Below is an excerpt from RxPinoy Ask-a-Doc, a public information service that allows visitors to inquire about medical and dental specialties, so they can make an informed decision on what kind of expert to consult. Dr. Cherrie Blas is a board-certified dermatologist in Quezon City and Ask-a-Doc volunteer. To contact her directly, click on her name below to visit her Ask-a-Doc page.

Mitzi, 18, female, of Zamboanga City asks:
I just want to ask about treatment for face and acne scar, how many session, and how long?

Dr. Cherrie Blas replies:
If your acne scars are just flat (surface-level) and discolored, treatment’s simpler because you are only considering either prescription-strength topical treatments (which you do on your own at home), chemical peel series, microdermabrasion or IPL intense pulsed light sessions.

If your scars became atrophic - looking like ice-pick holes or sunken, irregularly-shaped holes - we are looking at any of the following:
• conventional dermabrasion, ablative carbon dioxide laser resurfacing,
• non-ablative laser resurfacing +/- radiofrequency treatments.
• If a patient is in need of near-immediate improvement, then fillers are also used.

Many patients have a combination of sunken and discolored scars, so treatment isn’t just single-faceted.

» acne, microdermabrasion, atrophic, radiofrequency