Acne Marks vs Acne Scars: What's the Difference?

If you’ve ever suffered from skin purging, you’re probably all too familiar with some of its frustrating side effects. But when the acne is gone, it’s as if the beauty gods have bestowed you with a miraculous second chance at a clean canvas (and a fresh face) with which to paint. But wait a minute. Why are there blemishes on your face where the acne used to be?

Are those acne scars or acne marks? Oy vey.

If you find yourself unsure, you’re not alone. But worry not—we’re here to provide you with all of the details related to acne marks vs acne scars. From what they are to how to treat them, read on to get the scoop on the differences between the two.

Acne Marks Vs Acne Scars: What Are They?

From handcrafting your very own DIY acne remedies to raiding the beauty aisle for the ultimate blend of skin care products, you’ve likely perfected a rigorous routine to rid yourself of acne, once and for all.

And once it’s disappeared, you’re forever grateful for your perseverance to the cause. But what about those pesky spots on your face that linger after the acne is long gone? Here’s a brief breakdown of what acne scars and acne marks are, what causes them, and how to tell them apart.

Acne Marks

While the redness of inflammation might not be welcome, it plays an important role in the acne breakout healing process. Your body quickly identifies this inflammation as an injury. It wastes no time sending white blood cells and excess melanin to the source of the problem so that it can begin repairing your skin [2].

Because melanin is a natural pigment that helps distinguish your hair, skin, and eye color [3], the result of all of that “repairing” is a dark spot on your skin where the acne once was.

There are two types of acne marks you may notice, depending on your skin tone:

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) – People with a darker skin tone often find that the extra melanin results in spots of varying colors, including tan, brown/dark brown, or blue-gray [4].
• Post-inflammatory erythema (PIE) – For those with lighter skin tones, acne marks usually appear as pink or red spots where their acne once resided [5].

Although the culprit of acne marks tends to be acne (hence the name), you may find that you have PIH or PIE caused by a variety of other “injury”-inducing troublemakers, including [6]:

• Infections
• Bug bites
• Rashes
• Allergic reactions

Acne Scars

When your body goes into acne-fighting mode, it produces collagen to give your tissues an extra buffer of support while it heals. Because it’s not an exact science, sometimes your body produces the wrong amount of collagen, which creates an acne scar [8].

The type of acne scarring you see depends on how much collagen your body uses when repairing your tissue. Some of the most common types of acne scars include:

• Depressed acne scars: Characterized by depressions or pits in the skin, depressed acne scars occur when your body uses too little collagen when healing the inflammation caused by acne. There are many types of depressed acne scars, with the most common being atrophic scars, boxcar scars, ice pick scars, and rolling scars [9]
• Raised acne scars: Unlike depressed acne scars, raised acne scars are the product of soliciting too much collagen to attend to the affected area. Although collagen has every intention of smoothing out the skin, the result is a raised scar, much like its namesake suggests. The two most common types of raised acne scars are keloid and hypertrophic scars [10].

But just because you’re dealing with acne doesn’t mean you’re destined to find yourself with acne scars. Some people are more prone than others, including individuals who [11]:

• Have inflammatory acne
• Haven’t taken active measures to treat their acne
• Touch, squeeze, or pop the pustules or nodules on their face
• Have a family history of acne

Acne Marks vs Acne Scars: Are They Permanent?

Whether you find yourself with acne marks, acne scars, or a combination of the two, you might be wondering, are they permanent?

Yes and no.

While there’s no concrete answer, both have the potential to diminish over time, especially with the help of a personalized skincare routine. Acne marks often disappear within a year or two on their own [12], although they tend to go away more quickly with a little extra TLC (aka the right skin care regimen).

On the other hand, the process of removing acne scars often requires a long-term approach—and the results are mixed. The length of time it takes to remove them varies depending on the treatment methods you choose. Even with different treatment options, some acne scarring is more challenging to diminish than others.

Your success rate depends on a few factors, including:

• The type of acne scars you have
• The severity of the scar tissue on the skin
• The forms of treatments you use

How To Treat Acne Marks vs Acne Scars

There are plenty of ways you can tackle acne marks and acne scars head-on. If you’re wondering how to make your skin smooth and ease the look for acne scars and marks, there different approaches for each:

Acne Marks

• Glycolic acid is a type of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that boasts a domino effect of benefits [13]. First, it acts as a natural exfoliant, which may improve cellular turnover, in turn giving you a brighter overall complexion. With continued use, dark spots may slowly diminish as the glycolic acid works to slough off each old layer of pigmented cells. The cherry on top is glycolic’s potential to promote the production of collagen, which can help firm your skin while smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles [14].
• Salicylic acid is another chemical exfoliant in the hydroxy acid family [15]. The key difference is that it’s a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA), so it’s able to penetrate deeper into the skin than an AHA, like glycolic acid. When used as an ingredient in facial cleansers or toners, it works to unclog your pores by removing dead skin cells and excess sebum (a common acne-causing culprit).
• Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that aims to improve a variety of skin conditions, including acne scars. Vitamin A is also one of the beneficial vitamins for dark spots and discoloration. With its potential to exfoliate dead skin cells, increase collagen production, and lighten the darkened spots caused by excess melanin [16], it’s a top contender when it comes to diminishing acne marks on your face.
• Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that’s chock full of benefits for your skin. In addition to its anti-inflammatory properties which may help reduce redness, it can also slow down the production of melanin [17] so you can finally say farewell to your acne marks.
• Hyaluronic acid is also believed to be another beneficial ingredient. While this is a well-sought-after skincare ingredient, some may wonder: is hyaluronic acid good for acne? In fact, hyaluronic acid can not only help treat acne breakouts but also aid in the healing and scarring process. 

Acne Scars

Together, your at-home products and additional treatments can work hand in hand to help you achieve smoother, clearer skin:

• Microneedling – As the name would suggest, microneedling uses microscopic needles to prick the outer layer of skin, causing your body to produce excess collagen to help heal the tiny wounds caused by the needles [18]. Most dermatologists recommend microneedling for depressed acne scars, as it helps smooth out the pitted scars on the skin. 
• Steroid injection – Dermatologists sometimes recommend steroid injections for individuals with keloid or hypertrophic scars, as the injection may help to decrease the size of the raised scar tissue. Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, they may also aid in reducing some of the other uncomfortable side effects of keloid or hypertrophic scars, like redness, tenderness, or itchiness [19].
• Dermal fillers – Although sometimes confused with Botox fillers, dermal fillers don’t penetrate or relax the muscles, like Botox. Instead, they’re injections that use ingredients like collagen or hyaluronic acid to raise depressed scar tissue and even out the surface of the skin. Recent studies show that dermal fillers may improve acne scars around the cheeks by up to 50% [20].

Treat Your Skin With the Care It Deserves With PROVEN

Whether you have acne marks or acne scars, the journey to healthy and clearer skin begins the same way—with a skincare routine that works for you.

PROVEN Skincare understands that everyone’s skin is unique. That’s why we’ve created custom skincare products formulated just for you based on important factors, like your skin type, concerns, and lifestyle.

Taking care of your skin should be easy. Take our brief skincare quiz and let us customize the perfect three-step system to start your journey to healthy, radiant skin.