{"id":17662,"date":"2026-09-10T13:45:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T04:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/?p=17662"},"modified":"2026-09-10T13:53:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T04:53:11","slug":"post-acne-marks-versus-depressed-scars-consultation-seocho","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/post-acne-marks-versus-depressed-scars-consultation-seocho\/","title":{"rendered":"Are all marks left after acne actually scars?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello, I\u2019m Dr. Kim Kyung-soo, Medical Director of UHCELL Clinic Seocho branch.<\/p>\n

The spot has settled, but a red mark remains on your cheek. Light from the side reveals a small shadow, too. It is easy to call every change an acne scar. A patch of lingering color and an actual depression in the skin need different assessments. Both can occur together.<\/p>\n

I separate changes in color from changes in surface texture when looking at marks after acne. Choosing a scar cream or a laser before making that distinction can leave your treatment aimed at a different problem from the one that bothers you.<\/p>\n

How do flat marks differ from depressed scars?<\/h2>\n

Color and contour are separate. After acne clears, the surface may remain flat while a red or brown mark persists. These color changes need to be distinguished from scars that are sunken or raised. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is one cause of brown marks.<\/p>\n

Depressed scars form when healing after inflammation does not replace enough of the collagen that supports the skin. They may look narrow and deep, have a round border, or form broad, gently sloping depressions. Several shapes can appear on the same cheek. Raised scars also occur, so not every uneven area is a depression.<\/p>\n

Lighting and filters change how a depression looks<\/h2>\n

Photos are supporting information. An overhead light and a window can cast different shadows on the same day. A phone’s beauty filter may erase texture, while strong side lighting can make a depression look deeper.<\/p>\n

For a consultation, take unedited photos in the same place and at the same distance. Bring 1 front-facing photo plus views from both sides, and note when the marks appeared. There is no need to pull the skin or keep pressing it to get a clearer picture. Pores can also look like small holes. Photos alone cannot establish a scar’s type or depth.<\/p>\n

\"Close-up
An illustrative photo of pores and skin texture. Scars cannot be diagnosed from this photo alone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ongoing breakouts change the treatment order<\/h2>\n

Sequence matters. If new red, painful spots are appearing, I assess the active inflammation before rushing to treat the marks left behind. Repeated inflammation can lead to more discoloration and new scars.<\/p>\n

Note where new spots form at the temples, central cheeks, or jawline, whether they hurt without being touched, and whether there is pus or crusting. Bring the names of topical and oral medicines and the dates you started them. Do not stop prescribed medicine on your own to prepare for a procedure; discuss it with your clinician. If deep, painful acne keeps returning or scars are increasing, seek medical care instead of only waiting for old marks to fade.<\/p>\n

\"Close-up
An illustrative photo of skin discoloration, not a specific patient’s acne marks or treatment results.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What home care can do, and what needs assessment<\/h2>\n

Start by leaving spots alone. Squeezing acne or picking crusts increases the risk of inflammation and scarring. Avoid repeated scrubbing or harsh exfoliation. Use a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer that does not irritate your skin, and sun protection outdoors. Avoid rubbing your skin hard.<\/p>\n

Flat marks may fade with time, but there is no single timetable. Moisturizing alone is also unlikely to fill deep depressions. During a consultation, reducing discoloration and making uneven texture less noticeable are separate goals. Scar shape and location, along with any prolonged redness or pigment changes after earlier treatment, affect the choice and sequence of medicines and procedures. One laser or a fixed number of sessions will not suit every scar.<\/p>\n

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/h2>\n

If the mark is red, does that mean it isn’t a scar?<\/h3>\n

Redness alone cannot tell you. An examination checks whether the area is flat or also has a depression or raised tissue.<\/p>\n

Can a brightening cream fill a depressed scar?<\/h3>\n

A product aimed at discoloration has a different purpose from treatment for uneven skin texture. Do not keep layering it on if irritation develops.<\/p>\n

Can I book a consultation while I still have acne?<\/h3>\n

Yes. A consultation helps separate the plan for active acne from the timing of scar treatment.<\/p>\n

How many sessions will restore my original skin?<\/h3>\n

A return to your original skin or a fixed number of sessions cannot be promised. Goals depend on scar shape and skin response, and the plan is adjusted as treatment progresses.<\/p>\n

\n

Before an acne-mark or scar consultation in Seocho, note when and where new acne appeared, your current medicines, and reactions to previous procedures. Tell us whether lingering color or a depression is the concern you would like to address first.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u203b Skin responses and treatment progress vary. Please consult a clinician for an accurate diagnosis and an individual treatment plan.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

This was Dr. Kim Kyung-soo, Medical Director of UHCELL Clinic Seocho branch.<\/p>\n

Consultation is available in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
Parking: available on levels B2 through B5 of the same building, with 2 hours of free parking registration.<\/p>\n

To book an appointment at UHCELL Clinic Seocho branch, please contact us by phone or through our website.
UHCELL Clinic Seocho branch: 1F, 30 Banpo-daero 16-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul (439m from Exit 6, Nambu Bus Terminal Station)
tel. +82-2-2135-4393<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Learn the difference between flat post-acne marks and depressed scars, why ongoing breakouts matter, and what to bring to an acne-scar consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14499,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","ai_generated_summary":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[409],"tags":[795,794,796],"class_list":["post-17662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-care-en-20260715","tag-depressed-acne-scars","tag-post-acne-marks","tag-seocho-acne-consultation"],"acf":{"og_title":"","og_description":""},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":409,"label":"Care"}],"post_tag":[{"value":795,"label":"depressed acne scars"},{"value":794,"label":"post-acne marks"},{"value":796,"label":"Seocho acne consultation"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/260422\uc21828-1024x683.jpg",1024,683,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Dr. Kim Kyung-soo, Medical Director","author_link":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/author\/uhcell_seocho\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":409,"name":"Care","slug":"care-en-20260715","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":409,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":32,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":409,"category_count":32,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Care","category_nicename":"care-en-20260715","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":795,"name":"depressed acne scars","slug":"depressed-acne-scars","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":795,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":794,"name":"post-acne marks","slug":"post-acne-marks","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":794,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":796,"name":"Seocho acne consultation","slug":"seocho-acne-consultation","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":796,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"}],"uhcell_seo_meta":{"rank_math_title":"Are all marks left after acne actually scars?","rank_math_description":"Learn the difference between flat post-acne marks and depressed scars, why ongoing breakouts matter, and what to bring to an acne-scar consultation.","rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":"","rank_math_twitter_card_type":"","og_title":null,"og_description":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17662"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17663,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17662\/revisions\/17663"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seocho.uhcell.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}