Acne scars are marks left behind by acne. Once you get rid of acne completely, you can go for treatment for acne scars. There are a lot of treatment options available today for getting rid of acne scars. I have tried to include as much as possible below. Please go through them and do consult your doctor before opting for any of them.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) Peels

AHA and BHA, also known as chemical peels are very popular. They are used not only to reduce acne scars but also wrinkles. The procedure involving AHA or BHA is painless and requires at least 30 minutes. AHAs and BHAs are mild acids which exfoliate top surface of the epidermis. These acids destroy the tissue that connects the outer skin surface (which has scars or wrinkles) to the layer underneath and almost instantly burn the exfoliated cells. If you don't like the idea of putting these acids on your skin, you can try thousands of over the counter lotions, creams and moisturizers that contain AHA and BHA in very mild quantities. It is however important to talk to your doctor before making any decisions on AHA and BHA treatments.

Autologous Fat Transfer

This procedure involves taking a small amount of fat from another part of your own body (hence the word autologous) and injecting into your skin which is affected by the acne scars. This procedure helps diminish the visibility of acne scars for at least a period of 7 to 14 months, depending upon the way the procedure is done. Repetition of this procedure might be needed since fat is reabsorbed into the skin after the said period. For long lasting results multiple autologous fat transfer procedures might be required.

Collagen Injection

Collagen is a fibrous natural substance present in our skin, bone and muscles. The collagen injection procedure involves collagen injection into the skin to stretch and fill out acne scars. Collagen injection however does not work efficiently with ice-pack scars and keloids(raised pinkish scar tissue).  Collagen which is derived from animals might be risky for people with autoimmune diseases; for such people human derived collagen is mostly recommended. The effects of collagen injection lasts for 3 to 6 months after which a re-injection might be needed.

Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion

Dermabrasion by far is considered to be one of the most effective treatment option for getting rid of acne scars. The dermabrasion procedure is done under local anesthesia, where a high-speed brush or fraise is used to remove upper surface skin and alter the surface skin holding scars. Trivial scars get removed altogether with this procedure while deeper scars may remain slightly lightened. Dermabrasion may cause pigmentation in dark-skinned people which may require additional treatments.

In microdermabrasion, unlike a high-speed brush, aluminum oxide crystals passing through a vacuum tube are used to remove upper surface skin where acne scars are present. Microdermabrasion does not require any anesthesia and is not painful. However microdermabrasion is not particularly useful for sunken scars. People wishing to opt for microdermabrasion can use from two methods such as crystal microdermabrasion (with crystals) or diamond microdermabrasion (without use of crystals).

Laser Treatment

Laser treatments involve use of light lasers of various wavelength and intensity. During some laser treatments, a mask or container embedded with lasers is put over the skin area of the person under treatment. These lasers helps improve the skin surface with 30-40 sittings of 20 minutes each day. However, more powerful lasers such as the carbon dioxide laser can be used to remove the affected skin surface. A single sitting with such lasers, generally shows positive results. Post-treatment skin redness for several months is common with this type of laser treatment. A proper guidance can only be given by an expert doctor on which laser treatment is most suitable to you since laser treatments depend upon individual skin and the intensity of acne scars.

Skin Surgery

Skin surgery might involve excision of the affected scars. The resulting broken skin surface is then repaired by sutures or with a small skin graft. Skin surgery results in permanent and visible results almost immediatly but skin normalization can take its due time. The decision for skin surgery should be taken only after analyzing how deeper the scars are and whether your doctor feels a surgery is needed over other treatment options.

Other Treatment Options

Retinoid Treatment

Retinoid treatment involves application of topical vitamin A lotions or creams to the affected skin surface. Vitamin A helps speed up cell regeneration and skin renewal and hence is a safe and effective treatment option for acne scars treatment.

Application of Sunscreen

While, application of sunscreen itself cannot be termed as treatment for getting rid of scars but nevertheless sunscreen would help you protect from further scarring and darkening of scars.