You aren't alone if you endure unyielding acne breakouts - inflamed lesions, marks, pigmentation changes and scars that seem unending. If you fall into this majority, find out how to get rid of acne scars by reading up on the types of scars and different acne scar repair treatments available.

Macules aren't real scars. They don't protrude and are reddish in color due to being the final stage of an acne lesion. Macules, unlike scars, eventually disappear, although it might take up to 6 months of waiting. Post-Inflammatory Pigmentation is also not scars but refer to a change in skin tone due to the healing of an acne lesion. This phenomenon happens more often with people of dark skin complexion. Lasting longer with sun exposure, these skin discolorations can endure for a year and a half. Ice Pick Scars are a typical acne scar appearing on the cheeks and look sharp and narrow, as if punctured by an ice pick. Because these scars are very deep, skin surfacing treatments are often not enough to eliminate their appearance. Box Car Scars are roundish depressions with sharp vertical edges. These scars, found on the temples and cheeks, can be shallow or profound. Rolling Scars are typically associated with acne and cause the skin to look wave-like due to its tethering of skin to the subcutaneous tissue below. Although varying in length, these scars tend to be the longest of those related to acne. Hypertrophic Scars, unlike most acne scars, are protruding scars, usually with a reddish or pinkish color.

10 Acne Scar Treatments

With the great leaps the cosmetic industry is making, there have been huge improvements in acne scar treatment. Read about the available acne scar removal products and treatments so you can choose the one that is best for you:

1. Acne Treatment as Prevention

Treat your acne first! Eliminating acne is the most effective way to prevent post-lesion scarring. If you don't have inflamed lesions, you won't need acne scar removal.

2. Acne Scar Removal Cream

Tretinoin or alpha-hydroxy acids are found in a number of scar reducing creams; they work by exfoliating and stimulating collagen production.

3. Natural Acne Scar Removal

As anti-inflammatories, onion extract and mucin reduce coloring and protrusion of scars. By inhibiting the production of collagen, onion extract reduces the likelihood of hypertrophic scar formation. On the other hand, mucin encourages collagen and elastin production to replace the damaged scar tissue.

4. Chemical Peels

Chemical peels unfortunately are not the most effective way to treat scars, however, they do work wonders on post-inflammatory pigmentation caused by acne.

5. Injections

Raising or soothing inflamed scars, injections are another option. They are most effective on scars that have smooth edges, like rolling scars. You can test to see if this would be helpful for your scar by applying pressure at the edge; if this improves the appearance, than a filler injection can help. By decreasing inflammation, steroid injections help to level hypertrophic and keloid scars.

6. Non-Ablative Collagenosis

Non-ablative collagenosis includes collagen production therapy with the use of laser and radiofrequency devices; this is safe on the superficial layer of skin. This involves laser and radiofrequency devices that enhance collagen production in deep skin layers, without affecting the epidermis.

7. Microdermabrasion

Fine scars and stains are eroded away with the exfoliating action of aluminum crystals.

8. Photorejuvenation

Production of collagen is stimulated in this procedure with intense pulsed light technology.

9. Scar Revision

Scar revision extracts the scar and leaves only a straight incision scar. This procedure is popular for skin areas that are highly discernible. It is a highly effective procedure for ice pick and boxcar scars. Subcision is a process specific for rolling scars where scars are uncut from skin tissue below. For further results, filler substances can be injected into the area cut.

10. Resurfacing: Ablative Laser Treatments and Dermabrasion

Scarred and damaged skin cells are removed with the lasers, jumpstarting new skin cell production. Furthermore, the laser brings about increased collagen formation. Dermabrasion removes a thicker layer of skin than microdermabrasion to remove deeper scarring. Dermatologists will often recommend dermabrasion as the best acne scar removal treatment, at least as a first step.