Acne scar treatment in Thessaloniki

What is it and why does it appear?

An acne scar forms when the inflammation of a spot destroys the collagen of the dermis and the skin heals abnormally: either with a loss of tissue (atrophic scars, the 'dents') or with an excess (hypertrophic). Acne marks that are merely red or brown are not scars but post-inflammatory pigmentation, and fade more easily. Atrophic scars come in three types and each responds differently: rolling and shallow boxcar scars improve a lot with microneedling, ice pick and deep boxcar scars need radiofrequency inside the skin (Intracel) or medical techniques such as subcision ^{[1] [2]}. The mechanism is the same: a controlled micro-injury that forces the skin to produce new, organised collagen and 'fill' the dent from below. The more recent the scars, the better the response.

Types

• Ice pick: narrow and deep, like needle holes; the hardest
• Boxcar: with vertical walls, like small 'boxes'; shallow or deep
• Rolling: wavy, from tethering under the skin; respond well
• Hypertrophic: raised, mainly on back and jaw; medical treatment

What to expect

Before and after: texture becomes smoother from the first sessions and the depth of the scars decreases gradually; the full improvement shows 3–6 months after the last session, as the new collagen matures. The aim is a visible improvement in depth and texture, often 50–70% in rolling and boxcar scars, not complete removal. Before-and-after photos are shown at the assessment, with the consent of the people who shared them.

Tips

• Do not squeeze spots: every inflammation is a potential scar
• High-factor sunscreen every day; the sun darkens scars
• Gentle cleansing, no grainy scrubs
• Early acne treatment by a dermatologist