Treating Atrophic Acne Scars with Diamond Microdermabrasion
Your skin grows smoother and more even in tone session by session, so that when you look in the mirror you see skin that feels fresher, a little less rough and a touch brighter, while still looking like you.
Is this right for you?
Acne scars are the small dips left on the surface of your skin, often after acne or certain types of skin inflammation have settled. Diamond microdermabrasion is a non-surgical treatment that works on the outermost layer of your skin. A handpiece tipped with very fine diamond particles gently and evenly buffs the skin surface while drawing away dead cells, with the aim of making your skin smoother, more even in tone and better able to renew itself. Because it works only at this shallow level, it suits mild surface irregularities most, and it usually takes more than one session. Here is how to tell whether it might be right for you.
This may be a good fit if
- Your main concern is shallow acne scars, slightly rough texture, enlarged pores or skin that looks dull and tired.
- You want a moderate, gradual change that improves the texture and brightness of your skin over time, rather than a major procedure.
- You are comfortable following a course of several spaced-out sessions and keeping up maintenance afterward, instead of expecting one visit to settle everything.
- Your skin currently has no active inflamed acne, no open wounds and no areas of infection where you want to be treated.
- You hold realistic expectations: this is a way to smooth the surface and soften shallow scars, not to erase deep ones.
This may not be right if
- Your scars are deep depressed scars, narrow ice-pick scars or wide rolling scars. These sit deeper than the layer microdermabrasion can reach, so they usually need a different approach, and your doctor will talk you through options that fit better.
- You have active inflamed acne, raised keloid scars, open wounds, a current skin infection (such as an active cold sore) or any uncontrolled skin condition in the area you want treated.
- You have recently taken certain oral acne medications, had a deep peel, or had laser treatment lately, or your skin is currently very sensitive.
- You are hoping for scars to be erased completely, for a fixed result that needs no upkeep, or for skin that looks exactly like a photo you bring in.
How it works
Everything begins with a consultation. Your doctor will listen to what you hope for, then examine and assess the type of scarring you have, how shallow or deep it is, your skin texture and tone, and how sensitive your skin is. This step matters because diamond microdermabrasion only suits shallow acne scars and surface irregularities; if your scars run deep, your doctor will tell you plainly and suggest another direction. Your doctor also asks about your skin history and the medications and products you use, then agrees with you on the likely number of sessions and the spacing between them.
Before the session, your skin is cleansed. This treatment usually does not need anaesthetic because it works only on the outermost layer of skin; most people feel a mild scratchy sensation and a pulling suction on the skin. You stay fully awake throughout and can talk with the person treating you about how it feels.
During the session, a doctor or a trained technician moves the diamond-tipped handpiece across your skin in passes, gently and evenly buffing the outermost layer while a light suction lifts away dead skin and tightens the surface. The person treating you adjusts the depth of abrasion and the strength of suction to suit each area and how sensitive your skin is, working more carefully over scarred areas and lightly over thin skin. A session usually lasts a few tens of minutes, depending on how large the treated area is.
Because this is a shallow treatment, a single session makes only a mild change. For a clearer improvement, your doctor usually plans a course of several sessions spaced a few weeks apart, then maintenance spread further apart afterward. After each session your skin is soothed, and you are shown how to moisturise and protect it carefully from the sun. You do not need to stay in hospital and can go home straight away, returning to nearly normal daily life.
Realistic expectations
The aim of this treatment is to smooth the surface of your skin, soften shallow acne scars, ease the look of enlarged pores and help your skin look more even and brighter session by session — not to erase scars or fully renew your skin. This is a gradual improvement that builds up over time. How well skin responds differs from person to person, depending on your skin type and how shallow or deep the scarring is.
What this will not do
- It will not erase deep depressed scars, narrow ice-pick scars or wide rolling scars. These sit deeper than the layer of skin this treatment can reach.
- It will not lift sagging skin, will not smooth deep lines, and is not a substitute for surgery or for procedures that work deeper in the skin.
- It will not give an immediate, fixed result after a single session; it needs a course of several sessions and ongoing maintenance to hold the result.
- It will not whiten your skin or change your skin colour; the aim is a more even, naturally brighter surface, not a change in pigment.
Recovery
This is one of the treatments with very little downtime. Most people go home the same day and return to nearly normal life. Skin is often slightly flushed and feels a little tight after the session, then settles quickly. The stages below are general estimates; your skin may react more mildly or take longer to calm.
- Right after the session
- Your skin is often a little red, warm and slightly tight, sometimes feeling like mild sun exposure. Your skin is soothed and you are shown how to moisturise, and to avoid touching your face too much.
- Over about 1 to 3 days
- The redness and tightness usually ease and fade. Your skin may feel a little dry or flake gently; you moisturise regularly, avoid the sun, and do not rub or peel the skin yourself. Most people go to work and carry on as normal right away.
- Around 1 week
- Your skin settles, and the surface looks a little smoother and fresher than before the session. You keep protecting it carefully from the sun, since newly treated skin is still sensitive to sunlight.
- Between sessions (usually a few weeks)
- You rest between two sessions on the schedule your doctor sets, so your skin recovers before the next one. Improvements in texture and brightness build up gradually across the course.
- After completing the course
- You and your doctor review the result and talk about maintenance sessions, spread further apart, to help keep your skin smooth and even over time.
Risks & safety
This is a gentle treatment that works at a shallow level, so most sessions pass smoothly. Still, any treatment on the skin has things worth knowing beforehand, especially if your skin is sensitive or prone to darkening. Talk openly with your doctor about the points below.
- Temporary redness, mild stinging, tightness or dryness and flaking in the treated area, usually in the first few days.
- Temporary changes in pigment: the treated skin becomes darker or lighter than the surrounding skin, which is more common in people whose skin darkens easily or when sun protection is not careful; it usually fades but can sometimes linger.
- Minor grazing, scratching of the skin or irritation if the abrasion is too much or the skin is very sensitive.
- A flare of cold sores or a herpes outbreak in people with a history of cold sores around the lips or mouth.
- Local infection — rare when proper hygiene is followed — and very rarely a scar left behind.
- A result that falls short of your hopes: with deep scars the improvement may be very small, and some cases need to move to a different, better-suited approach.
- Skin that is more sensitive to sunlight after each session, and darkens more easily without full cover and sun protection.
How we do it
The hard part of treating acne scars is not the buffing itself, but choosing the right person to treat and the right method. At The Gioi Dep, before anything begins, our doctors examine and classify your scarring — shallow or deep, and which skin condition comes with it — so they can tell you clearly whether diamond microdermabrasion truly suits you. If your scars run deeper than this method can reach, we say so directly and talk through another direction, rather than dragging out a course that is unlikely to give you what you want.
When diamond microdermabrasion is a sensible choice, the treatment is carried out by a doctor or a trained technician, with clean instruments and the depth of abrasion and strength of suction set to your skin in particular. Our doctors build the course around how your skin responds, give specific guidance on how to care for and protect it between sessions, and arrange reviews to decide with you when to maintain or adjust. You can always reach back to us if your skin reacts unusually or something is worrying you.
Frequently asked questions
Does diamond microdermabrasion hurt?
This treatment works on the outermost layer of skin, so it usually does not need anaesthetic. Most people feel only a mild scratchy sensation and the pull of suction on the skin, which is easy to tolerate. The person treating you adjusts the depth of abrasion and the strength of suction to how sensitive your skin is, and you can speak up at once if anything feels uncomfortable.
Will one session clear my acne scars?
No. Because this works at a shallow level, a single session makes only a mild change. Improvements in your skin's texture and brightness build up gradually over a course of several sessions, after which you need maintenance to hold the result. With deep acne scars, even a full course may improve them only a little.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions depends on your skin type, how much scarring you have and how you respond, so your doctor plans it for you after examining your skin. Sessions are usually a few weeks apart to let your skin recover, then spread further apart for maintenance afterward.
Will I need time off work?
Most people do not need time off. Your skin is usually only a little red and slightly tight after the session, then settles over a few days, so you can carry on and go to work nearly as normal right away. How much your skin flushes and how long it takes to calm vary from person to person.
Will the results look natural?
Yes. This method aims for skin that is gradually smoother and more even in tone, not an obvious change. Your skin simply looks a little fresher and smoother after each session, so the result tends to look very natural. How much it improves differs with your skin type and how shallow or deep the scarring is.
Does this method suit deep acne scars?
Diamond microdermabrasion suits shallow acne scars and surface irregularities most. With deep depressed scars, narrow ice-pick scars or wide rolling scars, the improvement is usually very small, because these scars sit deeper than the layer of skin this method can reach. In that case your doctor will talk you through options that fit better.
My skin is dark — will it become darker after treatment?
People whose skin darkens easily carry a higher chance of pigment changes after treatment, usually temporary. Your doctor will set the abrasion more gently and assess how well it suits your skin. Careful sun protection and avoiding the sun after each session are important to lower this chance.
Can I have this done while I have acne?
If you have active inflamed acne, an open wound or infected skin in the area to be treated, it is usually better to wait until it settles before treatment. Your doctor will examine you and advise on the right time, and sometimes the acne needs to be managed first.
How should I care for my skin after each session?
You moisturise regularly, avoid rubbing or peeling the skin yourself, and above all protect it carefully from the sun, since newly treated skin is still sensitive to sunlight. Your doctor will give specific guidance on the gentle products to use and what to avoid in the first few days.
How long do the results last?
Your skin keeps ageing and responding to the environment, breakouts and sun over time, so the result is not fixed. To keep it smooth and even, you usually need maintenance sessions, spread further apart, after the course is complete. Your doctor will plan a maintenance schedule with you that fits.
The next step
Book a consultation to find out if this is right for you.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.