Boxcar acne scars are the wide, box-shaped depressions with sharp, defined edges that often show up on the cheeks and jawline. Unlike ice pick scars, which are narrow, boxcar scars span a larger diameter, casting visible shadows in low light and making them difficult to conceal with makeup.
What makes boxcar scars uniquely stubborn is the structure beneath them. The surrounding tissue is often pulled tight, anchoring the skin down. This means common surface-level treatments laser resurfacing, chemical peels, even microneedling typically fall short, since they only address the top layers of skin rather than the deeper scar tissue causing the depression.
Dermal fillers alone often underperform here too, since the tight scar tissue resists being lifted from below.
The most effective approach for true boxcar scarring is surgical: a precise ellipse excision that removes the scar tissue entirely, with the incision strategically placed along natural skin lines so it heals discreetly.
If you've tried lasers or peels with little to no improvement, it may be because your scars need a different category of treatment altogether.
boxcar acne scars