with the right treatment plan and realistic expectations.
Understanding Different Types of Acne Scarring
Rolling Scars
Broad, shallow depressions that create a wave-like or uneven appearance across the skin. They are often associated with changes beneath the surface of the skin.
Boxcar Scars
Round or oval depressions with more defined edges. They can range from relatively shallow to deeper indentations and commonly appear on the cheeks or temples.
Ice Pick Scars
Small, narrow scars that extend deeper into the skin and resemble tiny punctures. Because of their depth, they can be more challenging to improve with surface-level treatments alone.
Post-Acne Marks
Not every mark is a scar. Redness and brown or purple discoloration left behind after acne may be post-inflammatory erythema or hyperpigmentation rather than permanent textural scarring—and requires a different treatment approach.
Start with a Skin Consultation
Understand your scarring before choosing a treatment.
If improving acne scarring or texture is your goal, a consultation is the best place to begin. We'll assess the type, depth, distribution, and severity of your scarring, along with your overall skin health, active acne, pigmentation, barrier health, and current skincare.
From there, we can create a realistic treatment plan combining professional treatments and supportive home care based on what is most likely to benefit your specific type of scarring.
If active acne is still present, getting breakouts and inflammation under better control may need to come before aggressively treating the scars they leave behind.
Professional Treatments for
Texture + Scarring
Procell Microchanneling
Collagen remodeling + corrective skin rejuvenation.
Microchanneling is my primary corrective treatment for clients looking to improve acne scarring and uneven skin texture.
The treatment creates controlled microchannels within the skin, stimulating the body's natural wound-healing response and processes involved in the production of new collagen and elastin. Over time, this encourages the skin to remodel from within, gradually improving its structure and overall quality.
Microchanneling can be particularly beneficial for improving the appearance of atrophic acne scarring, enlarged pores, uneven texture, fine lines, and other textural irregularities.
Because collagen remodeling is progressive, scarring typically requires a series of treatments rather than a single appointment. The number of treatments recommended depends on the type and severity of scarring, your skin health, and your individual response.
Chemical Peels
Resurface + refine the skin's surface.
Chemical peels encourage controlled exfoliation and cellular renewal, making them beneficial when texture is accompanied by surface roughness, congestion, post-acne pigmentation, dullness, or uneven tone.
Peels don't provide the same deeper collagen remodeling as Microchanneling, but they can complement a corrective treatment plan by improving the skin's surface and addressing discoloration left behind after acne.
HydraFacial
Maintain smoother, hydrated + healthier skin.
HydraFacial combines cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, and hydration to improve surface texture, congestion, dehydration, and overall skin quality.
It isn't intended to remodel deeper acne scars, but it can be a great supportive or maintenance treatment, particularly when congestion or dehydration is contributing to rough or uneven-looking skin. It is also a fantastic skin reset treatment performed 2 weeks before Microchanneling.
My Top Skincare Picks for Scarring
Professional treatments create the stimulus for change, but healthy skin is better equipped to recover and respond to treatment.
A consistent home-care routine helps maintain barrier health, protect against UV damage, support healthy cellular renewal, and address concerns such as post-acne pigmentation and congestion alongside your corrective treatments.
Skincare alone cannot completely remodel established atrophic acne scars, but it plays an important role in supporting treatment outcomes, maintaining results, and preventing ongoing breakouts from creating additional scarring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can acne scars be completely removed?
The goal is improvement rather than promising complete removal. The amount of improvement possible depends on the type, depth, age, and severity of the scars, as well as your skin and treatment plan.
How do I know if I have acne scars or pigmentation?
If the skin is physically indented or raised, you're likely looking at textural scarring. Flat red, pink, purple, or brown marks may instead be post-inflammatory discoloration. Many people have a combination of both.
What is the best treatment for acne scarring?
It depends on the scar type and severity. Microchanneling is one of my primary treatments for atrophic scarring and texture because it stimulates collagen remodeling, while peels and other treatments may be incorporated for surface texture and pigmentation.
How many Microchanneling treatments will I need?
Scarring typically requires a series. The number of treatments varies depending on scar type, depth, skin health, and your desired level of correction. Progress occurs gradually as collagen remodeling takes place between and after treatments.
Can I treat acne scars if I'm still breaking out?
It depends on the severity and type of active acne. Significant inflammation may need to be controlled first. Continuing to develop new breakouts while correcting old scars can also lead to new scarring, so acne management may become the initial priority.
Does skincare help acne scars?
Skincare can improve overall texture, pigmentation, hydration, and skin quality, but topical products have limitations when treating established structural scars. Professional treatments are generally required when the goal is deeper collagen remodeling.
How long does it take to see improvement?
Collagen remodeling takes time. Some surface improvements may be noticed earlier, but textural changes generally develop progressively over the weeks and months following treatment. A series combined with consistent home care usually provides the most comprehensive approach.
When in Doubt, Start with a Consultation
You don't need to know which treatment, product, or program you need before reaching out. A professional consultation gives us the opportunity to understand your skin, discuss your concerns and goals, explore potential contributing factors, and determine the best path forward for you.