Scar-Type Matching, Not Marketing
Acne Scar Treatment in Durango: Halo, Contour TRL, or Microneedling?
Rolling, boxcar, ice-pick, or just stubborn red marks. Different scars need different tools, and this page maps each type to what we actually own: Halo from $1,500, Contour TRL from $250 to $3,500, and microneedling with BENEV exosomes at $400.
The short answer
Match the tool to the scar, not the slogan.
Rolling scars and shallow texture usually start with a microneedling series ($400 per session with BENEV exosomes, typically 4 to 6 visits). Moderate boxcar and texture scarring is where Halo (from $1,500, hybrid fractional: 2940 nm ablative plus 1470 nm non-ablative) earns its price. Deep or ice-pick scarring points toward Deep Contour TRL ($3,000 to $3,500, tunable full-field Er:YAG), though energy alone may not fully flatten the deepest pits. Flat dark or red marks are not scars at all: those are color problems, and the color adjuncts are BBL HERO ($550 to $600) or Clear Silk + Glacial Rx ($350 per month). We do not offer CO2, ResurFX, or Morpheus8, and Dr. Brian Rike, DO matches the tool to your scars at consultation.
First, name the mark
Half of acne scar consultations start with a correction: what you are calling a scar may be a flat red or brown mark, which behaves completely differently. Here is the plain-English sorting we use.
- Rolling scars: shallow, wave-like dips with soft edges, caused by fibrous tethers pulling the skin down.
- Boxcar scars: broader depressions with sharper, defined edges and a flatter bottom, common on the cheeks.
- Ice-pick scars: narrow, deep punctate holes that narrow toward the base. The hardest scar type to change.
- Shallow texture: diffuse roughness and unevenness rather than distinct individual scars.
- PIH and red marks: flat discoloration left after acne heals. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (brown) or lingering redness. These are color, not texture.
The distinction matters because the tools do not overlap. Texture tools (needles, fractional lasers) change the skin's surface. Color tools (BBL, Clear Silk, Glacial) change what the surface looks like. Using a color laser on a true scar or a texture laser on a flat red mark spends your money on the wrong instrument.
Scar type to tool, mapped
All prices below are published on our price list. Downtime ranges are planning figures; settings and healing vary.
| Scar type | What it looks like | Our typical tool | Typical downtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling scars (shallow, wave-like dips) | Fibrous tethers pull the skin down into soft, sloped depressions | Microneedling series is the typical first line. Halo is the resurfacing step when texture needs more | MN: 24–48 hrs pink · Halo: 1–3 days |
| Boxcar scars (sharper-edged, flat-bottomed) | Broader depressions with defined edges, often on the cheeks | Microneedling for shallow boxcar. Halo for moderate depth. Deep Contour TRL for severe, sharp-edged scars | MN: 24–48 hrs · Halo: 1–3 days · Deep TRL: 7–10 days |
| Ice-pick scars (narrow, deep, punctate) | Small but deep holes that narrow toward the base | Deep Contour TRL thinking, or a combination plan. Energy alone may not fully flatten the deepest scars | Deep TRL: 7–10 days · combination varies |
| Shallow texture / overall roughness | Diffuse unevenness rather than distinct individual scars | Microneedling series or Micro Laser Peel ($750). Halo when you want more change per visit | MN: 24–48 hrs · Micro: 3–5 days · Halo: 1–3 days |
| PIH and red marks (flat, dark or pink) | Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or lingering redness. Flat, not depressed | Color adjuncts, not scar tools: BBL HERO (face 3-Step $550–$600) or Clear Silk + Glacial Rx ($350/mo) | BBL: usually same-day redness · Clear Silk: typically light |
Microneedling with BENEV exosomes: the entry rung
At $400 per session, microneedling with BENEV exosomes is the most accessible scar tool we own. It suits rolling scars, shallow boxcar scars, and diffuse texture, and for scarring we typically plan 4 to 6 sessions spaced several weeks apart. Downtime is modest: about 24 to 48 hours of pinkness. It is performed with the Rejuvapen NXT, and we will confirm exactly who holds the handpiece for your appointment when you book.
What microneedling does not do is reach deep individual pits. For genuinely deep scars, needles alone will disappoint, and an honest provider will say so. Full detail on our microneedling page.
Halo: the fractional middle
Halo is a hybrid fractional laser: each treated column receives 2940 nm ablative energy, which genuinely resurfaces, plus 1470 nm non-ablative energy, which heats gently to support collagen over the following months. It suits moderate boxcar scars and the kind of overall texture that a needle series alone has not finished. Downtime is often 1 to 3 days of bronzing and light peeling, sometimes longer with more aggressive settings. It starts at $1,500 per treatment, and our Halo page lists acne scars among its benefits.
If you are weighing Halo against deeper resurfacing, our Halo vs Contour TRL depth guide prices the whole ladder with honest downtime for each rung.
Contour TRL: depth when scars need it
Contour TRL is a tunable, full-field Er:YAG laser, and it is where scar work gets serious. The Nano Laser Peel ($250) is glow and maintenance, not a primary scar treatment. The Micro Laser Peel ($750) reaches shallower texture honestly. Deep Contour TRL ($3,000 to $3,500) is the tool our site specifically calls out for acne scars: real resurfacing depth for severe, sharp-edged, or ice-pick scarring, with downtime that typically runs 7 to 10 days.
Two honest caveats. First, Deep is not always required: moderate scars may be fully served by Micro or Halo with far less calendar cost. Second, for the deepest ice-pick scars, energy alone may not fully flatten them, and the realistic goal is meaningful improvement, sometimes staged, rather than a single perfect result. That is a promise about honesty, not a disclaimer about quality. Detail on our Contour TRL page.
Color marks are a different tool
If your mark is flat, brown, or red, it is not a scar and it does not need a needle or a resurfacing laser. For brown post-inflammatory marks, BBL HERO (face 3-Step, $550 to $600) is the workhorse. For lingering redness, the Clear Silk + Glacial Rx pairing at $350 per month calms and evens. These are adjuncts for color, not scar tools, and we will tell you plainly when one of them is all you need.
Many real plans combine both tracks: a laser or needle series for texture, plus a color adjunct for the marks the texture left behind. Dr. Rike sequences those at consultation so you are not paying for two tools that do the same job.
The decision map
- Flat brown or red marks only: start with color adjuncts (BBL HERO $550–$600, or Clear Silk + Glacial $350/mo). No needles needed.
- Rolling scars or shallow texture: microneedling series, $400 × typically 4–6 sessions, 24–48 hrs pink each visit.
- Moderate boxcar or texture that needles haven't finished: Halo from $1,500, 1–3 days of bronzing and peeling.
- Shallower texture wanting full-field evenness: Micro Laser Peel $750, 3–5 days.
- Severe, deep, or ice-pick scarring: Deep Contour TRL $3,000–$3,500, 7–10 days, improvement framed honestly.
- Mixed picture: most people. A sequenced plan, often texture first and color second, built at consultation.
Nobody needs every tool on this page. Most scar plans need one, well chosen, sometimes with a color adjunct alongside.
About other clinics' menus
Some clinics in Durango market resurfacing platforms we do not own, such as CO2, ResurFX, or other fractional and radiofrequency systems. Those are established technologies, and their menus can be a fine fit for some patients and some scars. This page is not a ranking. It maps the tools we actually have on our shelf, because that is the only comparison we can make from direct experience, and it is the honest scope of what we can promise you.
Durango altitude and healing aftercare
We sit over a mile above sea level. Our UV is strong even on cold days, and dry mountain air pulls moisture from healing skin. After any scar treatment, freshly treated skin is vulnerable to new pigment, so daily SPF, wide-brimmed hats, and shade are part of the treatment, not optional extras. Inside: gentle cleanser, the barrier ointment we send you home with, and nothing active until you are cleared. Fall and winter scheduling makes the longer recovery windows (especially Deep TRL's 7 to 10 days) easier to protect.
A practical tip for your consultation: take photos of your scars in raking light (light aimed low across your cheek from a window) rather than flat overhead light. Raking light shows depth honestly and helps you and Dr. Rike track real change over time.
Who treats acne scars here
Dr. Brian Rike, DO performs Halo, Contour TRL at every depth, Clear V, and BBL HERO Full 3-Step. Andrea Rike performs Clear Silk, Glacial Rx, Forever Young BBL, and BBL BARE. Microneedling is performed with the Rejuvapen NXT; we will confirm who holds the handpiece for your appointment when you book. Every scar-to-tool decision on this page is made by the provider who will treat you. New patients start with an aesthetics consultation; consultations are not complimentary, and a $25 deposit holds the appointment and applies toward treatment. See who performs each laser for the full breakdown.
Questions we hear about acne scars
What is the best laser for acne scars in Durango?
There is no single best laser, because scars differ. At R Med+Spa, shallow texture and rolling scars often start with microneedling with BENEV exosomes ($400 per session, usually 4 to 6 sessions). Moderate scarring that needs real resurfacing is often Halo (from $1,500), a hybrid fractional laser with 2940 nm ablative plus 1470 nm non-ablative energy. Severe, deep, or ice-pick scarring points toward Deep Contour TRL ($3,000 to $3,500), a tunable full-field Er:YAG laser. Dr. Brian Rike, DO matches the tool to the scar at consultation.
Do you offer CO2, ResurFX, or Morpheus8 for acne scars?
No. We do not offer CO2, ResurFX, AcuPulse, Morpheus8, Secret RF, Vbeam, or Harmony iPixel, and we will not pretend otherwise. Our scar-relevant tools are Halo, Contour TRL (Nano, Micro, and Deep), and microneedling with BENEV exosomes, with BBL HERO and Clear Silk + Glacial Rx as color adjuncts. Some Durango clinics market other resurfacing platforms; those menus can be a fine fit for the right patient, and this page simply maps the tools we actually own.
Can laser treatment fully remove ice-pick scars?
We do not promise full removal, and neither should any clinic. Ice-pick scars are narrow and deep, and energy alone may not fully flatten the deepest ones. Deep Contour TRL is the tool on our shelf with the most reach for this scar type, and sometimes the honest plan is a combination approach or staged improvement rather than one heroic visit. Improvement, not perfection, is the realistic framing for any scar type.
How many microneedling sessions for acne scars?
For scarring, we typically plan 4 to 6 sessions spaced several weeks apart, at $400 per session with BENEV exosomes. Expect about 24 to 48 hours of pinkness after each visit. Microneedling suits shallow, diffuse texture and rolling scars better than deep individual pits, and Dr. Rike will tell you at consultation when your scars need something deeper than needles.
Is the $250 Nano Laser Peel a scar treatment?
No. The Nano Laser Peel ($250) is a glow and maintenance treatment that lifts the outermost surface. It is a lovely refresher, but it does not reach the depth where scars live. For scar work on the Contour TRL platform, the relevant rungs are the Micro Laser Peel ($750) for shallower texture and Deep Contour TRL ($3,000 to $3,500) for significant scarring.
Who performs acne scar treatments at R Med+Spa?
Dr. Brian Rike, DO performs Halo, Contour TRL at every depth, and BBL HERO Full 3-Step. Andrea Rike performs Clear Silk and Glacial Rx. Microneedling is performed with the Rejuvapen NXT; we will confirm exactly who holds the handpiece for your appointment when you book. New patients start with an aesthetics consultation, and consultations are not complimentary: a $25 deposit holds the appointment and applies toward treatment.
How long is downtime after acne scar laser treatment?
Microneedling: about 24 to 48 hours of pinkness. Halo: often 1 to 3 days of bronzing and light peeling, sometimes longer with more aggressive settings. Deep Contour TRL: typically 7 to 10 days of real healing. Healing varies with settings, your skin, and your overall health, and we will give you a specific calendar at consultation rather than a brochure number.
Name the scar. Match the tool. Book the consult.
R Med+Spa, 679 E 2nd Ave Unit 1, Durango. Call (970) 501-0610 or book a consultation with Dr. Rike. Bring photos of your scars in raking light, and we will tell you which tool on our shelf fits, what it costs, and what the recovery really looks like.