Published 2 June 2026 · Updated 19 August 2026
Scars have shapes, and the shape decides the method
Ice pick, boxcar, rolling, raised — four different problems that look like one in the mirror. Most faces carry two or three at once, which is why a single device rarely finishes the job.
DHA-licensed doctors · Bluewaters Island 6, Dubai · daily 10:00–22:00
- Session
- 45–90 minutes
- Anaesthetic
- Topical numbing
- Back to normal
- 1–4 days
- Typical course
- 3+ sessions
- Price
- from 550 AED
What acne scars actually are
A scar is a change in the structure of the skin, not a change in its colour. When inflammation destroys collagen, the surface collapses inward and you get an indented scar. When the body overcompensates, it lays down too much and the scar sits raised above the skin.
This is worth being pedantic about, because half the people who book scar treatment do not have scars.
The four types, and how they behave
- Ice pick — narrow, deep, like a puncture. The hardest to resurface, because the damage is deeper than any device reaches evenly.
- Boxcar — round or oval with sharp edges, like a shallow crater. Responds well to RF microneedling and resurfacing.
- Rolling — wide, soft-edged waves caused by tethering under the skin. Needs the tether released as much as the surface smoothed.
- Hypertrophic and keloid — raised, firmer than surrounding skin. Treated with injections and lasers, not resurfacing.
Flat marks are not scars. Brown or red discolouration left where a spot healed is post-inflammatory pigmentation or lingering redness. It sits at skin level and fades over months on its own. If that is what you have, the pigmentation page covers the right approach, and it costs considerably less than scar work.
Treat the acne first
The American Academy of Dermatology puts this at the start of every scar plan: treatment begins with controlling the acne, because stopping breakouts reduces inflammation and prevents new scars forming. Resurfacing skin that is still actively breaking out risks spreading infection and buying a course you will need to repeat.
If breakouts are still coming, the acne treatment page is the place to start.
Stopping acne breakouts can reduce inflammation and prevent new acne scars.
American Academy of Dermatology
What we use at MED YU MED, and what each one is for
| Method | Works best on | How it works | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical peels | Shallow texture, post-acne marks | Exfoliation that prompts collagen renewal | 550 AED |
| PicoSure laser | Texture with pigment left behind | Ultra-short pulses, little heat load | 700 AED |
| PRP | Support alongside resurfacing | Your own platelets, often combined with microneedling. Two tubes 1300 AED | 800 AED |
| Genius RF microneedling | Boxcar and rolling scars, pores | Needles deliver heat into the dermis. Full face 2700 AED | 1200 AED |
| Vivace RF microneedling | Texture, pores, post-acne marks | Gentler RF protocol. Full face 2200 AED | 1650 AED |
| Morpheus8 | Deeper scars with laxity | Reaches the subdermal layer. Full face 2900 AED | 1800 AED |
| Fotona resurfacing | Surface remodelling | Laser resurfacing protocol, 2000 AED for the full protocol | 600 AED |
| MOXI laser | Mild texture and tone together | Gentle resurfacing — our own page says it is not for heavy scarring | 2500 AED |
Prices from the clinic price list, checked 16 August 2026. A dedicated post-acne protocol starts at 770 AED. Full list: treatment prices.
Before you agree to RF microneedling. On 15 October 2025 the FDA issued a safety communication about radiofrequency microneedling, following reports of burns, scarring, fat loss, disfigurement and nerve damage — some requiring surgical repair. That is not a reason to refuse the procedure, which remains a mainstay of scar treatment. It is a reason to ask who is holding the handpiece, what depth and energy are planned for your skin, and what the clinic does if a session goes wrong. Any clinic that finds those questions annoying has answered them.
What a realistic result looks like
The AAD describes the goal of scar treatment as making scars less noticeable and smoothing uneven texture. Not removal. A good outcome is skin that reads as even under normal light and in photographs, with the deepest scars softened rather than erased.
Collagen remodelling runs for months after the last session, so the result at week two is not the result. Nor is the swelling in the first days, which temporarily fills indentations and misleads everyone who photographs it.
Darker skin, slower course
Melanin-rich skin answers heat and injury with pigment. On Fitzpatrick types IV to VI an over-powered session can leave a dark mark sitting on top of the scar you came to treat — two problems instead of one. The route is lower energies across more sessions, and sun protection treated as part of the protocol rather than advice.
Who this suits, and who should wait
Scar work suits you if
- Active breakouts are under control
- The scars are textural — indented or raised
- You can commit to a course and to months of remodelling
- You accept improvement rather than erasure as the goal
Better to wait if
- Acne is still inflamed or cystic
- You are on isotretinoin or finished a course recently
- You have a fresh tan or a sun holiday booked
- You form keloids — that changes the whole plan
- There is active infection or a cold sore in the area
Results from our clinic
Photographs of MED YU MED patients, published with consent. Individual outcomes: scar type, skin type and the number of sessions change what is achievable, and no result is guaranteed.
Find out which scars you actually have
Under proper light a doctor can tell an ice pick scar from a boxcar in seconds, and a scar from a flat mark that will fade on its own. That distinction changes both the method and the bill.
Questions people ask
How much do acne scar treatments cost in Dubai?
At MED YU MED chemical peels start at 550 AED, PicoSure laser at 700 AED, PRP at 800 AED, Genius RF microneedling at 1200 AED, Vivace at 1650 AED, Morpheus8 at 1800 AED and MOXI at 2500 AED. A full-face Morpheus8 protocol is 2900 AED, Genius 2700 AED, Vivace 2200 AED. Scarring almost always needs a course, so ask for the plan total at the consultation rather than the price of one session.
Can acne scars be 100% removed?
No, and any clinic promising it is selling something. The American Academy of Dermatology describes what treatment does as making scars less noticeable and smoothing wavy texture — not erasing them. A realistic result is skin that reads as even in normal light and in photographs, with the deepest scars softened rather than gone.
Which treatment is best to remove acne scars?
It depends on the shape of the scar. Narrow ice-pick scars resist resurfacing and often need focused work; boxcar and rolling scars respond better to RF microneedling and laser resurfacing; raised scars need a different approach again. Most faces carry two or three types at once, which is why a plan usually combines methods instead of repeating one.
What are some good scar removal creams available in the UAE?
Creams have a real but narrow job. Silicone gels and sheets have evidence behind them for raised and healing scars, and sun protection stops fresh marks darkening. On indented scars, where tissue is missing under the surface, no cream reaches the level where the problem sits. We will say that at the consultation rather than sell you a tube.
Are the flat brown or red marks scars?
Usually not. Flat discolouration left after a spot heals is post-inflammatory pigmentation or lingering redness, and it fades over months by itself. True scars are changes in the texture of the skin — indentations or raised tissue. The two need different treatments, which is why the first appointment starts with sorting one from the other.
Should I treat scars while my acne is still active?
No. The AAD is direct on this: the plan begins with controlling the acne, because stopping breakouts reduces inflammation and prevents new scars forming. Resurfacing skin that is still breaking out risks spreading infection and wasting a course you would need to repeat.
How many sessions will I need?
Scar work is measured in courses, not visits. Deeper protocols often run three sessions spaced several weeks apart, with collagen continuing to remodel for months afterwards. The doctor sets the number after seeing the scar type and your skin’s response to the first session.
Is RF microneedling safe?
In trained hands and at correct settings it is a standard procedure, but it is not risk-free. In October 2025 the FDA issued a safety communication about RF microneedling after reports of burns, scarring, fat loss, disfigurement and nerve damage, some needing surgical repair. Ask who is operating the device, on what settings, and what happens if something goes wrong.
Can I treat acne scars on darker skin?
Yes, with adjusted settings and usually a slower course. Melanin-rich skin answers heat and injury with pigment, so an over-powered session can leave a dark mark on top of the scar. Lower energies across more sessions get there without that trade.
How fast can I fix this — is there a way in a week?
There is not. Scar tissue is remodelled by collagen your own body lays down, and that runs on a schedule of months regardless of what device started it. Anything promising results in a week is describing swelling, which temporarily fills the scar and then settles.
Medical disclaimer: this page is for information and does not replace a consultation. Scar type, treatment choice and settings are decided by a licensed doctor after examining your skin.
License statement: MEDYUMED MEDICAL CLINIC LLC operates under DHA License 6589480, Bluewaters Island 6, Dubai.
Individual results caveat: outcomes vary with scar type, skin type, age of the scars and how the course is followed. No result is guaranteed.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology, Acne scars: consultation and treatment — on realistic goals and on treating acne before scars.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Potential Risks with Certain Uses of Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling, safety communication of 15 October 2025.
- Methods, settings and limits: MED YU MED service pages for Morpheus8, MOXI and Fotona. Prices: price list, checked 16 August 2026.
Scar treatment is a course, not a purchase
Come in, let a doctor map what is actually on your skin, and leave with a plan that says how many sessions, at what interval and what it will cost in total. Including the honest part: which scars will improve a lot, and which will improve a little.
MEDYUMED MEDICAL CLINIC LLC · DHA License 6589480 · open daily 10:00–22:00. Outside our hours, urgent problems go to the nearest emergency department or 998.
Medically reviewed by
General Practitioner, Aesthetic Medicine Doctor, Dermatologist
DHA License No. 35044799-002
