A "hole" in the skin after a pimple is actually an atrophic acne scar, a depression or indentation caused by tissue loss during the healing of a severe blemish, resulting from inflammation and damage to deeper skin layers, leading to insufficient collagen production, and can appear as sharp (ice pick), wide (boxcar), or wavy (rolling) indentations.
The scarring occurs primarily when the body's natural healing response is disrupted—i.e. a pimple is popped—leading to abnormal collagen production and tissue repair that results in pitted or raised scarring, long-lasting redness (also known as post-inflammatory erythema or PIE), or dark spots (also known as post- ...
Acne scars, including deep pimple holes on the face, can be frustrating to deal with, but effective treatments are available. From microneedling to chemical peels and dermal fillers, there are multiple treatment options to improve skin texture and reduce the holes on the face.
Severe acne can cause acne scars (often atrophic scars) during the healing process. These often appear as depression or indent resulting from inflammatory damage to the deeper layers of the skin. The result is often an uneven skin tone with small crater-like indents where a spot, like a pimple, once existed.
Boxcar scars will not heal on their own. However, they may fade over time. Treatment for boxcar scars can reduce their appearance. Sometimes, though, very deep boxcar scars remain visible even after treatment.
What's the best treatment for acne scars?
These skin indentations can result from traumatic, acne, surgical, or chickenpox scars. While some scars may undergo some level of fading, atrophic scars are particularly stubborn and don't resolve over time.
Laser skin resurfacing can effectively get rid of holes on the face due to acne and improve your skin texture. Dermatologists use a fractionated laser to create minor wounds, prompting a healing response in the skin.
While the disorder has become extremely uncommon with the development of antibiotics, it still carries a very small chance to develop a high risk of death, and needs to be treated aggressively with antibiotics and blood thinners.
Even if you don't pick, squeeze or pop your pimples, acne can still leave behind some discoloration or a light scar. Good news: This usually fades over time, though it can take months. Some forms of acne can leave behind permanent scars.
Most of the time, those reddish or brownish acne marks that are left behind after pimples clear up will fade with no need for treatment. Picking or squeezing acne can increase the risk for scarring, though. Acne scars take two forms: scars with a gradual dip or depression (sometimes called "rolling" scars)
The appearance of these scars is often worsened by the normal effects of aging. A number of options are available for the treatment of acne scarring, including chemical peeling, dermabrasion, ablative or nonablative laser resurfacing, dermal fillers, and surgical techniques such as subcision or punch excision.
And if you do (one in five people with acne will also have scarring), the good news is that not all acne scars are permanent! Treatments are available. Some treatments nearly remove the scars while others help the skin heal itself with its own collagen.
Previously Popped Pimple
If you squeezed a whitehead, but it wasn't fully removed, it can become inflamed again. It's also possible for another pimple to appear next to it because the area got irritated and exposed to bacteria.
Key facts. Molluscum contagiosum is a skin condition that is common in children but can occur at any age. It is caused by a virus that gives you pimple-like spots with a dimple in the middle.
The body's immune system responds by sending white blood cells to the affected area, resulting in redness, swelling, and the formation of pus. Over time, the pimple may either burst, allowing the pus to drain out, or it may resolve on its own as the inflammatory response subsides.
Acne fulminans is the rarest but also the most severe form of acne. Unlike other forms of acne which are chronic, acne fulminans is an acute form of the disease. Acne fulminans appears abruptly, mainly in boys during adolescence.
Popping pimples in the triangle of death on your face can be dangerous. It increases the risk of a severe infection that may reach your brain or bloodstream. Popping pimples generally worsens acne, so avoid touching your face and consult a dermatologist.
Pimples refill after popping because you often don't remove all the pus and debris, pushing some deeper, while the inflammation continues, and the pore wall itself can be damaged, allowing oil (sebum) and dead cells to collect again, leading to recurrence in the same spot. Popping also creates an opening for bacteria, causing more inflammation and new pimples nearby.
On the other hand, bumps caused by STDs, like herpes sores or genital warts, are often accompanied by pain, itching, or changes in appearance, and they tend to appear near the vulva, vagina, and anus.
Your body can gradually break down pus and reabsorb its components. That's why small accumulations of pus (like in a pimple) often don't need treatment.
Korean acne scar treatments blend advanced clinical procedures like targeted lasers (Dermablate, Fraxel), RF microneedling (Venus Viva), and acoustic subcision (CureJet) with K-beauty skincare emphasizing barrier repair, hydration, and anti-inflammatory ingredients (snail mucin, Centella, niacinamide) to prevent scarring and treat existing marks, focusing on reducing inflammation and promoting skin regeneration for smoother texture and even tone. Prevention with daily sunscreen and consistent routines is key.
After the two-year mark, it's unlikely your scar will fade anymore. Scarring is a natural part of the healing process following tissue damage.
There are certain in-office treatments that dermatologists offer that can help reduce the appearance of both raised and depressed scars over time, including laser resurfacing, microneedling and injectable fillers. Most of these treatments cause a controlled tissue injury that helps the body heal itself, says Rahman.