Facials for Scarring: Which Treatments Work Best for Different Types of Scars?

Scars can have an impact on our skin texture, pigmentation, overall skin appearance, and of course… our confidence. No matter where a scar is, it can sometimes feel like it’s the first thing we notice when we look in the mirror.

Scarring can happen for a variety of reasons, and post-acne marks are just one of them. Post-inflammatory pigmentation, surgical scars, and scars from injury or facial trauma are also common.

What’s the good news? There are treatments available that can help improve the appearance of many types of scars. It’s important to know that all scars are not made equal, and if the wrong treatment is used, the scar could worsen (and become more visible). Over time, and with consistent treatments, scarring can greatly improve.

What Causes Scarring?

When the skin heals after some sort of inflammation or injury, a scar can develop. Here are some of the most common causes of scarring:

• Acne – Maybe you’ve had severe acne too? We sure have, and post-acne marks are super common. They can be caused by not enough collagen (or too much collagen) produced by the body during healing. (Dealing with active breakouts? Here’s everything you need to know about acne facials.)
• Picking – Picking at the skin damages the dermis, or deeper layer. In order to protect the damaged skin, the body forms a scab. When we pick the scab, it forces the healing process back to square one.
• Surgery – Surgical scar tissue is a natural part of the body’s healing process, and we’re super thankful for that. When the skin is cut (for a surgical incision) the body triggers extra collagen fibers to form a patch and close the wound as quickly as possible.
• Cuts or trauma – Closing the wound as quickly as possible to keep bacteria out is the body’s natural response. (Making the scar tissue look “even” with perfect replacement tissue is not part of that response.)
• Inflammation – During inflammation, our amazing immune cells rush to the wound to clear debris, and they leave thick collagen deposits to plug the gap. These collagen deposits turn into the external scar we can see.

As you might expect, some skin types are more prone to scarring than others. Everyone has a unique biological makeup and level of melanin in their skin.

Different Types of Scarring

As we know, all scars are not made equal. Let’s take a brief look at these main scar types:

• Acne scarring – After severe acne has healed, we can be left with permanent indentations, raised scars, or textural changes.
• Post-inflammatory pigmentation – These bruise-like marks appear after acne, injury, or inflammation. Usually dark red, brown, or purple marks that can fade over time. (Learn more in our Pigmentation 101 guide.)
• Post-surgical scarring – A raised, thick, or discoloured mark that’s left after surgery.
• Trauma/injury scars – Cuts, burns, accidents, or other injuries that can affect the skin’s normal healing process.
• Uneven texture – Bumps, enlarged pores, or irregular skin surface that may appear with or without visible scarring.

Once you’ve identified the type of scarring, you can more easily choose the right treatment to match.

Why Scarring Takes Time to Improve

Once a scar has appeared, it’s tempting to attack it with aggressive treatments, trying to get quick improvements. The truth is, skin healing takes time and patience. Collagen production can’t be rushed. It happens gradually. Consistently supporting the skin over time is the skin health-conscious way to go.

And while we love to exfoliate (sloughing off those dead skin cells feels so good, right?), over-exfoliating can make inflammation worse and slow the healing process.

What to Expect from a Facial for Scarring

Luckily, there are facial treatments for scars that really help. At Everglo Skin Studio, you can expect a skin analysis and consultation with every facial treatment. Your treatment will be customized based on type of scarring, pigmentation, texture, skin sensitivity, and overall skin health. Treatment might include:

• brightening treatments
• barrier support
• collagen-supportive treatments
• advanced modalities (when appropriate)

We want to focus on long-term skin health, keeping your overall goals at the forefront. Here’s our treatment menu for clients who want to improve scarring:

New Client Facial (Where to Start)

If you’re booking your first treatment at Everglo, the best facial is the New Client Facial.

It includes a skin assessment and full consultation to determine the type of scarring, any pigmentation or texture concerns you might have, and the direction you’d like to go with treatments. Then we create a personalized treatment plan based on your unique skincare needs.

Book your New Client Facial Here!

Skin Reset Facial

Our most popular facial. A custom corrective treatment built around what your skin needs that day, whether that’s texture, pigmentation, inflammation or skin barrier support. Each Skin Reset includes one featured enhancement chosen for your skin, such as a no-downtime peel or dermaplaning.

MandeliClear Peel

This treatment is all about improving post-inflammatory pigmentation, uneven tone, and skin clarity. Clients with discoloration and pigmentation will see the most benefit, rather than those with deeper textural scars. Since the resurfacing is gentle, it’s safe for all skin tones. The MandeliClear Peel is for existing clients, so if this is your first visit, we recommend starting with the New Client Facial. Learn more about our peels.

Microneedling

This treatment is excellent for clients who are looking to improve certain types of textural scarring and collagen remodelling. Over multiple treatments, microneedling can help to soften the hard edges of scars and even out skin texture. We recommend starting with a New Client Facial before your first microneedling treatment. Learn more about microneedling.

Boost Your Results

Add Nano Infusion to your facial to target pigmentation and boost hydration, or add the Circadia Vitamin A Accelerator for even more corrective results.

See all of our pigmentation and scarring treatments.

Treating Scarring Is About More Than Just Facials

Managing inflammation is especially important when it comes to treating scarring. When the inflammation “warning light” is on, the body scurries to produce extra collagen. This is just the body’s natural process at work.

Being consistent with your skincare products and routine also makes a big difference when we’re treating scarring. Using quality products every day (including an SPF) keeps the progress going and prevents scarring pigmentation from getting worse.

Skin barrier support is also important when it comes to scar healing. When the skin is strong, the body can heal wounds quickly and cleanly, reducing the chances of raised or indented marks. Barrier-boosting ingredients (like niacinamide) help keep inflammation at bay.

Not All Scars Need Aggressive Treatment

As you probably know, scar tissue can be really sensitive, which means taking an aggressive approach with scar treatment is not always the wisest choice. And doubling down on the aggressive treatments can wreak even more havoc on our skin. Gentle, supportive treatments can still create meaningful improvement over time.

Facials for Scarring: Choosing the Right Provider

When you’re looking for a service provider for scarring facials, experience and customization matter. Will they base your treatment on what your skin needs that day? Or do they have a cookie cutter approach, and every client gets the exact same treatment with the exact same ingredients?

Your treatment plan should evolve over time, based on how your skin does with each treatment (facial, peel, etc). Slow and steady wins the race, and it’s wise to find a provider that takes a gentle approach to scar revision. Feel free to reach out to us here at Everglo for all your skincare-related questions.

Ready to Start Supporting Your Skin?

Scars are an inevitable part of life, but we can take measurable steps towards feeling better in our skin. No two scars are the same, and the treatment plan for your scarring should be just as unique as you are.

Facial treatments for scarring are excellent, but consistency with homecare (and daily SPF) is just as important. And a gentle, supportive approach is usually the best approach when it comes to lasting improvements with scarring. Results happen over the long-term, and keeping realistic expectations is best.

If you’re looking for a solid start to skin healing and all things scarring-related, we always recommend starting with our New Client Facial. It’s a great first step, and a chance for our esthetician to get to know your skin and your goals around healing.

Book your New Client Facial Here!

FAQ

1. Can facials help improve scarring?

• Yes, professional treatments can help improve skin texture, discoloration, and overall skin health over time. Results depend on the type and severity of the scar.

2. How long does it take to improve scarring?

• Scar healing is a gradual process. Most clients see improvement over time with consistent treatments and supportive homecare.

3. What’s the difference between acne scars and post-acne marks?

• Post-acne marks are discoloration left behind after breakouts. True acne scars involve changes in skin texture caused by deeper inflammation.

4. Will scarring go away completely?

• Some scars will improve significantly, but results vary depending on the type of scar and the skin’s healing response. Nobody’s skin is the same. The goal is gradual improvement, not overnight perfection.

5. Do I need SPF when treating scars?

• Absolutely, daily SPF is essential, especially when treating pigmentation and supporting overall skin healing. It’s a game changer if you want to see real results.