San Francisco
Acne Scars and Post-Acne Marks in San Francisco
The flat marks and the pitted scars are different problems with different treatments — microneedling with skin growth factors from $300.
- From
- $300
- Duration
- 60–75 min
- Location
- San Francisco
Pricing & booking
Choose the option that fits, then pick a time that works for you.
Microneedle Treatments with skin growth Factors
Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure that involves using a device with small needles to create micro-injuries in the skin, stimulating collagen production and improving skin texture and tone. The tre
Chemical peel treatments
Chemical peels are cosmetic procedures which involve the application of a chemical solution to the skin. This results in the top layer of skin to peel off revealing smoother and more youthful-looking
IPL Photofacial
Photofacial uses intense pulsed light (IPL). This uses intermittent flashes of light, rather than a beam of constant brightness. With IPL, the light beam is also spread out a little more, rather than
Marks and scars are not the same thing
The flat marks left where a breakout used to be are not scars. The brown ones are post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — extra melanin. The red or pink ones are post-inflammatory erythema — blood vessels that have not settled. They are different problems and they respond to different treatments. Both usually fade on their own: red marks over a few months, brown marks often six months to a year, and longer on deeper skin tones. Treatment and daily sun protection speed both up.
True scarring is a change in the skin’s structure: pitted depressions where collagen was lost during healing. Less often it goes the other way — raised, thickened scars where too much collagen formed. Pitted scars do not fade with time, and no topical product rebuilds them. They need a treatment that provokes the skin into laying down new collagen.
Which treatment fits which problem
- Microneedling with Skin Growth Factors — $300, 60 minutes. The treatment for pitted, textural scarring. Controlled micro-injury triggers collagen production, with a sterile post-procedure preparation applied afterward. Scarring is treated as a course rather than a single session — see below for how many.
- Chemical Peel — $300, 60 minutes. For brown post-acne marks — it accelerates the fading of hyperpigmentation rather than changing texture.
- IPL Photofacial — $300, 75 minutes. For red marks specifically, where lingering vascularity keeps a healed spot looking inflamed. It is not the right tool for brown pigment, and it is not suited to every skin tone — see the redness page for what IPL does and does not treat.
Why active breakouts have to settle first
Scar treatment is not started while acne is actively inflamed. Microneedling across active lesions spreads bacteria and can worsen both the breakout and the scarring it leaves. If breakouts are still frequent, the sequence is to bring them under control first with clinical acne treatment, then treat the scarring left behind. Doing it in that order is slower to start and considerably faster to finish.
What results look like
Textural scarring improves gradually across a course rather than after a single session, because the change comes from collagen the skin builds over the following weeks. Most courses run three to six sessions spaced four to six weeks apart. Improvement is real but partial — deep, sharply defined scars soften rather than disappear, and anyone promising otherwise from a facial-room treatment is overselling it.
Post-inflammatory marks respond faster and more completely than structural scarring, often visibly lighter within a few sessions when paired with daily sun protection.
When to see a dermatologist instead
Deep ice-pick and boxcar scarring often needs procedures beyond what an aesthetic practice performs — laser resurfacing, subcision, or fillers — and is better assessed by a dermatologist first. A history of keloid or raised scarring means microneedling is not the right choice. The same applies if you still have cystic or painful acne: that needs medical treatment before any scar work makes sense. We will say so rather than starting a course that cannot deliver.
Where to find us
Aesthetic OOGII is at 450 Sutter St #1530 in Union Square and has treated post-acne skin there since 2018. Oogii is a certified medical and clinical aesthetician, and the first appointment establishes which of these two problems you have before a course is booked.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does acne scar treatment cost in San Francisco?
- At Aesthetic OOGII, microneedling with skin growth factors is $300 for a 60-minute session, and scarring is normally treated as a course of three to six. Chemical peels and IPL, which address post-acne marks rather than texture, are also $300.
- What is the difference between acne marks and acne scars?
- Marks are flat and sit at skin level — brown ones are excess pigment, red ones are blood vessels that have not settled. Both fade over months. Scars are structural: pitted depressions where collagen was lost. They do not fade with time and need a treatment that rebuilds collagen, such as microneedling.
- Which treatment works for brown marks versus red marks?
- Brown marks are pigment and respond to chemical peels and consistent sun protection. Red marks are vascular and respond to IPL. Using the wrong one wastes a course — IPL in particular is not the right tool for brown pigment and can worsen it on some skin tones, which is why the first appointment sorts out which you have.
- How many microneedling sessions will I need for scarring?
- Usually three to six, spaced four to six weeks apart. The change comes from collagen the skin produces over the weeks after each session, so it accumulates across the course rather than appearing after one visit.
- Can I treat scars while I still have active acne?
- No — microneedling over active lesions can spread bacteria and worsen both the breakout and the resulting scarring. Active acne is brought under control first, then the scarring is treated. It is a slower start and a faster finish.
- Will microneedling remove my acne scars completely?
- It improves them, but it does not erase them. Deep ice-pick scars soften rather than disappear and often need dermatological procedures such as subcision or laser resurfacing. A history of keloid scarring rules microneedling out. We would rather say that upfront than sell a course that cannot deliver it.
- What is the downtime after microneedling?
- Redness similar to a mild sunburn for 24 to 48 hours. Most people are comfortable in makeup by day two, and skin may flake lightly around day three. Topical numbing is applied before the session, so most people describe it as pressure and vibration rather than pain.
- Can I have microneedling if I am on Accutane or a retinoid?
- Not on isotretinoin (Accutane) — wait at least six months after finishing, since skin is fragile and healing is impaired. Prescription retinoids are usually fine, but stop applying about five days before and tell us what you use. An active cold sore or skin infection means we reschedule, and a history of keloid scarring rules microneedling out.
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