[2011-10-03 11:21:12 - Jamie from Narberth]: I have had acne since high school and am now left with discoloration and some acne scarring. They are not very deep scars, but I have tried fraxel laser( only 2 appointments because of the price), microdermabrasion( 5 treatments in 5 months, and glycolic acid peel(paired with the microderm). They left my skin feeling smooth, but there has never been an improvement with the scarring. I am interested inTCA peel. Could this help the scarring better than the other methods I have tried. I have seen other people have more severe scars and hace had better improvement than I have had. Every dermatologist I went to says mine isn't too bad so they want to do microderm or a peel, but these methods have not worked in the past. I just want something that is actually going to be effective and not wasting more money. Thank you!

[2011-10-07 08:43:48 - Dr. Ringpfeil]: Everyone with scars, especially when they are located on the face like most acne scars, wishes them gone. The most effective treatment for most acne scars is CO2 laser treatment but one treatment gives you only about 50% improvement in depth and texture. Many people will add spot treatments after full face treatment for further scar reduction. CO2 laser works better than many other treatments because it reaches deep to undo fibrosis that pulls a scar down and it works superficially to retexture the surface and blend the scars with the surrounding skin. TCA peels are by definition superficial peels that retexture the skin and minimize the difference between your skin and sunken scars. TCA peels are usually repeated after 1-3 years as the skin builds back up again. For some scars and specifically when there are only a few of them, fillers may even be the most effective option.