Acne Scar Removal Costs

Acne is an issue that affects most people at some point in their lives and as serious as an issue it can be it does normally resolve itself eventually with the right skin care. Unfortunately in some cases though acne can have a lasting effect due to issues surrounding acne scarring such as scar tissue, which will require specialist treatment from a doctor such as Dr. Michele Green.

The good news is that there are many different types of acne scar treatment available from board certified dermatologists such as Dr. Green. These treatments are suitable for different types of acne scars and various skin types including darker skin tones.

When it comes to scar removal costs this can be difficult to estimate since there are a few different factors that need to be considered. Firstly, there are different types of acne scar which require their own specific method to treat and since each treatment type has a different cost associated with it this can vary the cost.

Secondly, another deciding factor for the costs is how much treatment an individual will require to resolve the issues. For someone with light scarring the costs will be less than for someone who has a lot of acne scarring to deal with.

Finally, the number of treatments required to resolve the issues also plays a factor in the overall costs since different treatments can be effective at an individual level. The more treatments a person needs, the higher the costs will be overall.

To learn more about the different types of acne scars, the types of acne scar treatments available and the associated costs of each of these treatments, we have put together the following information as a guide.

Types of Acne Scars

The different types of acne scar can display on the skin in different ways. For some individuals they may experience pitting of the skin, whereas for other individuals, acne scars can be raised above the skin. Acne scars fall into different types of scar groups. The different, general scar types are as follows:

• Normotrophic scar – are scars that are not raised above the surface of the skin, these are typically shallow scars that can be easier to deal with.
• Hypertrophic scar – These are scars that are raised above the surface of the skin, and can be a little harder to deal with.
• Keloid scar – These are scars that occur due to issues with excessive collagen production in response to healing. These scars are raised and can be discolored. These can require quite a bit of treatment to resolve effectively as often the area affected extends further than the initial trauma area.
• Atrophic scar – These scars display as indentations in the skin and are commonly caused by acne and illnesses such as Chickenpox.

Acne scars will fall into the above medical categories for scars in general, but there are specific acne scar types that we see and deal with on a regular basis.

• Ice Pick Acne Scars – These scars appear in the shape as if an ice pick pierced the skin. They are wider at the top which reduce to a point deeper in the skin. This scar type can be difficult to treat and may require several treatments so this can raise the cost of fixing this form of scar. You may find these scars occur more readily on the forehead.
• Boxcar Acne Scars – These are a form of atrophic scar that display as depressed pitting within the skin. They have defined edges which is where they get their name from. These scars can either be shallow or deep and can also cause discoloration to the skin area. This means that the depth of the scar will have an impact on the overall cost of the treatment.
• Rolling Acne Scars – Rolling scars are the type of scars that, as the name suggests, roll across the skin in waves, but are indented scars that fall into the atrophic scar category. Unlike boxcar scars that have a defined edge, rolling scars have a sloped edge which is where they get their name from. As with other scar types, the severity of the scar and the surface area that needs to be treated will impact the overall cost of dealing with this issue. This scar type can also be difficult to treat and generally a combination of treatments is used for this.

Along with acne scarring, another issue that can occur is skin discoloration, which is called hyper-pigmentation. This is another acne ‘scar’ issue that we regularly deal with, where there is not a scar as such, but instead a change in the skin color at the location where the acne occurred, post healing.

Types of Acne Scar Treatments

It is important to note that if you have acne scars that you would like to treat but you are still experiencing acne breakouts and pimples then it is important to clear up and deal with existing acne issues first. Dr. Green offers a range of acne treatments that can help resolve your acne issues. Visit our main acne treatment page to learn more about these options.

Treatment options for Ice Pick scars include punch excision and this can be an option with a broad price range, as you might pay between $500 and $1000 per individual scar. However, a more cost-effective treatment, Microneedling might be appropriate for this scar type for some individuals and the cost for this is upwards of $500 per treatment but will cover a wider surface area.

Treatment options for Boxcar scars include dermal fillers, such as Restylane, Sculptra, Juvederm, and Bellafill. It is also possible to use laser treatments on affected skin areas. There are a few different types of lasers that can be used for acne scars. Dermal fillers are used to help stimulate collagen production within the skin itself, helping repair the damage. Skin cells are encouraged to re-grown and new skin is formed helping reduce the appearance of the scar.

Laser Acne Scar Treatment Options

Among various types of lasers, to help reduce redness the VBeam laser can be a good option. The Fraxel laser (which is a fractional laser and non-ablative), and eMatrix radiofrequency laser can be used to help even the skin tone. Microneedling and chemical peels are also an option here.

For serious acne scar issues a CO2 laser treatment (an ablative laser) may be used for laser skin resurfacing. With this kind of treatment there may be some downtime as the skin recovers.

For Dermal Fillers you can expect to pay upwards of $800 to $1,200 per syringe, depending on the type of dermal filler. You may also need a few sessions for it to be completely effective.

Laser acne scar removal costs can be quite high depending on the laser used. For the V-Beam laser treatment you can expect to pay around $800 per session and you might need three or four sessions in total. The cost of the eMatrix laser is around the same. However, the cost of the Fraxel laser is higher, and can be upwards of $1,500.

Microneedling may require three or more sessions to help minimize the appearance of acne scars. If combined with PRP the costs are subject to increase.

Treatment options for rolling scars include using a combination of laser treatments and dermal fillers to help even the skin. Other options include acne scar subcision also known as subcutaneous incisionless surgery that can help repair the damaged skin and scar tissue.

Prices vary for acne scar subcision and you might need upwards of five sessions in total.

Because rolling acne scars can be hard to treat you may require more laser and dermal filler sessions to completely resolve your issues. This can increase the cost of your acne scar removal treatments overall.

Hyper-pigmentation based skin conditions can be treated with topical skin care products such as Vitamin C serums and retinoids. There are also many different types of chemical peels, ranging from alpha-hydroxy acids and glycolic acids, to Trichloroacetic acid and Cosmelan peels for example. Expect to pay around $2,500 for a Cosmelan chemical peel to help reduce the appearance of pigmented skin and dark spots.

Note: Costs are estimated and can vary based on individual needs.  In addition to that, cosmetic treatments are not covered under any health insurance plans as they are not medically necessary

No matter what type of acne scar you have the good news is that there are many different types of treatment options and dermatology procedures for dealing with your skin condition, scars and potential side effects you have have experienced prior.

If you are frustrated by acne scars, there’s finally a solution that can help. Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Michele Green has over two decades of experience in helping patients with resolving their skin and acne scarring issues from her NYC clinic. Contact our NYC based office today or call 212-535-3088 to learn more about what acne scar treatment is right for you.