How effective is subcision for acne scars?

A fine instrument is passed beneath a depressed scar to separate fibrous strands pulling the surface downward. This creates room for the skin to lift and for healing tissue to form. The approach is most relevant to rolling or tethered depressions; it is less suited to raised scars and may not correct every sharp-edged or narrow scar on its own. Texture can therefore look smoother without becoming completely even.

A qualified clinician should examine the scars, active acne, skin tone, tendency to form raised scars, and any medicines that affect bleeding or healing. Follow the aftercare instructions, keep treated areas clean, and protect them from strong sun while they settle. Swelling, bruising, tenderness, and temporary unevenness can occur. Your clinician may recommend staged sessions or another treatment for scar features that subcision cannot reach.

Contact the treating clinic for increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth, pus, fever, or wound separation. Seek urgent help for facial swelling with breathing difficulty or a rapidly worsening reaction. A review is also appropriate if bruising is extensive or the skin changes in a way not covered by your aftercare advice.

Ask which scars are tethered, what improvement is realistic for each scar type, how many visits may be considered, whether another procedure should be combined, and how your skin tone and healing history affect the plan.