Acne scar treatment in London — texture and dark marks together
Acne scarring is really two problems wearing one name: the indents left in the skin's structure, and the dark marks left in its colour. They respond to different settings, and on deeper skin tones the marks usually bother people more than the texture. We treat both, in the right order.
- Skin types
- Fitzpatrick I–VI
- Typical course
- 4–6 sessions
- Spacing
- Every 4–6 weeks
- Downtime
- Hours (Pico) to days (resurfacing)
The two halves of acne scarring
Atrophic scarring — ice pick, boxcar and rolling indents — is lost collagen. Improving it means stimulating structural remodelling in the dermis, which is a resurfacing job.
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the flat brown or grey marks left after a spot heals. It is a pigment problem, not a texture problem, and it is what most clients with Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin come in asking about.
Treating only one half is why a lot of people feel their scarring never really improved.
How we sequence treatment
Active acne is stabilised first. Resurfacing skin that is still breaking out creates new marks.
Pico Laser addresses the pigment and, using the PicoStar handpieces, begins collagen remodelling in pitted scars with very little downtime.
Where indents are deeper we add resurfacing: Erbium YAG at King's Cross for controlled work on pigmentation-prone skin, or Fractional CO2 at Swiss Cottage where more aggressive remodelling is appropriate.
Between sessions, SPF 50 daily and no picking. Both matter more than any product you can buy.
Realistic outcomes
Dark marks lift first, often visibly within two or three sessions. Textural change is slower because collagen remodels over months — improvement continues after your last session.
We aim for substantial improvement, not erasure. Anyone promising erasure of deep ice pick scarring is overselling.
Treatments we use for acne scars
Clears post-acne dark marks and softens pitted scars with minimal downtime.
Read more →Controlled resurfacing for indents on pigmentation-prone skin. King's Cross only.
Read more →Deeper collagen remodelling for established atrophic scarring. Swiss Cottage only.
Read more →Acne Scars — your questions
Deep ice pick scarring can be significantly improved but not erased. Dark marks left after acne can usually be cleared. We will show you comparable before and afters at consultation so expectations are set honestly.
Other concerns we treat
Hyperpigmentation treatment in London for Fitzpatrick I–VI. Pico Laser and resurfacing protocols for dark marks, sun damage and uneven tone at our two clinics.
Melasma treatment in London for all skin tones. Conservative Pico Laser protocols plus a prescribed home routine to manage hormonal pigmentation long term.
Laser stretch mark treatment in London for face and body. Erbium YAG and Fractional CO2 resurfacing protocols safe across Fitzpatrick I–VI.
Blueness by Oceania is a London laser clinic specialising in skin of colour, with VTCT Level 5 qualified practitioners across our Swiss Cottage (NW6) and King's Cross (N1) clinics.