march 12, 2026 | Medically reviewed by Jaclyn Bueno, RN
What if you could trick your skin into healing scars… All on its own? That’s basically how microneedling for scars works.
Your body has powerful self-repair mechanisms, but they don’t always trigger in the most aesthetically pleasing way — that’s why scars form in the first place.
Microneedling jump-starts the healing mechanism the right way, to help renew collagen and help reduce different types of scars.
In this guide, we dive deep into microneedling for scar treatment, from how it works and the science behind its efficacy to the treatment basics you need to know before you get started.
The punctures are too small to create any damage to the skin’s surface, but they still trigger a healing response.
The treated skin releases growth factors and activates fibroblasts, which results in increased collagen and elastin production — the skin’s main connective proteins, responsible for its firmness and elasticity.
New collagen produced after a microneedling treatment forms in a healthier pattern, helping create smoother skin at the surface. This is the main way in which microneedling helps treat scarring.
What Are Scars?
Scars are the marks left in the skin after injury or trauma. To close the wound as quickly as possible, the body responds to injury by ramping up collagen production.
The emergency collagen in scars is called type III collagen. Ittypically forms in rigid, parallel bundles. This rapid overproduction and stiff structural arrangement make for thick, fibrous, and textured new tissue.
The other main protein in the skin is elastin, responsible for the skin’s elasticity and flexibility. Unlike collagen, elastin production doesn’t ramp up after injury, which is another reason why scar tissue can be so stiff.
Atrophic scars, also known as depressed or indented scars, are sunken into the skin. Most acne scars are atrophic scars.
Hypertrophic scars are raised scars, often triggered by burns or injuries.
Keloid scars are thick, raised, fibrous scars that grow beyond the borders of the original injury.
How Does Microneedling Help Scars?
Microneedling helps scars by essentially resetting the skin.
The microneedles puncture through the skin’s surface without causing any top-level damage. They stimulate the lower layers and trigger a healing response.
The healing process that causes scarring is rapid and chaotic, but the healing process triggered by microneedling is gentle and organized.
Microneedling triggers specific growth factors that promote the production of new, non-fibrogenic type I collagen, which is smoother and flatter than type III. The skin also produces more elastin, which contributes to its flexibility.
Over time, microneedling helps replace the scar tissue, softening, filling in, and smoothing out scars. It’s most well-researched as a treatment for indented scars, also known as atrophic scars.
What Science Says
Studies show that microneedling helps visibly reduce various types of scars, whether used alone or in conjunction with other therapies:
This 2020 study tracked 120 patients with various scars (acne, surgical, and traumatic) who received motorized microneedling treatments. Every single patient saw their scars improve by at least 50% after an average of two to three sessions, with over half experiencing improvement greater than 75%. The treatment was highly effective and safe for all skin tones and area locations, with only minor, short-lived side effects.
This 2020 review of 33 articles found that microneedling successfully improves the appearance of acne scars. The treatment works well on its own, but combining it with other therapies like chemical peels or lasers can sometimes offer even better results. Patients were highly satisfied with the outcomes and experienced only mild, temporary side effects like redness or swelling.
This literature review examined 15 articles that looked specifically at the efficacy and safety of microneedling for acne scars. The review confirms that the current clinical evidence is sufficient to recommend microneedling for acne scars, especially for those who cannot get treated as effectively with other modalities. They also found that combining microneedling with other treatments, like PRP or home skincare, could help improve results.
Can Microneedling Treat Acne Scars?
Yes! Microneedling is the perfect treatment for acne scars, especially shallower ones (it may be less effective for thin, deep icepick scars). You can expect visible results in as few as 3 sessions.
Can Microneedling Treat Hypertrophic or Raised Scars?
Right now, most providers do not offer microneedling to treat hypertrophic scars.
For many years, clinicians worried that stimulating new collagen production could worsen a raised scar.
However, when microneedling is done correctly, it doesn’t stimulate the type of collagen responsible for scars. New research suggests that microneedling can actually help soften raised scars. However, clinical guidance around this is not well established yet. At SEV, we err on the side of caution and only treat indented scars.
If you have raised scars, consider speaking with your doctor or dermatologist about options.
Can Microneedling Treat Keloid Scars?
No. If you are prone to keloids, you should avoid microneedling altogether, whether for scars or other concerns.
Keloid scars are considered anabnormal wound healing responseas a result of overactive fibroblasts. There’s a risk that microneedling will trigger that response and worsen keloids.
Can Microneedling Treat Surgical Scars?
Yes, microneedling can treat surgical scars. These scars may require more microneedling treatments compared to small acne scars.
If you are looking to treat a surgical scar at SEV, please note that it must be at least 1 year old and all redness must be faded.
How Many Scar Microneedling Sessions Will I Need?
Treating scars with microneedling requires a minimum of 3-4 treatments, and often more. The exact number of sessions depends on the severity of your scars, your expected outcomes, and how frequently you come in for treatment
It’s important to have reasonable expectations when you start your treatment process.
Microneedling alone helps soften and fade scars, but getting rid of them completely may take months of consistent treatments, potentially in combination with other modalities like silicone scar sheets or laser resurfacing.
When Will I See Results?
The real magic of microneedling happens in the weeks after a treatment. Your microneedling sessions trigger the collagen induction process, and results start to show in the months after as the skin repairs and renews itself. In other words, you will start to see the results from each session about two weeks after the treatment, often with continued improvement in the months after your final session.
Before and After Microneedling
The results before and after a microneedling session are subtle. After about 3 or 4 sessions, they start to be more striking. Here are a few examples worth looking at — keep in mind that results will vary:
Can Microneedling Make Scars Worse?
In the short term, the skin can be a little inflamed and dry after a microneedling treatment. Scars may look a little worse, but it’stemporary.
Soon enough, your skin will jump into self-repair high gear, the side effects will diminish, and your skin will look smoother and plumper than normal.
In the long term, microneedling doesn’t make scars worse, as long as the treatment is carried out by a trained provider using an FDA-cleared device.
However, improper microneedling can end up damaging the skin in a way that potentially worsens scarring.
At-home microneedling or improper aftercare can lead to an infection that may cause scarring
Low-quality dermarollers can scratch the skin and cause the wrong kind of inflammation
To avoid worsened scarring, choose a reputable provider who uses FDA-cleared microneedling devices with instant retraction, likeSkinPen.
Bottom Line
Microneedling for scars is a well-researched and clinically proven treatment option. Whether you’re dealing with facial acne scars or a larger surgical scar, studies show that a series of 3-6 SkinPen treatments can visibly minimize them.
For your scar microneedling treatment, it’s important to choose a reputable clinic that uses FDA-cleared devices like SkinPen.
At SEV, you can get your first session of SkinPen microneedling for just $129 when you use the coupon code HELLORENEW. If you’d like to try it,book an appointmentat your nearest SEV location.
Share
https://sevlaser.com/blog/microneedling-for-scars/