Next Steps

Outlook

The prognosis for most acne is excellent. Most people experience their worst acne during the teen years and grow out of it. The goal in all acne treatment is to prevent scarring. Severe acne left untreated for a long time can result in scarring. The scars can appear as pits (usually on the face) or as big, bumpy scars (usually on the chest and back). The scarring of acne can also be treated. Your doctor can tell you about various ways available to treat acne scars.

• Pits and depressions left in the skin from acne scarring can be treated with a "skin-sanding" procedure called dermabrasion or by chemical peels.

• Bumpy scars are often treated with injections of a steroid medicine.

• Lasers can be used in treating scars but can be expensive.