Acne Scarring

Acne scarring can develop when inflammatory acne damages deeper skin layers and disrupts normal tissue repair. When a lesion becomes significantly inflamed, the follicle wall can rupture and inflammatory material spreads into the surrounding skin. The body then begins a repair process involving new collagen: if it produces too little, an indentation or atrophic scar may remain; if it produces too much, a raised hypertrophic or keloid scar can develop.

Scars vary considerably in appearance.

• Ice pick scars are narrow, deep depressions that can resemble enlarged pores.
• Boxcar scars are wider depressions with more clearly defined edges, creating a pitted look.
• Rolling scars are broad, shallow depressions that give the skin a wavy, uneven texture
• Hypertrophic and keloid scars are raised areas of excess scar tissue, with keloids extending beyond the original lesion.

Acne can also leave flat areas of red, brown or darker pigmentation. These post-inflammatory marks are commonly mistaken for scarring but do not involve a permanent change to the skin’s structure, and they may require a different treatment approach.

Several scar types frequently occur together, which is why treatment often involves a combination of techniques.

At 111 Harley Street, we assess your acne scarring by type, depth, distribution, and severity before recommending a personalised plan to improve texture, tone, and overall skin quality.