Scars on the buttocks are common and can result from acne, folliculitis, friction, stretch marks, or surgery. Most respond well to treatment, though the best approach depends on the type of scar you’re dealing with. Completely erasing a scar isn’t always realistic, but significant fading and smoothing is achievable with the right combination of at-home care and professional treatments.
What Type of Scar You’re Dealing With
Before choosing a treatment, it helps to identify what kind of scar you have. The buttocks are prone to several types because of constant pressure, friction, and sweat exposure.
Indented (atrophic) scars look like small pits or depressions in the skin. They form when the skin loses collagen during healing, which happens in 80 to 90 percent of acne scarring cases. These can appear as narrow ice-pick holes, wider boxcar depressions, or gentle rolling dips under the surface.
Raised (hypertrophic) scars are firm, thickened areas where the body produced too much collagen during repair. They stay within the boundaries of the original wound. Keloid scars, which grow beyond the wound’s edges, are less common but more stubborn to treat.
Dark marks (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) aren’t true scars but flat, discolored patches left behind after acne, ingrown hairs, or friction irritation. They’re especially common in darker skin tones. These are the easiest to treat and often fade on their own over several months, though targeted treatment speeds that up considerably.
Stretch marks are a form of scarring where the skin stretched faster than its collagen could keep up, leaving behind streaks that start red or purple and eventually turn white or silver.
At-Home Treatments That Work
Silicone Gel or Sheets
Silicone is the most evidence-backed at-home scar treatment available. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that topical silicone gel significantly reduced scar pigmentation, height, and stiffness compared to no treatment, with the strongest effects seen at six to eight months of consistent use. Silicone works by hydrating the scar tissue and regulating collagen production. You can buy silicone sheets or gel tubes over the counter. For buttock scars, gel is often more practical than sheets since sitting and movement can shift adhesive patches out of place. Apply it twice daily to clean skin.
Retinol and Vitamin C
Retinol (a form of vitamin A) speeds up skin cell turnover, which helps fade discoloration and gradually smooths texture. It’s particularly useful for dark marks and mild atrophic scarring. Start with a lower-strength product and work up, since the buttock skin can still become irritated. Vitamin C serums help brighten hyperpigmentation by inhibiting melanin production. Both ingredients work best as part of a consistent routine over weeks to months, not as overnight fixes.
Exfoliating Acids
Glycolic acid and salicylic acid body washes or lotions help remove dead skin cells that keep scars looking dull and textured. Glycolic acid penetrates the surface to encourage fresh skin cell growth, while salicylic acid works inside pores, making it a better choice if your scars are tied to acne or folliculitis. Products containing 2 to 10 percent concentrations are widely available for body use. Apply them consistently for at least six to eight weeks before judging results.
Professional Procedures
When at-home products aren’t enough, dermatologists and cosmetic practitioners offer several options. The right procedure depends on whether your scars are indented, raised, discolored, or a combination.
Fractional Laser Resurfacing
Fractional CO2 lasers create tiny columns of controlled damage in the skin, triggering the body to rebuild collagen in those areas. This is one of the most effective treatments for textured scars, including pitted acne scars and stretch marks. Most people need two to four sessions spaced about a month apart. The average cost of a laser skin resurfacing session is around $1,829, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, though prices vary based on the size of the treatment area and your location. Insurance rarely covers cosmetic scar treatment, but many practices offer financing.
Microneedling and Radiofrequency Microneedling
Standard microneedling uses fine needles to puncture the skin’s surface, triggering a healing response that produces new collagen and elastin over the following weeks. Radiofrequency (RF) microneedling adds heat energy beneath the surface, which causes existing collagen fibers to contract and tighten while also stimulating new collagen and elastin production. In one study of stretch mark treatment with RF, 87.5 percent of participants noticed visible improvement, with statistically significant reductions in both the length and width of stretch marks at one month post-treatment. The buttocks respond well to this approach because the skin there is thick enough to tolerate the deeper needle penetration that RF devices use. Expect three to five sessions for meaningful results.
Subcision and Fillers for Pitted Scars
For deep, tethered scars that create noticeable indentations, subcision is a procedure where a needle or small blade is inserted beneath the scar to release the fibrous bands pulling the skin downward. On its own, subcision shows clinical improvement in about 67 percent of patients. When combined with a filler injected beneath the released scar, results jump significantly. One study found that hyaluronic acid filler after subcision improved 94 percent of treated scars, with results maintained at follow-ups ranging from one to 19 months. This combination is particularly effective for isolated deep scars rather than widespread textured scarring.
Chemical Peels
Medium-depth chemical peels using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or higher-concentration glycolic acid can improve both texture and pigmentation. For buttock skin, which is thicker than facial skin, dermatologists often use stronger concentrations than they would on the face. Peels are especially useful for dark marks and shallow scarring. A series of three to six treatments, spaced two to four weeks apart, is typical.
How Long Scars Take to Mature
Understanding the healing timeline helps set realistic expectations. After any skin injury, the inflammatory phase lasts several days, followed by a rebuilding phase that continues for several weeks. The final remodeling phase, where collagen reorganizes and the scar gradually softens and fades, starts around week three and can continue for up to 12 months.
This means a scar that’s less than a year old is still actively changing. Starting treatment early, especially with silicone gel, can influence how the scar matures. But if your scars are older than a year, they’re not going to improve much on their own, and that’s when active treatment becomes more important.
Preventing New Scars From Forming
The buttocks are especially prone to folliculitis and boils because of constant friction, pressure from sitting, and sweat. Preventing these breakouts is the most effective way to avoid new scarring.
A benzoyl peroxide wash (2 to 10 percent) used in the shower helps kill the bacteria responsible for folliculitis. Let it sit on the skin for a minute or two before rinsing. Wear breathable, moisture-wicking underwear, and change out of sweaty clothing promptly after exercise. Avoid sitting on hard surfaces for extended periods without shifting your weight, and skip tight clothing that traps heat against the skin.
If you’re prone to ingrown hairs on your buttocks, gentle exfoliation with a salicylic acid body wash two to three times per week helps keep follicles clear. Resist the urge to pick at bumps or squeeze pimples in this area. The inflammation from squeezing dramatically increases the chance of a lasting scar or dark mark, especially on darker skin tones where post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is already more likely.
Realistic Expectations for Results
No treatment will make a scar completely invisible. The goal is to reduce its visibility enough that it blends with the surrounding skin. For dark marks alone, most people see significant fading within three to six months using topical treatments. For textured scars, professional procedures typically improve the appearance by 50 to 70 percent over a series of sessions, with continued improvement for months after the last treatment as collagen remodeling continues.
Combining approaches tends to produce the best outcomes. Using silicone gel and a retinol product at home between professional laser or microneedling sessions, for example, gives you both the surface-level fading and the deeper collagen rebuilding that meaningful scar improvement requires. Your dermatologist can help sequence treatments based on your specific scar types and skin tone, since some procedures carry a higher risk of causing new pigmentation changes in darker skin.