What Are the Types of Acne Scars?
Generally speaking, there are two types of scarring: superficial and deep indented scars.
"If you feel a divot or textural irregularities in the skin, those are referred to as deep or indented scars," Dr. Guanche said. "Superficial scars are often referred to as post-inflammatory erythema and do not typically have textural indentations in the skin. This type of scarring will heal over time without treatment."
Although oily skin tends to be more acne prone, all skin types are susceptible to acne and acne scars. There are differences in the way skin will heal: "Some can have deep cystic breakouts that look disfiguring but then heal with perfectly smooth skin," Dr. Guanche said. "Others can have a mild breakout that results in permanent noticeable scars. The difference is likely genetics."
Then, to get more granular, there are four main types of acne scarring: boxcar (broad depressions with sharply defined edges); icepick (deep, narrow, pitted scars); rolling scars (broad depression with a sloping edge); and hypertrophic scars or keloids (raised thick lumpy scars).