29F seeks acne scar treatment advice

[Imran]

I've been seeing a dermatologist for the past two years for my acne. The meds have helped keep the breakouts under control, but I haven't seen much change in skin texture or the acne scars. Right now I'm on a Vitamin C serum and adapalene.

I went back to him recently to talk about the scars. I've read about subcision, CO2 laser, MNRF and resurfacing that can lighten them. He told me those procedures could permanently damage or burn my skin and might not heal.

Since I trust him, I'm not sure whether to get a second opinion or just accept my skin as it is. He advised me to keep using adapalene gel for at least three years.

What should I do? Any recommendations? I'm based in Delhi.

[Aarohi]

You can always get a second opinion. If you don't want invasive procedures, ask your dermatologist for other scar‑reducing meds, but honestly laser gives the best results. From the picture the scars look quite noticeable, so aside from laser it'll be tough to improve them.

[Chitra]

I tried adapalene and tretinoin for about a month; they worked well at first, but my skin got very sensitive and started breaking out more. I'd suggest you discuss adapalene and Vitamin C with your dermatologist.

[Swathi]

I tried adapalene and tretinoin for about a month; they worked well at first, but my skin got very sensitive and started breaking out more. I'd suggest you discuss adapalene and Vitamin C with your dermatologist.

[Tanmay]

→ Seek a second opinion.

[Umesh]

Off‑topic, but I really like your piercing!

[Hardik]

Topical gels or creams won't clear atrophic scars. Tretinoin may help a bit, but it takes years. Your doctor's advice is valid—some skin types don't heal well with surface treatments like lasers. I'd recommend seeing a few more dermatologists.

I'm not a doctor, so I won't prescribe anything, but most will suggest options such as lasers, MNRF, subcision or TCA peels. Do your homework before deciding.

From my own experience with similar cheek scars and fair skin, the only thing that gave me decent results was filler, and I'm still looking for a good scar specialist in Bangalore.

[Sameer]

Since I trust him, I'm confused about whether to get a second opinion. Maybe a second opinion will give you peace of mind.

[Shivendra]

The only thing that really works is lasers. Get them done by reputable dermatologists, not random clinics with cheap Chinese machines.

[Akhil]

Just consider a short course of isotretinoin for 6‑8 weeks, then stop.

[Usha]

What about laser and microneedling?