Atrophic Scar Treatment in Seoul: Subcision, Pico

An atrophic scar is a dent, not a mark. Acne, chickenpox or an injury destroyed collagen in the dermis, the wound healed short, and the surface now sits lower than the skin beside it. That is why no serum levels it out — there is nothing sitting on top to remove. Anything that works has to release the scar from below or rebuild collagen underneath it.

At Muse Clinic Myeongdong the tools we use for this are air subcision from ₩100,000 (excl. 10% VAT), Potenza needle radiofrequency from ₩159,000, Venus Viva nanofractional RF from ₩190,000, and Pico Focus from ₩100,000, all excluding VAT. Below is which one matches which kind of dent, what a course looks like, and what a visitor can realistically fit into one trip.

What an atrophic scar is, and the three shapes it comes in

Dermatologists sort depressed acne scars by the shape of the hole, because the shape decides the tool. Look at your face in a mirror with light coming from one side, not from the front — front lighting hides depth, which is why phone selfies make scars look better than they are.

• Ice pick: narrow and deep, like a pinprick. Narrow openings are the hardest group to change with surface lasers alone.
• Boxcar: round or oval with sharp vertical walls, often on the cheek. Softening the edges makes the shadow smaller.
• Rolling: wide and shallow with a soft sloping edge, tethered to the tissue underneath so the skin looks wavy.
• Mixed: the most common picture in my consultations — a few of each, plus enlarged pores and uneven texture.

One thing to separate out first: red or brown spots left after a breakout are not atrophic scars. They are flat, and they fade. If that is most of what you see, read the note on red acne marks and post-inflammatory erythema before booking a scar course — the treatment plan is different and usually cheaper.

Which treatment matches which atrophic scar

Air subcision — for rolling and tethered scars

High-pressure medical CO2 is injected into the skin so it forms an air pocket. That pocket separates the tethered floor of the scar from the tissue pulling it down, and the controlled injury sets off collagen production in the space. It is the option I choose when a dent flattens out slightly if you stretch the skin with two fingers — that means the scar is tied down rather than simply empty. Our list covers a partial area or the full face.

Potenza — for boxcar edges, texture and pores together

Microneedles pass through the surface and release radiofrequency energy in the dermis for an instant, so the top layer is largely spared while the layer that holds the scar is stimulated. Settings are matched to your skin rather than fixed, and most people go back to daily life straight after. It suits a face where scars, wide pores and dull texture all need work in the same session; combination options pair it with a skin booster or salmon PDRN injection so the needling channels are used for absorption.

Venus Viva — for deep depressed scars

Venus Viva is a nanofractional RF device: high-frequency columns pass from the epidermis into the dermis rather than heating only a needle tip. We use it on deeper, more stubborn dents and rough skin texture, and there is a Deep Depressed Scar Intensive package that runs it across four sessions together with air subcision and a PDNA ampoule, because those two attack the scar from different directions.

Pico Focus — for shallow scars and leftover redness

A focus lens concentrates the picosecond laser's 755nm wavelength into the skin to target pore and acne-scar texture. Its lens is FDA-approved for acne scar treatment, the session is quick, and there is little downtime, which is why it is the option visitors most often add mid-trip. It is also the one I pick when the complaint is shallow atrophy plus red acne scars rather than deep holes.

Atrophic scar treatment price in Seoul and what moves the number

Three things change your total: area (butterfly zone — cheeks and nose — versus full face), number of sessions (single versus a 3–5 session block), and what is combined in the same visit, such as a skin booster, an ampoule or a modeling pack. Every line below is the same list a Korean patient reads. Prices exclude 10% VAT.

If you live abroad and can only come once or twice a year, I would rather put your budget into fewer, stronger combination sessions than spread it thinly across single light ones. If you are in Seoul for a week, one subcision plus one laser session is a realistic start, and you continue the course on the next trip. The whole price list is public, so you can plan the full course before you fly.

What the visit looks like, and the honest timeline

A structured consultation with an interpreter comes first, then Dr. Sarang Lim plans and performs the treatment one to one. Numbing cream is applied where the session needs it — allow roughly an hour from preparation through aftercare when it does. Afterwards you get cooling, and usually LED or a modeling pack depending on the option.

1. 01Consultation under angled light; the dents are marked and sorted by shape.
2. 02Photos and a plan: which tool, how many sessions, what is realistic for your trip.
3. 03Numbing cream where required, then the treatment itself.
4. 04Cooling and soothing care before you leave.
5. 05Aftercare rules: sunscreen daily, no scrubs or acids for several days, no sauna that evening.

That last line matters. Depressed scars improve in depth and in how much shadow they throw; they are not erased. Results and how long they last vary from person to person, and skin that still breaks out will keep making new ones, which is why we treat active acne first. For general roughness without real dents, the note on textured skin treatment covers the lighter end of the menu.

Risks and the part worth hearing before you book

These are dermis-level treatments, which is exactly why they work and also why side effects are possible. I go through this list at every scar consultation.

• Redness, swelling and dryness for a few days — expected, not a complication.
• Bruising or a tender spot, most often after subcision.
• Temporary darkening after treatment, more likely on deeper skin tones and in strong sun; daily sunscreen lowers the risk.
• A breakout in the first week or two as the skin settles.
• Uneven improvement: ice pick scars usually respond less than rolling ones, and I say so before you pay for a package.

Why visitors book acne scar treatment at Muse Clinic Myeongdong

One price list. There is no separate foreigner menu; the number you pay is the number published on the site, excluding 10% VAT. Interpreters in the clinic — English, Japanese and Chinese, with other languages arranged on request — who stay with you from consultation through treatment. The head doctor consults and treats, so the person who marks your scars is the person who works on them.

Practical details for a trip: we are a one-minute walk from Myeongdong Station Exit 5 on Line 4, near Hoehyeon Station Exit 7 across from Shinsegae, on the 3rd floor of the Korea Daeyungak Tower — the building with a Twosome Place and Hana Bank at street level. Open Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday to Sunday 09:00–15:00, so a weekend scar session between shopping days is realistic.