Best Makeup For Ice Pick Acne Scars

acne scars

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Further proof that we never completely leave our awkward adolescent years behind: acne scars that just will not go away. Particularly, the deep, pitted type that even makeup can't cover. In an age where you can even laser away a regrettable tattoo, it's been pretty wild that there's been no way to undoacne scars—that is, until the FDA's recent approval of Bellafill, an injectable filler that plumps craters left behind by pimples past to even out your skin's texture.

Though dermatologists have attempted to use other fillers to do the job in the past (off-label, of course), the results didn't last: Once the just-injected hyaluronic acid or collagen disintegrated, pits reappeared. Bellafill's formula, on the other hand, deposits tiny microspheres known as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), into depressed spots along with collagen. These microspheres send your skin into repair mode and stimulate collagen growth. They also provide new collagen fibers with a supportive anchor so the area stays lifted indefinitely, says dermatologist Ruth Tedaldi, MD, who tested the filler in its clinical study phase.

Getting your face needled in the name of diminishing acne scars comes with the same risks traditional fillers pose: After-the-fact bruising, tenderness, swelling, and redness, all of which should go away after a couple of days. And though it's effective for acne scarring, the filler itself has little use outside those bounds. "I see it as an interesting product for acne scarring, which has traditionally been tough to treat—and this filler has some long-term data on it," says Julius Few, MD, director of the Few Institute for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and clinical professor of plastic surgery at the University of Chicago, who is not affiliated with the product. "But in general, my workhorse fillers for non-acne issues, like targeting fine lines, will still be hyaluronic acid based formulas."

But the biggest drawback is that it doesn't work on all scars—it's not recommended for use on super-narrow, deep icepick-like depressions. Softer, wider, crater-like depressions called "rolling scars" are prime targets.If the latter type sounds familiar, you can find an MD trained to give the injections in your area at bellafill.com, and be prepared to shell out about $600-$800 based on certain factors including the number of scars that need treatment. In most cases, a second treatment a month later will give you the maximum benefits.

MORE: 10 Highly Effective Solutions For Adult Acne

Jessica Chia Jessica is a freelance writer and certified aromatherapist with an MBA from the University of Southern California.

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