As with all scarring, acne scars result from tissue damage. When tissue is damaged, the body reacts by initiating the repair process and taking steps to protect against infection.

Collagen is something the body sends to the damaged area but sometimes the body produces too much. When this happens, the excess collagen builds up into a fibrous mass that ends up becoming a smooth and firm acne scar with an irregular shape.

Acne scars also result when tissue is lost and this is actually the more common reason scars develop. Many different types of scarring exist within this latter category including the well-known ‘ice-pick’ scar, depressed scars, soft scars, atrophic macules and others.