Acne and acne scars can be a real nightmare.
Don’t waste your time and money on treatments that don’t work!
Before coming to see me, it’s not uncommon for patients to try ineffective methods such as DIY home treatments to spa facials.
Contents
- 1 What exactly is an acne scar?
- 2 What type of acne scar do you have?
- 3 Is acne scarring preventable?
- 4 How much does acne scar removal treatment in Singapore cost?
- 5 How much improvement can I expect after acne scar removal treatment?
- 6 What are the available options for an effective acne scar removal treatment in Singapore?
- 7 How to get rid of acne scars in Singapore?
- 8 Specialised Acne Scar Treatments are Necessary to Remove Every Type of Scar
- 9 Sozo 360º Acne Scar Treatment – Precise & Personalised
- 10 Types Of Acne Scars
- 11 Sozo’s Acne Scar Treatment Price List
- 12 FAQ
What exactly is an acne scar?
Acne scars are permanent depressions or elevation on your skin.
They can result from cystic acne (big, red and tender pimples) or inflamed pustular acne (whitish pus-filled pimples), especially if you pick/pop your pimples!
What type of acne scar do you have?
Atrophic acne scars appear as depressions in the skin.
The 3 main categories of atrophic scars are:
- Ice pick scars: Deeper than they are wide, with a narrow opening.
- Boxcar scars: Broad, rectangular depressions with steep, defined edges.
- Rolling scars: Broad depressions that have rounded, sloping edges.
Acne scars can also be elevated. This includes hypertrophic scars and keloid acne scars.
Is acne scarring preventable?
If scarring acne (cystic or pustular acne) is treated early with aggressive treatments, you can avoid acne scars completely.
(Also read: Cystic Acne Treatment in Singapore)
If you think your acne might be starting to scar, see your aesthetic doctor or dermatologist ASAP to get started on the appropriate treatment.
How much does acne scar removal treatment in Singapore cost?
This depends on the type and severity of scarring you have.
The average price range of acne scar treatments in Singapore:
- Mild to moderate acne scar treatment in Singapore costs: $1800 – $3500
- Severe acne scar treatment in Singapore costs: $3500 – $7000
For more details, you can read my featured article on Acne Scar treatment costs in Singapore.
How much improvement can I expect after acne scar removal treatment?
In my experience, most patients can expect an average improvement of 50 – 70% after treatment. For the majority of cases, patients see a 70 – 80% improvement in acne scars.
The first few acne scar treatments often result in the greatest improvements in scar appearance and skin texture.
The amount of improvement also depends on:
- the type and extent of acne scarring you have
- your skin type and skin response to treatment.
For example, dark-skinned patients with atrophic scars may only see improvements of 50%, while patients with ice-pick scars or shallow box-car scars can see improvements of up to 80%.
What are the available options for an effective acne scar removal treatment in Singapore?
Some of the acne scar removal treatments available in Singapore are:
- Laser treatment eg. Edge One fractional CO2 laser
- Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling eg. Venus Viva, INFINI, Intracel, EndyMed
- Chemical peels eg. TCA CROSS
- Subcision
- Punch excision/grafting
- Dermal fillers eg. Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, Radiesse, Rejuran
The treatment plan recommended by your doctor depends on:
- the type and severity of acne scarring you have
- the amount of downtime after treatment that you are willing to accept
How to get rid of acne scars in Singapore?
1. Laser for acne scar removal treatments
Laser treatments can be helpful for both acne scars and acne marks (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). It treats the damaged tissues on the affected area with the use of focused beams of light.
Laser treatment can either peel off the outer layer of the skin or stimulate new skin cell production to repair the damaged skin cells. Not only can it treat acne scars and acne marks, but laser treatment can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles, keloids, and warts.
Laser for acne scars is an outpatient procedure that can only be performed by a certified specialist for optimal results. The treatment has minimal downtime.
Fractional CO2 Laser is effective for treating most kinds of atrophic acne scars.
Fractional CO2 Laser has a downtime of 2 – 5 days. It is one of the most common acne scar treatments in Singapore. Common brands of CO2 Lasers include Edge, eCO2, SmartXide, Mixto, Fraxel.
Fractional CO2 Laser is an ablative resurfacing treatment that pokes microscopic holes in the surface of the skin. The energy delivered into the skin stimulates collagen production to improve the texture and appearance of the skin. Some patients find Fractional CO2 more convenient than other laser treatments as it usually requires only one treatment session
Fraxel Dual uses 2 different wavelengths to treat acne scars and post-acne spots.
Fraxel 1927nm wavelength treats the pigmentation spots while Fraxel 1550nm wavelength improves skin texture. Fraxel Dual is commonly found in clinics around Singapore. This laser treatment treats acne scars, wrinkles, and other skin pigmentations caused by sun damage. Fraxel Dual is programmed to target the affected area directly.
Pico laser is effective in treating both shallow and deep acne scars.
This is the latest non-ablative laser that is able to target acne scars with more precision and safety, resulting in shorter recovery time. Pico laser delivers ultra-short pulses of energy that shatters pigmented and damaged cells to make it easier for the body to flush out the shattered particles. The treatment is proven to be one of the safest laser treatments as it has the least damage to the surrounding tissues.
Pulse-dye lasers
Pulse-dye lasers are useful in reducing the redness associated with acne marks/ post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation and have minimal downtime. The treatment uses a concentrated beam of light to target blood vessels in the skin. The light transmitted into the skin is converted into heat, which then destroys the blood vessel without damaging the surrounding area.
As you can see, there are MANY types of laser treatments for removing acne scars. Hence, it is best to consult with your acne scar doctor to understand which laser treatments are the most suitable for your scars and skin condition.
2. Radiofrequency microneedling
Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling treatments, such as the INFINI system use small micro-needles to deliver heat energy to the skin. This stimulates collagen production and activates acne scar remodelling.
RF microneedling is ideal for rolling, atrophic, mixed, and tethered scars.
Healing time is quicker than lasers – often within 48 hours.
There’s also less chance of hyperpigmentation with RF microneedling than fractional lasers. Improvements are expected up to 6 months post-treatment.
3. Chemical peels for acne scars
In my practise, I like to use a specialised technique called TCA CROSS. This involves using a toothpick or needle to place TCA solution into deep acne scars, one at a time. The TCA solution stimulates collagen production, which levels out deep acne scars.
Time-consuming and tedious? Yes it is, but ice pick scars respond very well to this method. One treatment generally improves the scar by 30 – 40%. The deeper and narrower the scar, the better the results to get the results that you want.
4. Subcision of acne scars
Acne scars are sometimes depressed due to fibrous scar tissue that pull down the surface of your skin. In this situation, all the lasers and chemical peels in the world will have limited effect, as your skin surface is “tethered down” by these scar tissue.
With subcision, a small needle is used to release the fibrous scar tissue beneath the scar. As the area heals, the new collagen also helps to push the base of the acne scar up.
Scar subcision works for shallow scars with a broad base, rather than on ice pick scars.
You’ll see visible improvements in your acne scars after each subcision acne scar treatment.
The downside to subcision is bruising after the procedure, which can last for 2 – 7 days.
5. Punch excision/grafting
Punch excision involves using a tiny hole-punch like device to cut out the acne scar. The wound is then sutured close, with the stitch removed within a week. It’s well suited for icepick scars that have a narrow opening, but are deep.
In punch grafting, after the scar is excised, a small piece of skin is taken from another site on the body (often from behind the ear). The piece of skin removed is then placed into the hole where the acne scar once was. Both sites are then sutured closed, or held in place with surgical tape and allowed to heal on its own
6. Acne Scar Fillers: Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, Rejuran S
Dermal fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm and Rejuran S fillers are used to elevate shallow, broad-based acne scars.
Although the fillers are temporary, they will stimulate collagen production, which improves your acne scars.
This newly-produced collagen gives permanent scar improvement results.
Bellafill is the first FDA-approved dermal filler for permanently correcting moderate to severe acne scars. It’s unfortunately not available in Singapore yet at the time of writing.
Specialised Acne Scar Treatments are Necessary to Remove Every Type of Scar
Your scars are unique.
Dr Justin Boey treats each individual scar using a customised combination of treatments for more visible scar removal results.
Sozo 360º Acne Scar Treatment – Precise & Personalised
I believe in Precise and Personalised treatment for each and every scar.
With a full suite of more than 8 Acne Scar treatments, I use a customised combination of the latest lasers and technology to ensure that each scar will have the most optimal treatment.
I commonly combine up to 3 types of treatments in 1 session for faster and more effective acne scar removal results.
Scar Type | Treatment | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
Ice pick scars | TCA peel | 3 |
Subcision + Filler | 2-3 | |
Rolling scars | Infini RF | 3-5 |
PicoPlus Triple Depth | 1-2 | |
Boxcar scars | Fractional CO2 | 3-5 |
Sublative | 2 |
Scar Type | Treatment | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
Rolling scars | Infini RF | 2-3 |
PicoPlus Triple Depth | 2-3 | |
Rejuran Healer | 1-2 | |
Boxcar scars | Fractional CO2 | 2-3 |
Nano Fractional RF | 1-2 |
But Dr Justin, if this 360º approach is so effective, why isn’t it more widely practised?
Types Of Acne Scars
Ice Pick Scars
Ice pick scars are deep scars and tethered down by fibrous tissue.
Treatment of choice:
Boxcar Scars
Boxcar scars are deep scars and tethered down by fibrous tissue.
Treatment of choice:
Hypertrophic Scars
Corticosteroid Injection
Sozo’s Acne Scar Treatment Price List
Treatment | Mechanism | Scar Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
360° Acne Scar Treatment Program | Combination of the most suitable treatments | All | Ask Now |
Fractional Pico | Fractional Non-ablative Laser | Shallow Rolling Scars | From $450 |
INFINI Fractional RF | Microneedling Radiofrequency | Deep Rolling Scars | From $850 |
EndyMed Nano-Fractional Radiofrequency | Nanofractional Radiofrequency | Shallow Rolling scars | From $500 |
EdgeOne Fractional CO2 | Fractional Ablative Laser | Box-car, Rolling Scars | From $450 |
Subcision | Mechanical Breakdown of scars | All Scars | From $400 |
TCA Cross | Chemical Breakdown of Scars | Ice Pick Scar | From $300 |
Enerjet 2.0 | Jet Pressure Subcision | All Scars | From $800 |
Rejuran S | Injectable Collagen Stimulator | All Scars | From $500 |
Price list | |
|---|---|
360° Acne Scar Treatment Program | |
Lutronic Fractional PicoPlus | Mechanism Fractional Non-ablative Laser
Scar Type Shallow Rolling, Atrophic scars Price From $450 |
INFINI Fractional RF | Mechanism Microneedling Radiofrequency
Scar Type Deep Rolling, Atrophic scars Price From $850 |
EndyMed Nano-Fractional Radiofrequency | Mechanism Nanofractional Radiofrequency
Scar Type Shallow Rolling scars Price From $500 |
EdgeOne Fractional CO2 | Mechanism Fractional Ablative Laser
Scar Type Shallow Rolling, Boxcar scars Price From $450 |
Subcision + Filler | Mechanism Mechanical Breakdown of scars
Scar Type All Scars Price From $400 |
TCA Cross | Mechanism Chemical Breakdown of Scars
Scar Type Deep Ice pick, Boxcar Price From $300 |
Enerjet 2.0 | Mechanism Jet Pressure Subcision
Scar Type All Scars Price From $800 |
Rejuran S | Mechanism Injectable Collagen Stimulator
Scar Type All Scars Price From $500 |
* Individual results may vary. Final treatment prices depend on severity of condition. Please see a doctor for formal face-to-face medical consult.
