Atrophic Scars
Rebuilding volume where the skin has been drawn inward.
Atrophic scars sit below the level of the surrounding skin: ice-pick pits, boxcar depressions and soft rolling shadows, most familiar as the legacy of inflammatory acne. What is missing is structure — collagen lost during healing, sometimes with fibrous tethers pulling the surface down.
- 3–5 days
- Downtime
- 3–6
- Sessions
- 4–6 wks
- Interval
- Layered
- Approach
- Subcision
- Fractional resurfacing
- Microneedling with PRP
- Biostimulators
Diagnosed first, treated second.
The approach is reconstructive rather than superficial. Tethers are released, columns of controlled injury stimulate new collagen from beneath, and remaining depressions can be lifted with biostimulators. Because scar types usually coexist, protocols are layered across a series.
- 01Subcision
- 02Fractional resurfacing
- 03Microneedling with PRP
- 04Biostimulators
- 05Chemical reconstruction
- Pitted or rolling acne scarring
- Active acne now under control
- Uneven texture in raking light
- Scars unresponsive to skincare
- Committed to a full treatment series
How the treatment works
A sequence, not a single appointment — each step informs the next.
- 01
Scar typing
Ice-pick, boxcar and rolling scars mapped separately under raking light.
- 02
Release
Subcision frees fibrous bands tethering the surface to deeper tissue.
- 03
Stimulation
Fractional laser or microneedling with PRP rebuilds collagen within each depression.
- 04
Refinement
Residual dips lifted with biostimulators, then the surface polished for even texture.
Results measured, not promised.
What to expect
- 01Shallower, less shadowed depressions
- 02Smoother light across the cheeks
- 03Firmer, thicker dermal support
- 04More even makeup application
- 05Progressive gains over six months
Begin with a diagnosis,
not a guess.
Share a few details and the clinic will reply with available consultation times for atrophic scars — one-to-one with Dr. Arely.
- Response
- Within 24 hours
- Consultation
- One-to-one, 45 min
- Assessment
- Trichoscopy included
- Location
- Dr. Arely Clinic
Frequently asked
Depth typically improves by half or more; the aim is skin that reads as even rather than flawless.
Active inflammatory acne should be controlled, otherwise new scars form as old ones are treated.
Three to five days of redness and swelling after a full fractional session.
Each scar type responds to a different mechanism — release, stimulation and volume are needed together.