If, like a lot of Singaporeans, you’ve been plagued with acne breakouts especially during your teenage years, then you might still be feeling the effects of it until adulthood in the form of acne scars. Acne scars aren’t a desirable trait, as they leave bumps or dimples all throughout your face and skin, which affects your physical appearance and ultimately, your self-confidence.

Wouldn’t it be nice if these acne scars just vanished and never returned again? Then, you are in luck because you have come to the right place. This article details all the different options for treatment when it comes to acne scar removal here in Singapore.

Acne Scar Removal Treatments in Singapore

To treat and remove acne scars, doctors and clinic in Singapore recommend several possible treatments, depending on the severity of the scarring. Make sure to check beforehand which procedures are available in which medical centres, as each of them offers just some of these treatments.

• Chemical Peels

A chemical peel is performed by applying acids to the scarred skin region. This process exfoliates the outer layer of the skin, which peels off in time. The underlying skin will look smoother and more refined, while mild skin deformations such as moles and scars will gradually disappear. According to 1Aesthetics Medical & Surgery, chemical peel treatments are often done in two or more sessions, as changes may be minimal in just a single session.

Cost: In Singapore, chemical peel treatments can cost around $180 to $600 per session, depending on the clinic.

• Subcision

If you have depressed acne scars, you can consider a subcision procedure to remove them. It is performed by inserting a special hypodermic needle through the skin surface. This process breaks fibrotic strands that connect the scar to the skin tissue and results in an improvement in the appearance of the skin surface. This procedure is very safe and can be performed comfortably in the doctor’s office. To improve the effects of subcision, fillers may be injected to facilitate skin healing and repair.

Cost: Subcision cost around $450 to $1,200 per session, depending on various factors like scar severity or area.

• Punch Biopsy

For deeper and more severe acne scars, a punch biopsy maybe your best option. It is an invasive treatment done under local anaesthesia that uses a circular tool to punch out a small region of the skin, which includes the acne scar. This procedure cuts deep through the skin, and includes the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat. This ensures that deep ice-pick and box scars are totally removed, unlike with other procedures which only remove the top layers of the skin. Make sure that you have time to recover as there will be some downtime after the procedure, which is usual for most invasive treatments.

Cost: Punch biopsies will cost around $500 to $2,000 depending on the severity of the scarring.

• Microneedling

Microneedling is a minimally invasive and effective treatment for deep acne scars. It involves the insertion of multiple insulated microscopic needles through the skin that breaks down bundles of collagen, which are responsible for a lot of acne scars. This process also stimulates the skin to produce more collagen, which increases skin quality and promotes skin rejuvenation. To improve the effects, serums may also be injected through the procedure.

Cost: Each session costs around $180 to $220 and a microneedling treatment plan may require at least 3 to 6 sessions.

• Corticosteroid Injections

Another acne scar removal treatment you may consider is corticosteroid injections. Although topical steroid creams are already good against various types of scars, when injected they become much more effective. Corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone have been shown to be effective in shrinking or flattening the scar tissue, which improves the appearance of your skin. These injections can also target cystic acne in the deep layers of the skin. These injections cost around $300 to $900 per session and may require at least 2 sessions to be effective.

• Laser Treatments

If you prefer a slightly costlier but non-invasive option, consider laser-based treatments. There are several laser procedures to choose from, each with their own pros and cons. These include fractional CO2 lasers, fractional picosecond lasers, and fractional erbium lasers.

• CO2 lasers can target the deeper layers of the skin, which rejuvenates the damaged skin layer and replaces it with new skin cells. They are particularly effective with regards to treating acne scars, even deep ones. From the three laser treatments, CO2 lasers have been around for the longest and use earlier technology compared to the other two.
  Cost: CO2 lasers cost from $300 to $1,000 per session and may require at least 3 sessions to be effective.
• Erbium lasers are a less intense alternative to CO2 lasers, which uses laser beams that can be absorbed by water in the human body. This essentially causes less damage to the skin and can be applied with more precision than CO2 lasers. Due to the lesser intensity, fractional erbium lasers are good for patients with dark skin tones and prevents discolourations.
  Cost: Each session of a treatment will cost around $400 to $1,200 and treatment plans may need 2 to 5 sessions in total.
• Picosecond lasers (or Pico laser for short) utilize stronger lasers than CO2 lasers but are also less damaging since each laser beam lasts for just a picosecond or one-trillionth of a second. The device emits optical pulses at a frequency of 1 trillion beams per seconds, which are strong enough to destroy melanin but are short enough to avoid damaging the affected area.
  Cost: Compared to other laser treatments, Pico laser treatments are pricier, which costs around $700 to $1500 per session for a minimum of 3 sessions.

Conclusion

The presence of acne scars, especially in the face, can really diminish a person’s self-confidence and can affect other aspects of life. Thankfully, technology has advanced to a point where acne scars can be successfully dealt with as well and removed from your skin. Whether through a non-invasive method like laser treatment or undergoing a punch biopsy, Singaporeans can no longer worry about cover-ups with a ton of acne scar treatment options from the best doctors and clinics all over Singapore.

• Source: 1Aesthetics, Medical & Surgery
• Address: #14-90 The Central, 8 Eu Tong Sen St, Tower 1, 059818 
• Phone: +65 6612 5173