What Will Happen If Acne Is Not Treated?

Mild acne usually resolves over time and may or may not leave some scarring.

When moderate to severe acne is not treated early enough, acne may scar the skin. There are two types of scars that result from acne:

• Hypertrophic scars are hard upraised areas of the skin surface.

• Pits, or "pock marks," are depressed at various depths into the surface of the skin.

Once the scars have formed, there are options for their removal at a later time.

• Pits are sometimes treated with collagen injections or removed by excision.

• Dermabrasion, a "scrub brush" type of operation, is used to smooth out pit scars.

These methods are imperfect, however. Prevention with early and appropriate treatment is far more preferable.