5 Mistakes That Make Acne Scars Worse | Dermatologist Explains

Medically reviewed by Dr. Dan Xu, M.D., CCFP — CPSO Licensed Physician and Founder & Medical Director of ID Cosmetic Clinic, Markham. Last updated June 2026.

Acne scarring is one of the most common — and most preventable — concerns we see in our Markham clinic. By the time many patients book a consultation, the marks they are worried about are deeper, darker, or harder to treat than they needed to be. Almost always, the culprit is not the acne itself but a handful of well-intentioned habits that quietly make things worse. This is general information, not medical advice, but understanding these five mistakes will protect the skin you have now and make any future treatment work far better.

The 5 mistakes at a glance

Mistake 1: Squeezing or “popping” pimples to clear them faster

Why people do it: A pimple feels “ready,” and squeezing out the contents seems cleaner and faster. It is the single most common habit we hear about.

Why it makes acne scars worse: Self-squeezing is one of the leading behavioural causes of permanent acne scarring. The pressure forces bacteria, oil, and inflammatory material out of the follicle and into the surrounding dermis — the deep layer of skin where atrophic (pitted) scars are born. Even with “clean” technique, squeezing adds mechanical trauma to the follicle wall and nearby tissue. When skin heals from that damage, the new collagen fibres often lay down in a disorganised pattern, leaving an indentation that is very hard to reverse.

What to do instead:

• Let a physician handle an angry, active lesion — for example, a sterile drainage or a small cortisone injection to calm a deep, painful cyst quickly.
• At home, let it resolve on its own or use a hydrocolloid pimple patch to absorb fluid and protect the spot from your fingers and outside bacteria.
• Never use fingernails, comedone extractors, or any tool to dig at a spot yourself.

Controlling active acne properly is the most effective scar-prevention step there is — the scar you never form is the one you never have to treat.

Mistake 2: Lasering or microneedling acne scars too soon

Why people do it: It feels logical that the earlier you treat a scar, the better — so people book a laser the moment the pimple is gone.

Why it makes acne scars worse: Acne scar treatment has a real timing window. While acne is still active, or while a fresh red mark is still inflamed, the skin’s inflammatory response has not settled. Adding the heat of a fractional laser or radiofrequency (RF) microneedling on top of that can tip already-reactive skin into an exaggerated inflammatory response. Instead of improving the scar, it can deepen the redness and trigger new post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) — the brown marks that are even slower to fade. This is especially relevant for the darker, melanin-rich skin tones our clinic frequently treats, which are more prone to PIH.

What to do instead:

• Wait until active pimples (inflamed papules and pustules) have fully settled — generally at least 4 to 8 weeks — before starting laser or RF microneedling.
• Let red marks (PIE, post-inflammatory erythema) begin to stabilise before deciding whether energy-based treatment is appropriate.
• Have a physician assess the skin’s current inflammatory state and set a personalised start date, rather than treating to a calendar.

Starting earlier is not the same as healing earlier. Giving skin enough initial recovery time is what lets treatments like RF microneedling (ID Cosmetic uses comparable technology such as Lutronic Genius and Sylfirm X) and fractional laser resurfacing deliver their full effect.

Mistake 3: Using strong acids to “burn off” the scars

Why people do it: High-strength salicylic acid and glycolic/AHA products have a reputation for “resurfacing,” so it is tempting to assume that stronger and more often will erode a scar flat.

Why it makes acne scars worse: Acids have a genuine role in active acne — they unclog pores, speed up surface cell turnover, and reduce new comedones. But for an established pitted scar, they simply do not have the ability to rebuild the dermis. A depression is the result of lost dermal collagen, and surface-level chemical exfoliation cannot fill that structural gap from the top down. Worse, long-term over-use of high-strength acids breaks down the skin barrier, which leads to:

• Reduced skin defence, so it is more easily irritated and infected.
• Slower repair, which lengthens overall scar healing.
• Pigment cells that become more reactive to inflammation, raising PIH risk.

What to do instead: During an active scar-treatment phase, dial acids down to a maintenance level (for example, a low-strength salicylic acid once or twice a week) under a clinician’s guidance — not as the main weapon against the scar. Structural change to a pitted scar comes from in-clinic collagen induction, with skincare in a supporting role.

Mistake 4: Skipping sunscreen — or only wearing it outdoors

Why people do it: “I’m staying inside today, so I don’t need it,” or a belief that sunscreen has nothing to do with acne scars in the first place.

Why it makes acne scars worse: Ultraviolet radiation is the single biggest aggravator of PIH — the dark post-acne marks. The melanocytes (pigment cells) in a healing acne site are already in an over-active state and react to UV far more strongly than normal skin. Even mild sun exposure can drive heavy pigment deposition, turning a mark that might have faded on its own into one that is darker and far more stubborn. A few facts most people miss:

• UVA passes through glass, is present year-round, and reaches you on cloudy days and indoors — which means sitting by a window at work still exposes your skin.
• During scar treatment — especially right after laser or microneedling — skin is even more sensitive to UV.
• Inadequate sun protection directly weakens your treatment results and lengthens the whole course.

What to do instead: Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ every single day, outdoors or not, and reapply during long daytime exposure. It is the lowest-cost, highest-return step in all of acne-scar care.

Mistake 5: Quitting after a few sessions because “it isn’t working”

Why people do it: After two or three microneedling or laser sessions the change feels small, so it is easy to conclude the treatment does not work and switch plans — or give up.

Why it makes acne scars worse (or at least wastes the progress): Pitted-scar treatment works by stimulating your own skin to build new collagen. That is a biological process, and it cannot be rushed. The results of RF microneedling and fractional laser typically become visible 3 to 6 months after a session, because remodelling and maturation of dermal collagen takes time. Common patterns that sabotage results:

• Expecting a dramatic change one month after a session.
• Declaring it “didn’t work” after three sessions, when meaningful improvement usually takes 3 to 5 sessions.
• Hopping between clinics and devices, so the plan is never consistent and gains never accumulate.

A standard course for pitted acne scars usually runs 6 to 12 months, staged and planned. After the first sessions, a good physician adjusts the plan based on how your skin responds rather than simply repeating the same settings. Patience with a systematic plan is the single biggest predictor of a good final result.

How to avoid these mistakes

Most acne-scar damage is avoidable with a few simple rules: keep your hands off active pimples and let a physician manage the angry ones; wait for inflammation to settle before any energy-based treatment; treat acids as maintenance, not as scar removers; wear SPF 50+ daily, indoors included; and commit to a full, staged treatment course instead of judging it after a session or two. The thread running through all five is the same — give skin time to heal correctly, and let structural treatment do the structural work.

A note on safety and candidacy

Energy-based scar treatments are not right for every skin at every moment. Treatment may need to be postponed if you have active acne or an active skin infection in the area, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have recently used oral isotretinoin, if you are prone to keloid scarring, or if you have a tendency to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that needs to be managed first. Melanin-rich skin in particular benefits from conservative settings and careful pre- and post-care to keep PIH risk low. A proper medical consultation screens for all of this and classifies your scar type before any device is used. This article is general information, not medical advice.

The real takeaway

Acne scars are far more treatable than most people fear — but the outcome is shaped as much by what you avoid as by what you do. The squeezing, the rushed laser, the harsh acids, the skipped sunscreen, and the early quit are the five habits that turn a manageable problem into a stubborn one. Skip the mistakes, get an honest scar assessment, and follow a staged plan, and most acne scarring improves meaningfully over time.

Related at ID Cosmetic Clinic

• Condition: Acne Scars
• Treatment: RF Microneedling (Lutronic Genius / Sylfirm X)
• Treatment: Fractional Laser Resurfacing
• Guide: Acne Scar Types & How Each Is Treated
• Read next: PIE vs PIH: Red Marks, Dark Marks, and How to Treat Each