The most serious scarring is often caused by the more severe forms of acne and will have nodules which are more likely to leave a permanent acne scar than most other types of acne. The best way to deal with acne is to get treatment as soon after the acne has appeared in order to prevent severe acne and acne scarring. So if you find you have nodules then visit your doctor or dermatologist and they will prescribe a course of treatment for you.

If you already have acne scarring, there are some things you can do to help your skin.

One very effective form of treatment is laser resurfacing. This can be performed at the clinic by your doctor or dermatologist. With laser resurfacing, it removes the damaged top layer of skin. Then the mid-layer tightens up, and the skin becomes more smooth.

Laser resurfacing can take between a few minutes, up to an hour to do. Before starting, the doctor will numb your skin with a local anesthesia. This will help lessen your pain from the procedure. It typically takes between 3 to 10 days for your skin to heal completely after having it done.

Another way to treat acne scarring is through dermabrasion. With this procedure, the doctor uses a rotation wire brush or spinning diamond instrument, which wears down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new smoother layer of skin will replace the one that was abraded.

You may find though that it takes from 10 days to 3 weeks for the skin to heal after dermabrasion.

After going through either of these procedures, the skin will turn red. This redness may last for several months. Something else to keep in mind is that these procedures only work for those who do not have active acne present.

Your doctor might suggest a more mild chemical peel or microdermasion instead, depending on the severity of your acne scarring. These can usually be done right away in the doctor's office, and will help to improve the appearance of your acne scars. If your scarring is deeply indented in the skin, your doctor may very well suggest surgery.