Laser treatment for acne scars

Lasers are among the most effective tools for atrophic (depressed) acne scars, but as with pigment, success depends on matching the technology to the specific scar and skin.

Fractional lasers are a mainstay, drilling microscopic columns that stimulate collagen to fill and smooth depressed scars over a series of sessions, in both non-ablative (gentler, more sessions) and ablative (stronger, more downtime) forms. Vascular lasers can address the red or purple discoloration of newer scars. For best results, lasers are frequently combined with other modalities like subcision or microneedling, since no single approach clears every scar type, boxcar, rolling, and ice-pick scars each respond differently.

Two cautions apply. Active acne should be controlled before resurfacing scars, and darker skin tones require careful, conservative settings to avoid post-inflammatory pigmentation. Realistic expectations matter too: laser typically delivers meaningful improvement across several sessions rather than complete erasure. For the right scars in experienced hands, the improvement in skin smoothness and confidence is substantial, which is why a proper assessment of scar types before choosing a laser is the step that determines the outcome.