Acne & Acne Scar Treatment

IDS Clinic offers comprehensive treatment for both active acne and its sequelae including atrophic scars, raised scars, and post-inflammatory pigmentation. Modalities include laser resurfacing, RF microneedling, chemical peels, and topical prescriptions tailored to acne type and skin tone.

Acne is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting both adolescents and adults, and IDS Clinic Singapore provides a structured, comprehensive approach to managing both active acne and the scars it leaves behind. For active acne management, the clinic's doctors first classify the type and severity — comedonal, papular, pustular, nodular, or cystic — and identify contributing factors such as hormonal fluctuations, diet, skincare habits, and stress. Treatment options range from topical prescriptions (retinoids, antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid) to oral medications (antibiotics, hormonal therapy, isotretinoin) and procedural treatments. Chemical peels using salicylic acid or glycolic acid are commonly used to unblock congested pores, reduce comedones, and decrease surface bacterial count. Regular extraction under aseptic conditions may also be incorporated for comedone clearance. For acne scarring — which includes ice pick, boxcar, rolling, and hypertrophic scars — the clinic offers a combination approach tailored to scar morphology. Fractional CO2 and erbium YAG lasers are the most effective for moderate to severe atrophic scarring, ablating the top layers of skin and triggering deep collagen remodelling. For patients seeking less downtime, non-ablative fractional lasers and radiofrequency microneedling (which delivers RF energy through insulated needles into the dermis) provide significant improvement with minimal recovery. Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) using high-concentration trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is used specifically for ice pick and deep boxcar scars, inducing focused collagen stimulation at the scar base. Subcision — a procedure in which a fine needle or cannula is inserted beneath tethered rolling scars to release fibrous bands — is often combined with filler injection or RF microneedling for enhanced results. For post-inflammatory erythema (PIH, red or pink marks) and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (brown marks), vascular and pigmentation lasers are used between resurfacing sessions to accelerate the fading process. A typical acne scar treatment plan at IDS Clinic involves 4 to 6 sessions over 6 to 12 months, with interval maintenance as needed.