What to Expect After Acne Scar Surgery


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As acne scar removal surgery is mostly performed using local rather than general anaesthetic you will almost certainly be discharged on the day of surgery as soon as your practitioner is satisfied that the procedure went smoothly with no complications.

What Happens after Acne Scar Removal Surgery?

After your surgery your practitioner or nurse should give you comprehensive advice about how best to care for your healing wound. It could take a few hours for the local anaesthetic to wear off and you should be especially careful not to knock or bump the numb area during this time. As the anaesthetic wears of you may feel some pain in the area which you can combat using over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol. Please ensure that you thoroughly read the health information which comes with your painkillers and that you ensure you do not exceed the recommended dose.


It is likely that you will experience slight pain, swelling, bruising or reddening of the treated area for a week or two after your surgery, which will last until the wound has healed. Again, it is best use over-the-counter painkillers to deal with this. If the pain is severe or you have any concerns it is recommended that you consult your practitioner. During the healing period, make sure that the area is not exposed to harsh sunlight, knocked, bumped or damaged in any other way.

When will I see the Effect of My Ace Scar Surgery?

After the initial two weeks of healing you should no longer be experiencing any pain or bruising although the area may still be tender and can retain a pinker colour for a long period of time. It can take as long as a year to for the new scar to fade enough for you to appreciate the full effect of your surgery.

Further Treatment after Acne Scar Removal Surgery

It is common for patients who undergo acne scar removal surgery through punch excision, punch elevation, punch grafting or subcutaneous incision to later have other scar reducing treatments such as laser therapy and chemical peels. This is because while acne scar removal can significantly reduce the appearance of ace scars it does not entirely get rid of them. It does however make them far more susceptible to these types of treatments and often therapies such as these after acne scar removal surgery can almost completely eliminate acne scarring.

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