Dermatologist Evaluation

• A consultation with a dermatologist is the first step. The doctor will examine the extent of the scarring to determine the best treatment or procedure. Some acne scars are very deep and require a different procedure from surface scars. The dermatologist may do the treatment himself or refer you to a cosmetic dermatologist, who treats conditions of the skin with minimally invasive procedures, such as lasers and skin-resurfacing techniques.
  
  

Procedures

• Laser skin resurfacing removes the damaged skin layer by layer. This treatment is precise and only affects the scarred skin.
  Microdermabrasion blasts away the top layer of skin to reveal the new skin beneath. This procedure may go much deeper than a skin resurfacing procedure. Deep acne scars, however, may not respond to microdermabrasion.
  Chemical peels promote skin growth by damaging and removing the top layer of skin. The doctor uses different strengths of chemicals to control the depth of the peel. The procedure does carry a risk of infection.
  
  

Aftercare

• Laser scar removal causes swelling and irritation, but recovery time is minimal.
  A deep chemical peel causes redness, irritation, swelling, crusting of the skin and a risk of infection. Some patients may require a liquid-only diet after the procedure for a few days. The skin will heal within a few weeks, but the redness may persist for several weeks.
  Redness and swelling are also common with microdermabrasion and will subside in a few days.
  Protect the skin from sun damage after each procedure, and use doctor-approved moisturizers to keep your skin from drying after the procedure.