Acne Scars | Vancouver & Surrey BC

Acne Scars

Acne scarring can be challenging to deal with, and can greatly impact the decisions we make and how we show up both emotionally and physically in our day to day lives. We understand the importance of feeling comfortable in your skin, and that is why the physicians at Shine MD’s Acne Clinic offer accessible, medical-grade treatments for acne and acne scarring.

Read our Acne Scarring blog post for an in-depth Acne Scar treatment journey.

Acne scarring can be challenging to deal with, and can greatly impact the decisions we make and how we show up both emotionally and physically in our day to day lives. We understand the importance of feeling comfortable in your skin, and that is why the physicians at Shine MD’s Acne Clinic offer accessible, medical-grade treatments for acne and acne scarring.

Read our Acne Scarring blog post for an in-depth Acne Scar treatment journey.

Learn More About Acne Scars

Some acne leaves scars, while other acne lesions heal without any visible scarring. There is no one cause for acne scarring, but there are some risk factors that make acne scarring more likely. According to a study in the Journal of Drugs and Dermatology, these risk factors are:

  • The severity of the acne
  • The time between acne onset and treatment
  • Relapsing acne
  • Male gender
Boxcar Scars

These are depressions in the skin that have a vertical age. The best treatment options for boxcar scars are resurfacing lasers like Halo™ and Profractional™.

Ice Pick Scars

These scars are deeper, column-like scars that make the skin appear as if it were punctured by a tiny ice pick. These scars can be treated with resurfacing lasers, or with punch grafting, a minor procedure that surgically removes the deep scar. After punch grafting, the scar is usually reduced to a fine line, which can be further improved with resurfacing lasers.

Atrophic Scars or Rolling Scars

These scars are wavy depressions in the skin that can occur when bands of scar tissue form under the skin. Rolling scars can make the skin look uneven, and they are often more visible in certain angles of lighting. These scars are best treated with subcision augmented with platelet-rich plasma.

Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars

These scars are raised on the skin, and occur when the body produces excess scar tissue. Hypertrophic and keloid scars can be treated with steroid injections.

Pigmented Scars

These scars are more likely to occur in skin of color, and are related to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Pigmented scars can be treated with creams and lotions, as well as lasers such as the Forever Young BBL™, Halo™, and Moxi®.

Red Scars

Similar to pigmented scars, red scars are also related to inflammation and occur on all skin types. Red scars can be treated using the Forever Young BBL™ laser treatment.


Click here to see types of acne scars.

Acne Scar Treatment at Shine MD

At Shine MD, we are dedicated to creating a comfortable, inclusive space for our patients to receive medical-grade acne care. Our physicians are General Practitioners with a Special Interest in dermatology, and they offer comprehensive treatment plans for acne and acne scarring, as well as other aesthetic and dermatological concerns.

Professional acne scar treatment is carried out over several months and often beyond one year. Patients with severe textural acne scarring will require multiple approaches to their care, including treatments with subcision, surgical acne scar correction, and combinations of various skin resurfacing lasers. Pre and post care treatment regimens are also an important part of your treatment plan, including skin care. Adequate control of acne is always ideal before and during acne scar treatment.

While all of our treatments are highly effective, the number of sessions required and individual results vary from patient to patient. Treatment plans are based on your consultation with your care provider, and are tailored to your specific goals, budget and tolerance for treatments.

Discover Our
Before & After Gallery

Want to see real patient results from our innovative skin treatments? View our impressive before and after images in our photo gallery.

Subcision Vancouver

*Individual results may vary.