Ask Dr. Schultz
When to start acne scar treatment?
I would like my child to start acne scar treatments. She’s had horrible cystic acne that has left her with every scar you can get, including rolling and ice pick scars. The issue is that she is still breakout out; it’s absolute torture. Can acne scar treatments be started while still breaking out?
Yes, acne scars can be treated while your child still has active acne, but it really doesn’t make sense because you’re just going to require ongoing treatment for the new scars when the old scars are repaired. I never recommend treating acne scars in my patients who still have active acne. If oral antibiotics and other oral treatments are not effective, Accutane (Isotretinoin) can put a halt to scarring cystic outbreaks after which all the types of acne scars you mentioned can be aggressively and successfully treated.