Commonly, the mild form of acne observed in most people does not leave scars, or if it does, the scarring heals naturally over time. But people suffering from aggressive forms of acne such as nodular cystic acne might be left with severe scarring in the skin.

Some spots and pigmentations can apparently be very similar to scars, without being a real one. These disappear eventually but are evident enough to cause uneasiness. Macules are such pseudo- scars, which can be left behind by an inflamed acne lesion. A macule is just a flat, red patch that is the final stage of every inflamed lesion. Unlike a scar, a macule can take time to disappear, but once it does, it leaves no trace behind.

Then there is the skin's discoloration after the resolution of any inflamed acne lesion. It is more common in dark skinned people, but can take place in white skin also. This is known as "Post inflammatory pigmentation." It may need treatment by a dermatologist.

According to the shape of tissue, acne scars are divided in two categories. One type of scar consists of increased skin tissue, and the others are characterized by the decrease in tissue on the site of acne. An exaggerated growth of scar tissue is known as Keloid and is more noticeable in African-Americans. The deep, linear scar derived from acne is known as the ice-pick scar. These are quite deep and removal of them is difficult.

The Response to Acne Scars is Different Depending on the Sufferer

In some people scars heal quickly while some people carry scars for a lifetime. Psychologically, people demonstrate different reactions to acne scarring. Some people accept scarring as normal, while there are others who are worried about even the smallest scar and go to great lengths to get them removed.

More common are acne scars resulting from the loss of tissue. These are similar to scars produced by chicken pox. These scars include ice-pick scars, soft tissue scars and depressed fibrotic scars. Ice-pick scars usually occur on the cheek. These are small but with steep, jagged edges which makes them difficult to treat or cure. Sometimes these tiny scars become quite large and steep, with sharp edges, which are then know as depressed fibrotic scars. Then there are soft scars, both superficial and deep. These scars are small with rolling edges merging with the normal skin. They can be circular or linear in shape.

Pinching and squeezing acne can also lead to acne scarring. This action spreads the infection to nearby skin and harms unhealed tissue, which results in pit-like scars.