Microneedling for Acne Scars: What the Evidence Says

What the studies found

33 of 33articles in a 2020 systematic review reported better-looking acne scars (1)

414participants across 12 randomized trials in a 2022 meta-analysis (2)

60patients in each of two randomized peel comparisons (3, 4)

The 2022 meta-analysis found microneedling without radiofrequency favorable for scar improvement compared with other treatments, and most patient-satisfaction comparisons showed no significant difference. It reported no case of secondary scarring or infection, and the pooled result for darkening after inflammation favored microneedling (2).

Details matter. In a 60-patient comparison with a peel solution, the combination of both did best, followed by microneedling alone and then the peel alone. Boxcar scars improved most, and improvement was lower with older age and longer-standing scars (3). In 60 patients with darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick IV to VI), 73.33% of those who had microneedling gained more than one grade on a scarring scale, against 33.33% with a glycolic acid peel (4).

These are small studies. They show what happened in those groups, not what will happen to you.

What the FDA has cleared

Entries in the FDA databases, checked October 15, 2026
Entry	What it says
Device type	"Powered microneedle device," product code QAI, Class 2, regulation 21 CFR 878.4430: a device using needles to puncture and injure skin tissue for aesthetic use (8).
De Novo DEN160029, decision March 1, 2018	SkinPen Precision System, a prescription device. Indication: to improve the appearance of facial acne scars in adults aged 22 years or older (6).
510(k) K241400, decision August 29, 2024	SkinPen Precision Elite System. Indications: wrinkles of the neck (Fitzpatrick skin types II to IV) and facial acne scars in adults aged 22 and older of all Fitzpatrick types (7).

These entries describe devices used by professionals for stated uses. They are not an endorsement of a clinic, a kit or a serum. The FDA says it has not authorized any microneedling device for over-the-counter sale (9).

What a dermatologist may discuss

Acne scars rarely have one answer. Options include peels, lasers and combinations. In small studies some combinations did better than microneedling alone: with a peel in 60 patients (3) and with PRP or a peel in a split-face study of 24 volunteers (5). Other trials found no difference, so this is a conversation, not a rule.

Read the comparisons for peels, lasers and PRP.

When it may not make sense

Active acne or an infection in the area. The Cleveland Clinic lists acne, or medicine for acne, as a reason to talk to a provider first (11).
Pregnancy. Safety has not been established (10).
Raised or thickened scars. This page is about indented scars. Ask a dermatologist.
Expecting a full erasure. The FDA says it may not give the outcome you want and may take more than one procedure (9).

Common questions

Does microneedling work on all acne scars?

No. The studies we cite look mostly at indented (atrophic) scars, and response varies. In one 60-patient comparison, boxcar-type scars showed the best clinical improvement in all groups (3). Which type you have, and your skin, shape the plan, so ask a dermatologist.

Does the FDA clear microneedling devices for acne scars?

It has cleared some specific professional devices for this use, as prescription devices for adults aged 22 and older (6, 7). That is a device decision for a stated use, not a promise of results, and it says nothing about kits, serums or clinics.

Is it better than a peel or a laser?

Studies differ. In two randomized comparisons with peels, microneedling alone did better than the peel alone (3, 4). Against lasers, a review of needling and ablative fractional lasers in scars in general (atrophic and hypertrophic) found no significant difference in 60% of the studies it examined (12). See peels and lasers.

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