Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 3 min read
Published 13 October 2026 · Reviewed by Dr Sin Yong
Ice-pick scar is the term for a narrow, deep, pit-like acne scar, usually under about 2 mm across, that tapers down into the dermis like the mark of an ice pick. Ice-pick scars are often mistaken for large pores. Resurfacing alone barely changes them because it polishes the skin around the pit, so they are treated focally: the treatment has to reach the floor of the tract, not just the surrounding surface.
Key facts
Shape
Narrow, deep, pit-like tract under about 2 mm across
Why resurfacing falls short
It remodels the surface around a pit but barely changes the depth of a narrow tract
Usually approached by
TCA CROSS placed into each scar floor; punch techniques for isolated deep scars are referred on
Skin types
Fitzpatrick III to V: temporary darkening around treated scars is the main risk
Where it fits
Ice-pick scars are the deepest and narrowest of the three atrophic acne scar shapes, and the one most often left behind after a course of resurfacing that improved everything else. Dr Sin Yong treats them at the base: TCA CROSS places a tiny amount of high-strength trichloroacetic acid into each scar floor to prompt the tract to rebuild from within, and fractional CO₂ then refines the surrounding texture, usually after the focal steps. The full account is on the ice pick scars treatment page, and the scar sits within the wider plan on the acne scar treatment guide. Active acne is controlled before any scar is treated.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, though they are often mistaken for them. An enlarged pore is a widened follicle opening; an ice-pick scar is a narrow tract of lost tissue that goes deeper into the dermis. Pore treatments do not change an ice-pick scar.
Rarely well. Resurfacing remodels the skin around a pit but barely changes the depth of a narrow tract. TCA CROSS treats the floor first; fractional CO₂ refines the surrounding skin afterwards.
