Acne scarring occurs when deeper inflammation from acne damages the skin’s structure during the healing process. Instead of healing smoothly, the skin can develop permanent changes in texture or pigmentation.
The most common types of acne scars include:
- Ice pick scars – narrow, deep indentations.
- Boxcar scars – wider depressions with defined edges.
- Rolling scars – shallow, wave-like depressions that create an uneven texture.
You may also notice lingering red or dark marks once acne has healed. Whilst these are not true scars, they are extremely common and are known as:
- Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE) – red or pink marks.
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) – brown or darker marks.
Acne scarring is often caused by severe or inflamed acne, particularly cystic acne. Picking or squeezing spots, delayed treatment and genetics can also increase the likelihood of scarring.