Acne and Acne Scars: Every Treatment and Guide
Every IN Eternity Clinic page on active acne, acne marks and acne scars, each with a one-line summary, reviewed by Medical Director Dr Sin Yong.
WhatsApp to Enquire →Key facts ↓This acne and scars hub lists every IN Eternity Clinic page on active acne, acne marks and acne scars: hormonal, fungal and back acne, closed comedones, CO2 and S3 resurfacing, subcision, TCA CROSS, RF microneedling and keloids. Treat active acne first, then marks, then scars. Each link opens a full page reviewed by Dr Sin Yong.
- Order of care: active acne is controlled first; brown or red marks are faded next; indented scars are remodelled once breakouts have settled.
- Scar type decides tool: TCA CROSS for ice-pick scars, subcision for rolling scars, fractional CO2 or RF microneedling for boxcar scars, and injections with silicone for keloids.
- Devices on site: DEKA Tetra Pro CO2 laser (SCAR3 / S3 resurfacing), RF microneedling, the FSX laser and pico lasers (Fotona StarWalker PQX and DEKA TORO).
- Remodelled, not erased: scar treatment aims to make scars flatter and less noticeable; how much they improve varies between people and scar types.
- Who assesses: Medical Director Dr Sin Yong grades each scar type in person at 9 Scotts Road, Orchard.
Which page should you read first?
Start with active acne if you still have breakouts, and with scars only once the skin has been calm for some weeks.
- acne treatment in Singapore — Active acne by type and severity: hormonal, cystic, fungal and comedonal acne, how long each takes and how scarring is prevented.
- acne scar treatment in Singapore — Ice pick, boxcar, rolling and raised scars, each matched to its treatment, with sessions by severity.
- types of acne scars — How ice pick, boxcar, rolling, hypertrophic and keloid scars form and how they are graded.
How do you choose between acne and acne scar treatments?
Treat what is active first: new breakouts create new marks and scars, so acne control comes before scar work.
| Your main concern | Read first | What is usually considered | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active spots that keep coming back | acne treatment in Singapore | Medical care matched to acne type; laser or peels alongside | Fungal acne and rosacea are ruled out first |
| Breakouts along the jaw and chin | hormonal acne | Medical review, sometimes hormone checks, with skin treatment | Timing with periods or new medicines is useful to note |
| Small skin-coloured bumps, no redness | closed comedones treatment | Topical care, extraction and peels | Milia look similar but need different removal |
| Brown or red marks, skin surface smooth | acne marks (post-inflammatory pigmentation) | Time, sun care, gentle laser or peels | Marks are not scars and often fade |
| Narrow, deep pits | ice pick scar treatment | TCA CROSS or CO2 point shots | Usually over several sessions |
| Broad, rolling dips that soften when the skin is stretched | subcision | Subcision, then resurfacing | Tethering is released before the surface is treated |
| Mixed scar types across both cheeks | 4D Scar Reconstruction | Several methods planned together | Planned once acne is controlled |
| Raised, firm scars that grow beyond the wound | keloid removal in Singapore | Injections, silicone and laser | Excision alone can lead to recurrence |
Marks and scars are often confused. A brown or red mark on smooth skin is usually pigment or blood vessels and tends to fade; a dip you can feel or see in side light is a scar and needs remodelling. In skin types III to V, resurfacing is planned with darkening risk in mind, and the method is decided at assessment.
Which pages cover active acne treatment?
These pages cover breakouts that are still happening, from hormonal and back acne to comedones, with medical, laser and peel options.
- hormonal acne — Jawline and chin breakouts, when to check for PCOS, and how medical care and laser fit in.
- laser acne treatment — Which lasers calm active acne and oil, how each works, and when scars need another plan.
- back acne treatment — Back and body acne told apart from fungal folliculitis, then spots, marks and scars treated in turn.
- closed comedones treatment — Why whiteheads form in humid Singapore, extraction, peels and how long clearing takes.
- blackhead removal in Singapore — Medical extraction, Hydrafacial and peels, and why squeezing at home can stretch pores.
- FSX laser — A thulium and erbium glass laser Dr Sin Yong uses often for active acne, oiliness and acne marks.
- carbon laser peel — A carbon layer cleared with Q-switched Nd:YAG for oily, congested skin; modest effects that need upkeep.
- 675 nm laser (Shaonu Guang) — The DEKA RedTouch Pro at 675 nm, used for acne, redness and enlarged pores.
- chemical peels in Singapore — Which acid and depth suits acne and congestion, and who should wait.
- lasers and procedures during oral acne treatment — Which procedures are usually delayed during or after oral vitamin A acne tablets.
Which guides explain acne types and lookalikes?
These guides explain specific kinds of breakout and the conditions that look like acne but need different care.
- cystic acne treatment — Why deep, painful lumps scar and when to see a doctor.
- fungal acne in Singapore — How Malassezia folliculitis differs from acne and why antibiotics can worsen it.
- chin acne — Hormones, masks, shaving and products, and what face mapping gets wrong.
- blind pimple — Why a deep, sore spot has no head, what to do at home and why squeezing backfires.
- teenage acne: a parent’s guide — When skincare is enough, when to see a doctor and how scars are prevented.
- closed comedones vs whiteheads vs milia — Why the first two are the same lesion, how milia differ and what clears each.
- clogged pores — Blackheads, whiteheads and sebaceous filaments, and why humidity clogs skin.
- sebaceous filaments vs blackheads — How to tell them apart and why filaments refill.
- skin purging vs breakout — Which ingredients can purge, how long it lasts and how to tell it from a reaction.
- rosacea vs acne — Flushing, blackheads, age and triggers that tell them apart.
- acne facial in Singapore — What a facial clears for a few weeks, and when medical treatment is needed instead.
Which treatments are used for acne scars?
Acne scars are treated by type with TCA CROSS, subcision, fractional CO2, RF microneedling and combined protocols such as 4D Scar Reconstruction.
- boxcar scars treatment — Shallow and deep boxcar scars, fractional CO2, RF microneedling, subcision and fillers.
- ice pick scar treatment — TCA CROSS, CO2 point shots and punch techniques, sessions and downtime.
- TCA CROSS — Focal acid for ice-pick scars, often over several sessions, paired with CO2 or subcision.
- subcision — Tethering bands under rolling scars released under local anaesthetic, then resurfacing.
- fractional CO2 laser in Singapore — The DEKA Tetra Pro: fractional vs fully ablative, scars, texture, downtime and PIH care.
- CO2 laser for acne scars (SCAR3) — The S3 protocol on the Tetra Pro: point shots into pits, then a fractional pass.
- 4D Scar Reconstruction — Texture, depth, tethering and volume planned together for mixed acne scars.
- fractional laser in Singapore — Ablative CO2 versus non-ablative FSX for texture, scars and tone.
- RF microneedling in Singapore — Radiofrequency delivered through fine needles for acne scars, pores and texture, compared with CO2 laser.
- microneedling in Singapore — Needle depth, sessions, healing week by week and PIH risk.
- back acne scars — Indented and raised scars on the back, shoulders and chest, and how each is treated.
- keloid removal in Singapore — Keloid and hypertrophic scars: injections, silicone, laser and why excision alone can recur.
- scar removal in Singapore — Acne, keloid, surgical, stretch mark and burn scars, by type and age of scar.
- surgical and trauma scars — When to treat, how raised, sunken and keloid scars differ and what laser can do.
- skin texture concerns — Enlarged pores, acne scars, blackheads and rough skin, and what treats each.
Which guides compare scar treatments, marks and costs?
These guides compare scar treatments, separate marks from scars and explain what sets the cost.
- CO2 vs RF microneedling vs pico for acne scars — How deep each works, downtime and pigment risk in Asian skin.
- microneedling vs RF microneedling vs CO2 — How each remodels skin and which suits scars, pores or texture.
- pico laser for acne scars — What pico can soften, and which deep or tethered scars need other tools.
- skin boosters for acne scars — Which scars boosters can soften, which they cannot, and where they fit in a plan.
- acne scar facials — What a facial can and cannot do for marks and indented scars.
- PIE vs PIH acne marks — Red versus brown marks after acne and how each is treated.
- acne marks (post-inflammatory pigmentation) — Why dark marks are pigment, not scars, and how they are faded safely.
- acne scar removal cost in Singapore — How scar type decides the treatments, the sessions and so the cost.
- post-laser care in Singapore humidity — Healing after resurfacing in heat, sweat and air-conditioning.
- MediSave, insurance and claims FAQ — Cosmetic versus medical treatment, including acne scars, and what can be claimed.
Frequently asked questions
Should I treat acne or acne scars first?
Active acne comes first. New breakouts create new marks and scars, and resurfacing inflamed skin raises the risk of infection and darkening. Once breakouts are controlled, marks can be faded and scars remodelled. Some gentle treatments, such as certain lasers and peels, can help acne and early marks at the same time; this is decided at assessment.
How do I know if I have acne marks or acne scars?
Run a finger over the area and look at it in side light. A flat brown or red patch on smooth skin is a mark, which usually fades with time and gentle care. A dip, pit or raised bump you can see in side light is a scar. Types of acne scars explains each kind.
Which treatment suits ice-pick, boxcar and rolling scars?
Narrow ice-pick scars are usually treated with TCA CROSS or CO2 point shots; boxcar scars with fractional CO2 or RF microneedling; rolling scars with subcision first to release tethering. Most faces have a mix, which is why combined plans such as 4D Scar Reconstruction exist.
Can acne scars be removed completely?
Scars are remodelled rather than erased. Treatment aims to make them shallower, softer and less noticeable, and the degree of change varies between people, scar types and skin types. Several sessions are usually needed, and Dr Sin Yong explains at assessment what is realistic for your scars.
Is CO2 laser safe for Asian skin with acne scars?
Fractional CO2 is widely used for acne scars in Asian skin, but skin types III to V have a higher risk of temporary darkening after resurfacing. Settings, density, preparation and aftercare are chosen with that in mind, and recent oral acne medication or a fresh tan are reasons to wait.
Can I have acne scar treatment while taking oral acne medicine?
Some procedures are usually delayed during or soon after oral vitamin A acne tablets, while gentler options may be possible. The detail is on lasers and procedures during oral acne treatment. Bring your prescription details to the consultation so timing can be planned.
Book an assessment
IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210. By appointment with Medical Director Dr Sin Yong. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. WhatsApp or call +65 8815 3008. At IN Eternity Clinic a consultation fee applies, and it is waived if you go ahead with any medical treatment; the fee is S$120.
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