Acne marks and acne scars can both appear after acne heals, but they are not the same. Acne marks are flat colour changes, while acne scars involve changes in skin texture, such as dents, pits, or raised areas.
Knowing the difference helps you understand which changes may fade over time and which may need a more targeted treatment approach. Because acne marks and acne scars form differently, they do not respond to the same treatment path.
This page explains how to tell them apart, what causes each one, and what your next step may be if you are dealing with marks, scars, or both.
What's the Difference Between Acne Marks and Acne Scars?
Acne marks are flat colour changes that remain after a pimple heals. They usually appear as brown marks, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or red marks, known as post-inflammatory erythema.
Acne scars, by contrast, involve a change in skin texture rather than colour alone. They may appear as atrophic scars, which look indented, or hypertrophic scars, which look raised.
Atrophic scars can be divided into three common types of acne scars: boxcar scars, rolling scars, and icepick scars.
The examples below show how these different scar types can appear on the skin.
You can also have both acne marks and acne scars after the same breakout, which is why it is important to look at both colour and texture when assessing your skin.
What Causes Acne Marks and Scars?
Skin injury and inflammation due to the pimple is one of the main causes of acne marks and acne scars.
Severe acne and adult acne like cystic acne tends to cause more acne scarring.
This can be worsened by squeezing the pimple or incorrect use of creams/ treatments for the acne. Not all acne treatments work well. Some may even worsen the pimples.
Acne Marks
Brown marks is due to melanin production. These dark spots tend to happen more commonly in patients with darker skin tones. Brown marks may persist for more than 1 year after the pimple has healed.
Red marks are due to damaged blood vessels and growth of blood vessels at the area of injury. Red marks may persist even several months after the initial acne outbreak.
Acne Scars
Acne scars occur due to skin inflammation and injury that leads to skin atrophy (indentation) and scar tissue formation. This is seen as dents or “holes” in your skin.
It is possible to have acne scars and acne marks at the same pimple spot due to the concurrent disease processes.
Understanding Your Options
Once you know the difference between acne marks and acne scars, the next step is choosing the right treatment path. Flat marks and textured scars do not respond in the same way. Some marks fade with time or respond to treatments that target colour or redness, while scars often need procedures that improve skin texture. You can also have both at the same time, which means you may need a more tailored plan.
If your skin looks flat, but you still see red or brown marks, you are usually dealing with post-acne marks rather than true scarring. These changes often need treatment that targets leftover redness or pigment, depending on how the marks appear.
If your skin has dents, pits, raised areas, or uneven texture, you are more likely dealing with acne scars. These changes often need scar-focused procedures that work deeper in the skin to improve texture and support smoother healing. Explore professional acne scar treatment options.
If you have both visible marks and uneven texture, you may need a combined approach. In many cases, colour changes and textural scarring improve through different methods, so the right plan depends on what is affecting your skin most. A combined treatment plan may be needed when both concerns are present.
How to Treat Acne Marks?
Treatment options for acne marks and acne scars differ. There are specific treatments for each type of acne mark.
If your skin is flat but the red or brown marks are not fading, it helps to follow a marks-focused treatment path first so you can choose the right option for lingering redness or pigmentation.
Red marks are typically treated with vascular laser and radiofrequency microneedling, while brown marks often respond better to pigment-focused treatments such as pico laser.
It is also common to have a mix of red and brown marks, which means you may need a combination of treatments to address both redness and pigmentation.
Micro-needling Radiofrequency
Fractional radiofrequency treatments can support healing by helping reduce inflammation and visible redness. This treatment also stimulates collagen production, which can support overall skin repair.
Vascular Laser Treatment
Vascular laser treatments target visible blood vessels to help reduce lingering red marks after acne. Pulsed dye laser may also be used in some cases, depending on how the redness appears on your skin.
Pico Laser Treatment
Pico laser helps reduce dark spots by targeting excess pigment in the skin. It may also help improve some superficial post-acne changes. This treatment is often chosen because downtime is usually minimal.
Pico laser may also help improve other pigment-related concerns, such as freckles and sunspots.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C may help lighten dark spots by supporting a more even-looking skin tone over time. It is commonly used in skincare products for post-inflammatory pigmentation.
How to Treat Acne Scars?
If your skin has dents, pits, raised areas, or uneven texture, you are more likely dealing with acne scars rather than flat post-acne marks. If you want a fuller overview of acne scar treatment options, it helps to review the main guide first before deciding which treatment path may suit your skin.
It is important to identify your scar type before starting treatment. Different acne scars respond to different procedures, so the right treatment depends on how the scar forms and how deeply it affects the skin.
For example, boxcar scars may respond better to a combination of subcision, filler support, and fractional laser treatment. Icepick scars often need a different approach, such as targeted chemical peeling followed by laser-based resurfacing.
Your treatment plan should also reflect your skin type, skin condition, tolerance for discomfort, and ability to manage downtime. As your skin changes during treatment, your plan may also need to change.
Chemical Peel
Chemical peels can help treat some types of acne scarring, especially milder and more superficial scars. They can also support skin renewal and help reduce ongoing acne-related inflammation.
More targeted chemical peeling may be used for narrow, deeper scars such as icepick scars, depending on your skin assessment and treatment plan.
Fractional Laser
Fractional laser treatment helps resurface the skin and support acne scar remodelling. As your skin heals, it produces new skin cells and can gradually look smoother and more even in texture.
Fractional laser is often combined with other treatments, such as subcision or radiofrequency microneedling, when a deeper or more tailored approach is needed. This is why it is important to assess the scar pattern properly before choosing treatment.
INFINI
INFINI uses radiofrequency energy delivered through fine needles into the deeper layers of the skin. This helps stimulate collagen, which supports skin repair and scar remodelling.
This treatment is often chosen when you need a deeper treatment approach with relatively short downtime. Recovery is usually quicker than with more aggressive resurfacing treatments, and it may carry a lower risk of post-treatment pigmentation in some skin types.
Subcision
Subcision works best for tethered scars, where scar tissue is pulling the skin downward and creating visible depressions. This is why topical products alone are often not enough for this type of scarring.
During subcision, a needle is used to gently release the scar tissue beneath the skin. This helps free the skin from the bands that are causing the indentation. It is a precise treatment, but it can be very effective for the right scar type.
Subcision is often combined with dermal fillers to support scar recovery and improve overall remodelling.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are often used alongside subcision to support the skin after scar release and help improve the appearance of depressed scars.
Different filler types may be used depending on your scar pattern, treatment goals, and how much structural support your skin needs. This is a technical treatment that requires careful planning and an experienced hand.
What’s Your Next Step?
Once you know whether you have marks, scars, or both, the next step is choosing the right treatment path.
If your skin is flat but red or brown, start with the PIE vs PIH guide. This helps you tell the difference between redness and pigmentation, because flat red and flat brown marks do not usually respond to the same treatments. If your marks are mainly brown, you can then read the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation page for a more focused look at pigment-related treatment.
If your skin has dents, pits, or raised texture, you are more likely dealing with acne scars rather than post-acne marks. If the scars look depressed or tethered, subcision may be one of the treatment options to consider. You can also explore acne scar treatment options to understand which in-clinic treatments are commonly used for different scar types.
If you have both visible marks and uneven texture, you may need a combined plan. In that case, the best next step is to review acne scar treatment options, since colour changes and textural scars often need different types of treatment.
Not sure if you have marks, scars, or both?
A professional assessment can help you understand what you are seeing and which treatment path may suit your skin.
You can get guidance based on your skin type, scar pattern, and treatment goals.
How to Prevent Acne Marks and Acne Scars?
The best way to prevent acne scars and acne marks is to prevent acne lesions from forming. This can be done using good skin care, exfoliation to remove dead skin cells and avoid squeezing the pimples that form. However, do note that genetics also play a role in determining how easily you scar.
Knowing the difference between acne and acne scars is also important. Remember to treat acne immediately so that less scars form. This is especially important for patients who have dark skin (darker skin types).
Conclusion
Knowing the difference between acne marks and acne scars can help you choose the most suitable next step for your skin.
If your skin is flat but still shows red or brown marks, it is usually best to follow a marks-focused treatment path. If your skin has dents, pits, raised areas, or uneven texture, it is usually better to explore a scar-focused treatment path instead.
If you are not sure whether you have marks, scars, or both, a consultation can help you understand what you are seeing and which treatment approach may suit your skin. You should also consider practical factors such as recovery time, treatment risks, and cost before deciding what to do next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can acne scars be treated professionally?
Yes, acne scars can be treated professionally, but the right approach depends on your scar type, skin type, and how severe the scarring is. Some scars are shallow and mild, while others are deeper, tethered, or more complex.
Indented or tethered scars often need in-clinic procedures rather than topical products alone. If scar tissue is pulling the skin downward, surface-level skincare is usually not enough. In these cases, treatments such as subcision may be considered to help release the scar tissue beneath the skin. You can also review acne scar treatment options to understand which treatments may suit different scar patterns.
If you are unsure what type of scarring you have, a consultation can help you choose the most suitable next step for your skin.
Can topical products remove acne scars?
Topical products can support skin health, but they usually do not remove true acne scars. They may help improve post-acne marks, especially when the skin is flat and the main issue is lingering redness or pigmentation.
If your skin has dents, pits, raised areas, or uneven texture, you are more likely dealing with scarring rather than marks. These changes often need professional treatment that works deeper in the skin. You can explore acne scar treatment options if you want to understand which in-clinic treatments are commonly used.
If you have been using skincare for some time but your skin texture has not improved, it may be time to consider a professional assessment.
When should you see a doctor for acne marks or acne scars?
You should consider seeing a doctor if your marks are not fading, your skin texture has changed, or you are starting to notice dents, pits, or raised areas. Early assessment can help you understand whether you are dealing with post-acne marks, true scarring, or both.
You should also seek advice if you are not sure which treatment path fits your skin. Flat red or brown marks and textural scars do not usually respond to the same type of treatment. A consultation can help you choose the most suitable next step based on what you are seeing on your skin.
