Acne Scar Laser Options by Skin Tone

Acne scars tempt readers into two home jobs at once: treating the acne and picking a laser. Only the first has a home component, and the second is a decision for a clinician who has examined your skin tone.

Scars and acne are separate problems

AAD says that dermatologists use lasers to resurface skin with acne scars. That sentence is about scars, not about active acne. For the acne itself, MedlinePlus has a general page, Acne, that is a sensible place to start reading.

Skin tone is the deciding question

ASPS says laser skin resurfacing's targeted approach means there are fewer problems with hypopigmentation, or a lightening of skin, for procedures such as laser acne scar removal. Fewer is not none, which is why a clinician should look at your skin before you choose anything. DermNet also has a page on acne management.

The home part is acne, not lasers

Yale Medicine publishes a guide to treating acne at home. Use it for the acne, and stop there. Choosing a laser by skin tone should not become part of your home routine.

What to do when you are unsure

Treat the acne and the scars as two separate conversations, and have the second one with a clinician who can assess your skin tone in person. Bring the question about lightening of the skin, and ask how the clinic handles it.