Up-to-Date Therapeutic Approaches for Acne Scars in a Korean Dermatology Clinic

Facial acne scars, permanent sequelae of acne vulgaris, may be a socially disabling and psychologically devastating condition. Although current use of various devices based on “fractional photothermolysis technology” has brought remarkable advances and broadened therapeutic options, none of the currently available single treatments achieves complete resolution. Up-to-date biotechnology for acne scar treatment including picosecond laser with diffractive optic element, fractional needle radiofrequency, and application of biological materials has been developed and widely used in combination with traditional fractional lasers, chemical peeling, and mini-surgical techniques. Accordingly, the combination of cutting-edge treatment methods may be superior compared with a single method from the perspective of efficacy and safety. In addition, customizing the treatment regimen depending on a patient’s individual status has been emphasized in this field. Therefore, thorough understanding of various treatment modalities for each scar subtype is essential for appropriate treatment. Above all, suitable training of dermatologists with regard to acne patients is critical since treating acne is much easier than treating remnant scars.