What kind of surgery is used for acne scars?
Deep, pitted or ice pick scars from acne are often treated by punch grafts or excisions. The scar is removed by using a small instrument that punches a hole in the skin (much like a hole punch is used on a stack of paper). The remaining hole is filled with a section of skin similarly punched out from an unscarred area, such as behind the ear. Both areas take about a week to heal. Alternately, a punch excision can be used to remove the scar and the hole can be closed up with stitches. With both procedures, the remaining scar is much smoother and less visible than the original acne scar.
