Some of the more common questions received from patients regarding acne scar treatments include why lasers did not remove scars completely and how to decide which acne treatments in Singapore to go for. Before you invest in another treatment for acne scar removal, it is important to know that lasers on its own cannot cure acne scars.

Why? No matter how costly lasers are, they cannot treat every type of scar at every depth. Acne scars are fibrous tissues which form as a result of skin injury, and consist of abnormal and disorganized collagen fibers. Thus, they do not look like normal skin. Cystic acne is commonly behind the cause of acne scars. There are up to 7 types of scars but the most common ones are atrophic, hypertrophic and keloids. Ice-pick scars, boxcar scars and rolling scars are categorized as atrophic scars.

Why lasers cannot remove acne scars completely

Resurfacing lasers operate on controlled damage or breakdown of scars to help stimulate the production of new skin. However, scarred skin does not heal as well as normal skin. Being damaged tissues, they are not able to repair themselves well and it is a futile effort to repeatedly inflict controlled injury to these scars. Instead, other acne scar treatment techniques that helps improve skin healing should be considered.

New methods in treating acne scars

Laser treatments for acne scars are just one of the many tools available in an aesthetic clinic in Singapore, and there are other effective treatments for acne scar removal.

1. Regenerative treatments are now highly popular. In combination with the use of lasers, it can shorten recovery time by up to 50% as well as provide significant improvements in scar healing. Some of the common regenerative treatments include Hyaluronic Acid Fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, Stylage), PDRN (Rejuran Healer) and Calcium hydroxyapatite (Radiesse). Another added benefit is skin anti-aging effects.
2. Subcision and filler serves as an all-in-one acne scar solution to break down scars and stimulate healing, especially for acne scars that are “tethered” to underlying muscles. In a single treatment, subcision breaks down old scars and delivers healing compounds to the scar tissues, such as Rejuran. Essentially, there is scar remodelling and regeneration all in just one treatment.
3. Lasers can only deliver energy up to 1.5mm skin-deep, while subcision offer a deeper reach to scars that lie beneath the skin, with immediate and long-lasting results. For deep acne scars, MicroNeedling Radiofrequency is highly recommended as it can treat up to 5.0mm. This non-laser energy device delivers ablative energy to resurface the skin and smoothen deep acne scars. The INFINI treatment is the latest technology that is highly effective and uses insulted micro-needles for minimal damage to the epidermis.
4. The above-mentioned treatments are beneficial for treating large areas of acne scars, however precision acne scar treatments are useful for individual sports and ice-pick scars that are difficult to treat. The TCA CROSS treats such scars using high concentration trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to break down scar tissue and increase the synthesis of collagen and elastin.

At our clinic, we offer the above-mentioned treatments to treat your acne scars, and more such as cystic acne treatment. Our aesthetic doctors in Singapore will assess and deliver personalised treatment for your skin concerns so you will receive effective results. Book your appointment today.