Concern
Acne scarring in Reading
The texture and marks left behind after the breakouts have gone. Treated at our salon in Caversham, Reading.
What causes it?
Acne scarring and post-acne marking are different problems with different answers. Flat brown or red marks are pigment and inflammation; they fade, and treatment speeds that up. True scars are textural — the skin has lost tissue and formed a pit — and those need collagen rebuilt underneath, which is what microneedling, PRP and fractional resurfacing do over a course. Improvement develops over time and several sessions may be advised. The aim is improvement rather than erasure.
When inflammation reaches deep enough to damage the follicle wall, the repair is imperfect. Too little collagen leaves a depression: the rolling, boxcar and ice-pick scars people recognise. Too much leaves a raised scar, which is less common on the face.
What most people call scarring is actually post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or erythema: brown or red flat marks where a spot used to be. Run a finger over it. If the surface is smooth, it is pigment and it will improve considerably faster and more completely than true textural scarring.
Signs to look out for
Most people who come to us about acne scarring recognise several of these. You do not need all of them, and you do not need to know which treatment you want — that is our job.
- Pitting you can feel with a fingertip, not just see
- Shadows that appear in side lighting but vanish in flat light
- Brown marks that outlast the spot by six months or more
- Skin texture that makeup sits unevenly on
- Scarring that has stopped improving on its own
How we can help
These are the routes we would talk through at consultation, in the order we would usually consider them. Which one is right depends on your skin, your history and your budget.
Rebuild the collagen under the pit
Microneedling creates controlled micro-injury that triggers your own repair, raising the floor of the scar over a course of sessions.
Add your own growth factors
PRP uses the platelets from your own blood to amplify that repair. Combined with needling it typically produces a better result than needling alone.
Resurface the texture
Tixel treats the surface with heat, improving texture and tone across a whole area rather than scar by scar.
Not sure which of these is you?
You do not have to decide before you come in. Bring the problem and we will talk you through what could help and what it costs. The consultation is free and there is no obligation to book anything.
What to expect over time
A realistic guide, including the stretch in the middle where it may not look like much is happening. Everyone responds differently, so your practitioner will talk you through your own timeline.
Day 1 to 2
Red, warm and tight, similar to sunburn. Downtime is real and we will tell you honestly how much before you book.
Day 3 to 5
Flaking and settling. Makeup back on by around day three for most people.
Week 4
Collagen laid down. Modest visible improvement — and then you repeat, because this is cumulative.
Month 6
The point at which a full course is properly judged. Comparing photographs, not memory, is the only fair way to assess it.
Good to know
No treatment we offer removes deep ice-pick scarring completely. A realistic target across a full course is a marked improvement in texture and a face that photographs better, not skin that has never had acne. We would also not start resurfacing while acne is still actively flaring; settle the acne first, or the scarring simply continues forming underneath.
Treatments that can help
Listed strongest match first. All of them are done at our salon on 3 Prospect Street in Caversham, Reading.
Common questions
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the scarring and how your skin responds. Your practitioner will recommend a plan at your consultation and review it as you go.
Does microneedling hurt?
Numbing cream for forty minutes first. Most people describe pressure and vibration more than pain.
Will it work on old scarring?
Yes. Collagen remodelling works on scars of any age. Recent scarring sometimes responds slightly faster.
Can I have it in summer?
Yes, with proper sun protection. Treated skin is more vulnerable to pigmenting, so daily SPF is non-negotiable during a course.
Other concerns we treat
Ready to talk it through?
Bring the problem, not the treatment name. Consultations are free and carry no obligation.
