WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACNE SCARS?
There are several types of acne scars. Below, you will find an overview of the different types of acne scars and their appearance. Depending on the type of acne scar, a different skincare or scar treatment may be required.
Boxcar scars: The box car acne scar is usually a depressed scar type that ranges from superficial to medium in depth. It also has clearly defined edging on the top layer of the skin.
Ice pick scars: Ice pick scars tend to be deeper scars and quite narrow. Contrary to the previous scar type, it goes all the way into the lower layers of the skin. This makes them more difficult to remove or reduce.
Rolling scars and atrophic scars: Rolling and atrophic acne scars fall under the same category as they look similar. These scars can either appear as indentations on the skin, but also as undulations. In some cases, rolling and anthropic scars can get in the deeper layers of the skin, making them more problematic.
Hypertrophic scarring: These types of acne scars look lumpy and can appear on specific areas such as the jawline, neck, chest, and even the back.
Red scars: These acne scars can appear on the cheeks and the forehead. They usually look very red and are often associated with the signs of early acne scarring. In some cases, these red scars can fade without needing further treatment.
Keloid scars: Keloids are raised scars that can be pink, red, skin-coloured or darker than your natural skin tone. They can form as a result of minor skin damage caused by acne and commonly affect darker skin tones more than lighter tones.