Let’s face it, we all want a nice complexion, but when acne leaves behind noticeable scarring, this can make us feel as if we’ll never have the attractive skin we really desire. Although treating acne scars in the past were difficult for dermatologists, with advancements in laser medicine, great improvements have been made and acne scars can now be effectively removed. There are several new types of lasers being used today to treat acne scarring, that unlike earlier laser treatments, which destroyed the skin and required long recovery times, are much gentler and require shorter downtimes. Because there are several laser treatments available today, knowing which type is the best laser treatment for acne scars can help if you’re seriously thinking about having your acne scars removed by laser.
Best Laser Treatment For Acne Scars
According to most dermatologists, the best skin laser treatment for acne scarring is fractional laser treatments. These treatments are non-invasive procedures that use high-energy microscopic light beams. The light beams cause the upper layer of skin to peel so a new layer is regenerated. These laser devices are called fractional lasers because they treat only a fraction of the skin, while leaving other areas of the skin untouched. The laser is targeted at a certain area of the skin and with thousands of microscopic laser beams, the deep layer of skin is treated, regenerating elastin and collagen, without damaging the surface skin. This promotes faster healing so downtimes are quicker, which allows you to get back to your normal activities faster.
The fast healing time is the main reason that this laser treatment is the preferred choice. Typically, fractional laser treatments take about 20 to 30 minutes. With an anesthetic cream applied before the procedure, most patients do not feel anything besides a slight warming sensation or a mild stinging. Following the treatment, the targeted area will be red for a few days and some peeling and scaling will also occur. Most patients require about three treatments for significant improvement of scars. Fractional laser treatments are a good choice for facial acne scarring if you have no active acne. Dermatologists do require patients to have their acne problems treated before using fractional lasers on them.
Although acne scarring commonly affects the face, many people also suffer from back acne scarring. The face and back are more susceptible to acne outbreaks because of so many extra oil glands produced there. The best laser treatment for acne scars on back areas are aimed at killing the bacteria that cause the acne from overactive sebaceous glands and removing the scars that have remained from prior acne outbreaks. Dermatologists often prefer to use Ablative or resurfacing laser treatments for back acne scars, which provide intense laser light bursts to heat and vaporize the scar tissue. The skin then heals by regenerating a new layer of surface skin. Ablative lasers include ErYAG and carbon dioxide lasers, which smooth the scars by removing the surface layer of the skin. Unlike fractional laser treatments that do not affect the outer layer of skin, ablative treatments are harsher, but are also more effective at destroying overactive oil glands and bacteria.
Learn more about how to get rid of acne scars.
Related posts:
