I think you might be over reacting. You look fine and you dont have "scars" like some us including my self. I was freaking out after my course of accutane because I scared shitless of scars but they were mostly discolorations. I was left with scars afterwards but they looked so much worse in the beginning because the discoloration amplified them. what you can do now is wait for the redness to go away because there is no practical option for red marks and for the brown of the discoloration you can exfoliate that and they will diminish faster if you would not have had otherwise.

good luck

Thanks for replying. I agree that I'm probably overreacting! But I also don't think they're nothing. There is a shallow or not-so-shallow indented scar at every red/dark spot. I guess I'm panicking more about how quickly they seem to be appearing rather than the severity. It's just coming as a shock, that's all. I agree that once the discolouration dies down, they should look better overall. Thanks again.

I've had acne for nearly seven years now and all my scars came from a one month timeframe where like you mentioned, any spot would leave one, even if it was a small red spot that wasn't that deep or inflamed. But yeah I really don't see that many indents unless its just the camera quality and lack of harsh lighting

This happens to me with my acne as well- in fact- it looks ALOT like what you have. I was a little freaked out when I first noticed them, but as long as I don't continue to break out In the same spots, they actually seem to fade over a couple of months. Not completely, but to the point that I'm the only one who can notice them without make-up (they're basically invisible with makeup). Have no fear! Just work on keeping the area free of acne.

If you are still breaking out, a tip: I was getting spots in that exact same spot (with the exact same kind of marks), and spironolactone made them disappear. Unfortunately, it did nothing for the acne on my cheeks, which is why I'm on Accutane now, but the acne on my chin and around my mouth was gone in about 3 months with spiro.

If you're not breaking out anymore: just do your best to ignore that part of your face so you don't find yourself obsessing (cover it with makeup as soon as you get up in the morning if you need to). Remember to apply moisturizer and maybe a very light chemical exfoliant at night if you don't think it will break you out. Focus on your thesis, and by the time you're ready to defend, the marks will be gone (or at least barely noticeable)!

megtree - thanks for such a positive response! When you say some of your marks faded, did you mean hyperpigmentation or actual (indented) scars? I've had one of those indented scars for about a year and it hasn't changed at all, of course I didn't give a crap about it until there were a bunch of other ones right around it, drawing attention to the area.

But again... thank you!

megtree - thanks for such a positive response! When you say some of your marks faded, did you mean hyperpigmentation or actual (indented) scars? I've had one of those indented scars for about a year and it hasn't changed at all, of course I didn't give a crap about it until there were a bunch of other ones right around it, drawing attention to the area.

But again... thank you!

Both! Now, again- my skin is NOT like it was before I ever got acne in those areas (unfortunately) but once that area stopped flaring up, it took about 5 months for the small indentations (they looked just like what you have) to turn into what now look like slightly enlarged pores. Not all of them filled in like that, but they still became much shallower and less noticeable as the PIH faded.

megtree - thanks for such a positive response! When you say some of your marks faded, did you mean hyperpigmentation or actual (indented) scars? I've had one of those indented scars for about a year and it hasn't changed at all, of course I didn't give a crap about it until there were a bunch of other ones right around it, drawing attention to the area.

But again... thank you!

Both! Now, again- my skin is NOT like it was before I ever got acne in those areas (unfortunately) but once that area stopped flaring up, it took about 5 months for the small indentations (they looked just like what you have) to turn into what now look like slightly enlarged pores. Not all of them filled in like that, but they still became much shallower and less noticeable as the PIH faded.

Thank you for the glimmer of hope. You rock.

i think your skin looks pretty good but i totally know how you feel. i had some mild raised scarring on my chin and then last year i got the worst cystic acne i ever had in my life and it was mostly all on the lower part of my face which was the area i was already self-conscious about and then when it left i was left with indented scarring in that area as well which just made me feel so much worse. i can tell you almost a year later that the indents are still there but they are definitely more shallow and i am now more obsessed with the raised scarring than anything else. for some reason i think with the scarring being on the chin it is just more devastating than other areas of the face. like i have some minor indents on other areas of my face and it i really dont care that much about it but the chin area just really bothers me. ugh! i think your indents are so minor though that in time they should fill in really well if not completely. just take care of yourself and be gentle to the skin so it can heal.

you can do ipl for the red marks once you are no longer breaking out. your red marks arent bad so a few sessions should totally eliminate those. good luck to you!

i think your skin looks pretty good but i totally know how you feel. i had some mild raised scarring on my chin and then last year i got the worst cystic acne i ever had in my life and it was mostly all on the lower part of my face which was the area i was already self-conscious about and then when it left i was left with indented scarring in that area as well which just made me feel so much worse. i can tell you almost a year later that the indents are still there but they are definitely more shallow and i am now more obsessed with the raised scarring than anything else. for some reason i think with the scarring being on the chin it is just more devastating than other areas of the face. like i have some minor indents on other areas of my face and it i really dont care that much about it but the chin area just really bothers me. ugh! i think your indents are so minor though that in time they should fill in really well if not completely. just take care of yourself and be gentle to the skin so it can heal.

you can do ipl for the red marks once you are no longer breaking out. your red marks arent bad so a few sessions should totally eliminate those. good luck to you!

Thanks Tracy! You sound like a really nice person.

I'm sorry to hear about your cystic acne outbreak but I'm so glad your indented scarring doesn't bother you as much anymore. That's progress right there! I agree that acne/scarring on the chin is hard to deal with and I especially hate that ALL of mine is clustered in that one spot. I'm very grateful that the rest of my skin is good but it just makes the bad area so noticeable. My boyfriend had acne as a teenager and just recently, since I've been scrutinizing my face and others' faces, I noticed he has close to ten scars on his face that I hadn't noticed.... we've been together 3.5 years! His are all spread out across his face, though, which I think makes the difference.

i think your skin looks pretty good but i totally know how you feel. i had some mild raised scarring on my chin and then last year i got the worst cystic acne i ever had in my life and it was mostly all on the lower part of my face which was the area i was already self-conscious about and then when it left i was left with indented scarring in that area as well which just made me feel so much worse. i can tell you almost a year later that the indents are still there but they are definitely more shallow and i am now more obsessed with the raised scarring than anything else. for some reason i think with the scarring being on the chin it is just more devastating than other areas of the face. like i have some minor indents on other areas of my face and it i really dont care that much about it but the chin area just really bothers me. ugh! i think your indents are so minor though that in time they should fill in really well if not completely. just take care of yourself and be gentle to the skin so it can heal.

you can do ipl for the red marks once you are no longer breaking out. your red marks arent bad so a few sessions should totally eliminate those. good luck to you!

Thanks Tracy! You sound like a really nice person.

I'm sorry to hear about your cystic acne outbreak but I'm so glad your indented scarring doesn't bother you as much anymore. That's progress right there! I agree that acne/scarring on the chin is hard to deal with and I especially hate that ALL of mine is clustered in that one spot. I'm very grateful that the rest of my skin is good but it just makes the bad area so noticeable. My boyfriend had acne as a teenager and just recently, since I've been scrutinizing my face and others' faces, I noticed he has close to ten scars on his face that I hadn't noticed.... we've been together 3.5 years! His are all spread out across his face, though, which I think makes the difference.

hey there! wow that is a nice thing to say and you are welcome. don't worry it will give better i can promise you that. at first i would cry every single time i looked in the mirror and was so severely depressed and shut everybody out but what i come to realize is that as bad as it is to you other people dont see it that way and most people dont even notice the scarring. i totally get you i had most of my indented and raised scarring all in one spot on the right side of my chin and it really is so awful because i feel like if it was spread out more it probably wouldn't bother me but i really do believe it looks better now that its had some time to heal and i am praying that when i get the co2 laser again next week on my raised scars there that it will help flatten them more so that they blend in with the rest of the skin. its all so hard to deal with because it happens so fast but it will get better. you know i was looking at my hubby's face a year or so ago (he also had bad acne when he was younger and took accutane) and i noticed a good amount of indents on his face i never saw before either its crazy because we have been together for about 18 years and all of a sudden i notice his scars. i never said anything about it to him though and the other day he was telling me how he has red marks and no scars and i didnt have the heart to tell him that he has actual indented scars because i figure if he doesn't notice them then no sense making him feel self conscious about it. it sounds odd but it makes me feel better though that he doesnt have perfect skin.

i really do think you have some pretty good skin though so dont get too down on yourself about it. you are pretty so that helps a lot

i think your skin looks pretty good but i totally know how you feel. i had some mild raised scarring on my chin and then last year i got the worst cystic acne i ever had in my life and it was mostly all on the lower part of my face which was the area i was already self-conscious about and then when it left i was left with indented scarring in that area as well which just made me feel so much worse. i can tell you almost a year later that the indents are still there but they are definitely more shallow and i am now more obsessed with the raised scarring than anything else. for some reason i think with the scarring being on the chin it is just more devastating than other areas of the face. like i have some minor indents on other areas of my face and it i really dont care that much about it but the chin area just really bothers me. ugh! i think your indents are so minor though that in time they should fill in really well if not completely. just take care of yourself and be gentle to the skin so it can heal.

you can do ipl for the red marks once you are no longer breaking out. your red marks arent bad so a few sessions should totally eliminate those. good luck to you!

Thanks Tracy! You sound like a really nice person.

I'm sorry to hear about your cystic acne outbreak but I'm so glad your indented scarring doesn't bother you as much anymore. That's progress right there! I agree that acne/scarring on the chin is hard to deal with and I especially hate that ALL of mine is clustered in that one spot. I'm very grateful that the rest of my skin is good but it just makes the bad area so noticeable. My boyfriend had acne as a teenager and just recently, since I've been scrutinizing my face and others' faces, I noticed he has close to ten scars on his face that I hadn't noticed.... we've been together 3.5 years! His are all spread out across his face, though, which I think makes the difference.

hey there! wow that is a nice thing to say and you are welcome. don't worry it will give better i can promise you that. at first i would cry every single time i looked in the mirror and was so severely depressed and shut everybody out but what i come to realize is that as bad as it is to you other people dont see it that way and most people dont even notice the scarring. i totally get you i had most of my indented and raised scarring all in one spot on the right side of my chin and it really is so awful because i feel like if it was spread out more it probably wouldn't bother me but i really do believe it looks better now that its had some time to heal and i am praying that when i get the co2 laser again next week on my raised scars there that it will help flatten them more so that they blend in with the rest of the skin. its all so hard to deal with because it happens so fast but it will get better. you know i was looking at my hubby's face a year or so ago (he also had bad acne when he was younger and took accutane) and i noticed a good amount of indents on his face i never saw before either its crazy because we have been together for about 18 years and all of a sudden i notice his scars. i never said anything about it to him though and the other day he was telling me how he has red marks and no scars and i didnt have the heart to tell him that he has actual indented scars because i figure if he doesn't notice them then no sense making him feel self conscious about it. it sounds odd but it makes me feel better though that he doesnt have perfect skin.

i really do think you have some pretty good skin though so dont get too down on yourself about it. you are pretty so that helps a lot

Why thank you! And that was kind of you to not tell your husband I accidentally told my boyfriend... I thought he knew! Haha... he seems to have already forgotten about them so it's ok.

I hope you're right that my scars could improve a bit with time. Heck if they just stay how they are and don't get worse, that wouldn't be too bad.

I really appreciate your encouragement in this post. I hope your laser treatment goes well next week and stay positive!

best way to prevent scars is to prevent new acne

best way to prevent scars is to prevent new acne

You could not have said it better back when I was scared of accutane I would religiously apply antibiotics after after a zit left in order to prevent a scar. Guess what happened? I still got scars.

thank you apple blossom for the kind words! i hope you are doing better today.

This isn't bad at all! BUT order manuka honey online and apply for 20 minutes everyday. It is magical!! It's expensive but it really does work miracles. It's full of healing properties + antioxidants

Aw, you sound just like I did when I first began scarring. But you're so pretty! Don't obsess over these. They won't alter your overall attractivness.

Besides, freaking out and combatting with all types of new topicals/remedies/products and whatnot will just spread infections and make new areas break out and in turn.. scar.

Everyone's gotta little acne.. got a few scars. I would worry so much about it. Most wont mind

Has anyone ever had a bunch of new indented scars form at almost the same time?

I have an area of my face that has always been a mess despite the rest of my face being decent. I think years of having cysts over and over again just wrecked the skin in that spot and now it's deciding to collapse into numerous boxcar (I think) scars even though I don't have much active acne (I do have some, as you can see). Even small pimples that left faint red marks end up indented now, so I'm assuming everything that's currently red will also end up indented. Not trying to be dramatic, just realistic at this point.

It's really overwhelming to deal with about 8 new indented scars all at the same time.... so much so that instead of writing my thesis, I'm obsessively taking pictures of my scars and perusing this site....

If you were me, what would you do?

I should add that I haven't done anything yet in terms of trying to make things better but I've been on Diane-35 for about 1.5 years to keep the cysts somewhat under control. I used a topical in the past (maybe 2-3 years ago) but I can't remember what it was called - it wasn't retin-A. Anyway, whatever it was didn't help after months and months of use so I stopped using it.

If the picture is too blurry to tell what's going on, I'll try another one. Some of you take such good photos but I haven't been able to master it yet.

EDIT: First picture is with no make up. Second picture is with make up, which I think helps distinguish between redness and pitted scars.

I am the same! About 1 month ago I noticed one little scar and then suddenly there were stacks more!

That first one I noticed has since disappeared, so I do have hope for the rest of them.

In my case I am pretty sure that most of my scars are from a bad breakout I had 2 months ago. So the scarring appeared pretty quickly.

Mostly just makes my skin texture look a bit uneven in some places because they're quite shallow. Plus I am still dealing with all the hyper-pigmentation.

I think it is important to get your breakouts under control. But I am kind of like you, I tend to get really obsessive over the scars and am so focused on them that I completely forget that I could still get active acne that could scar more!!

I try to just remain positive about it all.

It really helps to tell myself that I can fix it (some people would probably say negative things to me about that)

A lot of people do say that they fill in a bit over time and I am hoping this is true, especially as mine are quite shallow, I'm not even sure others notice them.

And I have noticed scarring or imperfections in people's skin that I never noticed before!!! So in a lot of cases it isn't noticeable unless you're looking for it, and I hope I can at least get to that point.

Carrie2013 - thank you! I have calmed down a lot since I started this thread!

RoseOrALilly - those bunch of small, shallow scars in my photos look slightly better now, a few months later. I don't think any have disappeared completely but they are less pronounced. I'm not obsessing or panicking about them anymore either, so that probably improves my perception of them. Sorry to hear you're going through something similar...acquiring a bunch of scars quickly. It really does help to try to minimize further breakouts, at least in the area where the scars. That area of my face has been good since these pictures and I think that has played a big part in letting the scars heal a bit more. I have had a few cysts and nodules on other parts of my face, though, and thankfully they haven't scarred. I believe the reason I got the scars in these pics is because I was extremely stressed in the fall and wasn't eating healthily or enough. I've taken much better care of myself since Christmas and while some of the breakouts I've had since then have been worse than what caused these scars, my skin has healed much, MUCH better....ie. no scars at all.