Acne Scar Treatment in Dubai
- DHA Licensed GP · 29664582-005
- MSc Clinical Dermatology
- AAAM Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine
- Jumeirah 3, Dubai
In short
Not all post-acne marks are scars. Flat red or brown discolouration is pigment and usually fades over months. True scarring is a change in skin texture — rolling, boxcar or ice-pick — and each type responds differently. Active acne is treated first; scar treatment on inflamed skin makes things worse.
What causes it
- Atrophic scarring
- Depressed scars from collagen loss during healing. Subdivided into rolling (broad, shallow, tethered), boxcar (sharp-edged, box-like) and ice-pick (narrow and deep). Rolling scars respond best to collagen-stimulating treatment; ice-pick scars respond least.
- Post-inflammatory erythema
- Flat red or pink marks left after a spot resolves. Not scarring. Usually fades on its own over months.
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation
- Flat brown marks, more common and more persistent in deeper skin tones. Also not scarring, and also fades, though sun exposure prolongs it considerably.
- Hypertrophic and keloid scarring
- Raised scars from excess collagen, more common on the chest, back and jawline. These need a different approach to depressed scarring and can worsen with the wrong treatment.
Treat active acne first
Scar treatment on skin with active inflammatory acne is counterproductive. New lesions create new scarring while you are paying to treat the old, and treating inflamed skin raises the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation.
If acne is still active, the honest sequence is to get it controlled first — which may mean medical treatment rather than aesthetic treatment — and address scarring once the skin is settled.
Realistic expectations
Meaningful improvement in acne scarring is measured in significant percentages, not in elimination. A realistic good outcome is substantially smoother skin that still has some texture under direct light.
It takes a course of treatments and several months, because the mechanism is collagen remodelling, which is slow by nature. Photographs under consistent lighting at baseline are the only reliable way to judge progress.
Anyone promising complete removal of acne scarring is overstating what any non-surgical treatment achieves.
Treatment options
Which of these is appropriate depends on your assessment. Each links to the full detail for that treatment.
PRP with microneedling
The best-supported combination for atrophic scarring, using your own platelets to support collagen remodelling. Most effective on rolling scars.
Medical-grade peels
Improves surface texture and helps post-inflammatory pigment, with depth and product chosen against your skin type.
Rejuran
Supports skin repair and quality alongside scar-focused treatment, particularly where the skin barrier is compromised.
What treatment cannot do
- Ice-pick scars respond least to non-surgical treatment
- Complete removal is not an achievable outcome — substantial improvement is
- Active acne must be controlled before scar treatment is appropriate
- Results take a course of sessions over months, not a single appointment
- Raised and keloid scars need a different approach and can worsen with treatments aimed at depressed scarring
Frequently asked questions
- Are red marks left after acne scars?
- No. Flat red or brown marks are post-inflammatory colour change, not scarring, and they usually fade over months. True scarring is a change in texture that you can feel as well as see.
- Can acne scars be removed completely?
- Not by non-surgical treatment. Substantial improvement is realistic; complete removal is not. Any clinic promising erasure is overstating what is achievable.
- Can I treat scars while I still have breakouts?
- It is not advisable. New lesions create new scarring while you treat the old, and working on inflamed skin raises the risk of pigmentation. Getting the acne controlled comes first.
- How many sessions will I need?
- Typically a course of three to four, spaced several weeks apart, with results building over months as collagen remodels. Baseline photographs make progress far easier to judge.
Assessment
Find out what is actually causing it
Book an assessment with Dr. Maliha Dar. The plan follows the cause — including when the honest answer is that treatment is not appropriate.
- DHA-licensed General Practitioner
- Cause established before treatment is recommended
- Realistic expectations set in writing