Acne & Acne Scarring
Visit Element Dermatology today for treatments for both active acne and acne scarring. Book your appointment today for clearer skin.
Active breakouts and the scarring they leave behind are related problems that often require related solutions. At Element Dermatology, we address both the inflammation that causes acne and the lasting changes to skin texture and tone that remain after it clears. Whether you’re dealing with current breakouts, post-acne marks, or deeper scarring from years past, our team, backed by a board-certified dermatologist, will build a treatment plan around what your skin actually needs without the one-size-fits-all approach. We serve patients across Sartell, St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, and Central Minnesota.
About This Condition
Understanding Acne and Acne Scarring
Acne develops when hair follicles become clogged with oil and dead skin cells, creating the conditions for bacterial overgrowth and inflammation. It ranges from mild blackheads and whiteheads to deeper, more painful nodular and cystic breakouts. It affects patients of all ages, not just teenagers, and can persist well into adulthood, particularly in women experiencing hormonal changes.
The physical impact of acne goes beyond the breakouts themselves. When the skin's deeper layers are damaged by severe or repeated inflammation, the healing process produces changes in texture and pigmentation that can persist long after active acne has resolved. Acne scarring is among the more challenging skin concerns to treat. Improvement is real and often meaningful, but we're always honest with patients upfront. The goal is the best result possible, not a return to completely unmarked skin.
Types of Acne Scarring
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)
Flat dark or red marks left behind after a breakout heals. Not true scarring; the skin texture is unchanged, but there’s discoloration that can take months to fade on its own. Responds well to chemical peels, BBL Hero, and brightening treatments.
Atrophic Scarring
Indentations or depressions in the skin caused by collagen loss during healing. Includes icepick, boxcar, and rolling scars. Requires treatments that stimulate collagen production, such as SkinPen microneedling or Halo laser resurfacing.
Hypertrophic and Keloid Scarring
Raised scars formed when the body produces excess collagen during healing. Less common in acne than atrophic scarring, but still possible. Treatment approach differs significantly from depressed scars and is assessed individually.
Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)
Persistent redness or pink marks that remain after inflammatory acne heals, caused by dilated blood vessels near the surface. Responds well to vascular laser treatments such as the V-Beam or Aerolase.
At Element Dermatology, acne treatment is overseen by a board-certified dermatologist with extensive experience in both medical and cosmetic acne management. Patients have access to prescription treatments, medical-grade procedures, and advanced technology in a single practice. For many patients, this means a medical visit first to get active acne under control with prescription treatment, followed by aesthetic treatment to address any scarring or pigmentation once the skin has stabilized. We'll map out the right sequence at your consultation so you know exactly what to expect and in what order.
Targeted Treatments
How We Treat Acne and Acne Scarring
Aerolase Laser Treatment
The Aerolase NeoElite delivers targeted laser energy that destroys acne-causing bacteria, reduces sebaceous gland activity, and calms the inflammation that drives breakouts.
SkinPen Microneedling
SkinPen creates microscopic channels in the skin that trigger the body's natural collagen production response. Over a series of treatments, this progressively fills and smooths atrophic acne scars.
Chemical Peels
Medical-grade chemical peels accelerate cell turnover, clear congestion, and reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Particularly effective for patients with both active acne and post-acne discoloration.
Halo Laser Treatment
Halo's hybrid fractional laser addresses both the surface texture and the deeper collagen remodeling that atrophic acne scars require. A single treatment can improve scarring and overall skin quality and tone.
BroadBand Light High Energy Rapid Output (BBL HERO)
Addresses the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and redness that acne often leaves behind. Light energy targets excess pigment and dilated blood vessels, leaving skin more even.
Medical Abrasion
Combining a chemical peel with manual exfoliation, Medical Abrasion is particularly effective for acne-prone skin with congestion, rough texture, and post-acne marks.
Schedule Your Acne or Acne Scar Consultation Today
Frequently Asked Questions About Acne and Acne Scarring
Can acne scarring be fully removed?
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The degree of improvement depends on the type and depth of scarring. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (flat dark marks) typically responds very well to treatment and can clear significantly. Structural atrophic scarring (indentations and depressions in the skin) can be substantially improved with collagen-stimulating treatments like SkinPen and Halo, but complete elimination of deeper scars is not always achievable in a single course of treatment. Realistic expectations and a clear assessment of your specific scarring are part of every consultation at Element Dermatology.
How many treatments will I need?
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This depends on the severity of your acne, the type and extent of your scarring, and the treatments chosen. For active acne, four to six treatments is usually the starting point. For acne scarring, SkinPen protocols usually involve three to six sessions, while a single Halo treatment can produce meaningful improvement in scarring that would generally require multiple microneedling sessions.
Is acne treatment safe for darker skin tones?
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Yes, with appropriate treatment selection. Some laser treatments carry a risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with more melanin-rich skin, which is why treatment selection matters. At Element Dermatology, our team, under the guidance of Dr. LaBine, assesses skin tone as part of every treatment plan, and we have options, including the Aerolase NeoElite and SkinPen microneedling, that are safe and effective for all skin tones.
I’ve had acne for years and tried everything. Can you still help?
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Yes! And this is exactly the kind of case where a board-certified dermatologist's involvement makes the biggest difference. Patients who’ve tried over-the-counter products, generic prescription treatments, or esthetic procedures without sustained success often have acne that requires a more targeted approach. We’ll take a thorough history of what you’ve tried and why it may not have worked, and build a plan from there.