Reviewed by Dr Chloë Butler, founder of Skinfolk, October 2026.
The short answer. For acne scars you can feel, the dents and ridges left behind, Morpheus 8 is usually the first choice, because it carries radiofrequency energy through fine needles into the layer where the collagen was lost. Microneedling uses the needles alone and suits shallower texture. Both are offered at Skinfolk Ombersley and Skinfolk Barnt Green, both are planned as a course, and neither is used on acne that is still active.
Morpheus 8 and microneedling are often mentioned in the same breath, and for good reason: both work by making controlled channels in the skin so it lays down new collagen as it repairs. The difference is depth, and depth is what decides which one acne scarring needs.
First, is it scarring or marking?
The two look similar in a mirror and need different treatment. A flat red or brown patch left after a spot is a colour change. It is pigmentation, and it fades with time and the right routine. A dent or a ridge you can feel with your fingertips is scarring. The change is in the structure of the skin, and it does not fade on its own, because collagen was lost or laid down unevenly where the inflammation reached.
Most people have both, along with pores that look larger than they used to. That is why we look at the skin in side light at consultation: it shows texture that head on lighting hides.
How microneedling works
Microneedling passes fine needles into the skin at a set depth, making small controlled channels. The skin repairs them and lays down collagen as it does, which changes its texture and strength over a course. It is the lighter of the two treatments and the better starting point where the texture is shallow, the pores are the main concern, or the skin is not yet ready for Morpheus 8.
Those channels also carry what is put on the skin, which is how exosomes and polynucleotides are delivered. At Barnt Green either can be added to microneedling for £50.
How Morpheus 8 works
Morpheus 8 is radiofrequency microneedling. The needles make the same controlled channels, and radiofrequency energy is delivered through them into the deeper layer where collagen sits, so the skin is rebuilt from underneath rather than resurfaced on top. The depth and the energy are set for the area being treated. That reach is why it is the treatment we use first on acne scarring, and on firmness and texture more widely.
Side by side
- Best for: microneedling for shallow texture, pores and fine lines. Morpheus 8 for dents, ridges, scarring and loss of firmness.
- Appointment: microneedling 30 minutes. Morpheus 8 60 minutes.
- Price at Ombersley: microneedling £80 a session. Morpheus 8 £500.
- Price at Barnt Green: microneedling from £150, with a membership from £99 a month. Morpheus 8 £500.
- Afterwards: the skin is pink and warm with both, settling over a day or two after microneedling and over the following days after Morpheus 8.
At Ombersley, ALL-IN pairs Morpheus 8 with exosomes and LED light for £520.
Why active acne comes first
Both treatments work by creating a controlled injury so the skin rebuilds. Skin that is still breaking out needs calming, not that. So where the acne is active we settle it first, which is what our page on acne and teen acne covers, and then treat the scarring it left. Acne that is widespread or cystic is also a conversation to have with your doctor.
What makes scarring harder to treat
Picking is the big one, because it pushes inflammation deeper into the skin. Waiting is the second: pigmentation fades on its own, texture does not. Strong exfoliating acids on skin that is still inflamed thin the barrier and prolong the breakouts. And stopping a course halfway is the most common reason people see nothing, because collagen is rebuilt across appointments rather than in one.
What to expect from a course
Scarring is improved rather than erased. The new collagen forms over the weeks and months after each appointment, so the plan is made with the calendar in mind, and neither treatment is one to book in the few days before an event. How many sessions you need, and whether to start with microneedling or go straight to Morpheus 8, is agreed at consultation. Scarring that is deep or tethered may not lift with collagen treatment alone, and we will tell you if that is the case.
More detail is on our acne scarring page.
Where to have it
Skinfolk Ombersley, The Paddocks, Woodhall Lane, Ombersley, Uphampton, Droitwich WR9 0JR. Monday and Tuesday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 7pm, Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. Book online or call 07930 517202.
Skinfolk Barnt Green, 42 Hewell Lane, Barnt Green, Worcestershire B45 8NF, opening Monday 26 October 2026. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 5pm, closed Thursday. Book by WhatsApp on 07932 936569.
Questions we are asked
Is Morpheus 8 or microneedling better for acne scars?
For scars you can feel, dents and ridges, Morpheus 8 is the one we reach for first, because it delivers radiofrequency energy through the needles into the layer where collagen was lost. Microneedling is the lighter option for shallower texture or for skin not ready for Morpheus 8.
How much do they cost?
Morpheus 8 is £500 a session at both clinics. Microneedling is £80 for a single session at Ombersley and from £150 at Barnt Green, where exosomes or a polynucleotide infusion can be added for £50 each.
Can I have treatment while my acne is still active?
No. Both treatments work by making controlled injuries so the skin rebuilds, and that is not what inflamed skin needs. The acne is settled first, then the scarring is treated.
How many sessions will I need?
Both are planned as a course, because collagen is rebuilt across appointments rather than after one. How many you need is agreed at consultation.
Can acne scars be removed completely?
Scarring is improved rather than erased. How much change is possible depends on how deep and how old the scarring is, and we will tell you what we think at consultation.
Prices as published by Skinfolk in October 2026. All treatments are subject to consultation and suitability.
