Is Laser Treatment Good For Acne Scar Removal?
Whether you are a teenager or adult, acne does not discriminate. It can happen to anybody even to those who take good care of their skin like you. This unwanted condition can’t be associated exactly to a certain cause but hormonal changes usually play a major role in many acne patients.
While acne can be treated, most of the time, marks and scars are left behind, particularly with moderate to severe breakouts. Fortunately, improvements in the laser technology provide great opportunity in the field of cosmetics industry, giving birth to laser treatment.
This form of cosmetic treatment has been proven to help reduce skin blemishes and improve appearance. But the thing is, you may be asking, is laser treatment good for acne scar removal as well?
Since lasers are not as common as your facial cleanser or any topical treatment, a piece of doubt is understandable as to how effective this treatment can be to remove your acne scars. One thing for sure is that this technology can do so much but the effects can vary from one patient to another.
So, take a step back from all the confusion and learn the most important things there is to know about laser treatment for acne scar removal. This will help you make an informed decision if you are considering to try this treatment on your skin.
4 Fundamental Things To Know About Laser Treatment For Acne Scar Removal
#1. Lasers vary and are optimized for specific skin problems
No single type of laser can treat all skin issues and is applicable to all patients. They come in different varieties to effectively deal with specific skin problem. In particular, fractional lasers are used to treat only a fraction or part of the skin that’s damaged by acne scarring. They can be ablative or non-ablative and can also treat a number of age-related skin blemishes.
CO2 lasers, another type of laser treatment, are usually ablative and are used to deal with deeper skin flaws like wrinkles, warts, and of course, acne scars. On the other hand, pulsed-dye lasers are non-ablative that are utilized to absorb pigments to reduce hyperpigmentation, redness and broken capillaries.
There are other laser types to consider and an acne specialist can help determine which one will work best for your acne scarring.
#2. Reaction to laser treatment can be affected by some medications or medical conditions
While laser treatment for acne scar removal is proven to be effective by scientific studies, it’s not for everybody to take on without any caution. So, always be honest about your medical history to your laser treatment specialist as well as the medications you may be taking currently.
Some over-the-counter products may impede with the effects of the procedure. Other drugs can even increase the risk of post-procedure bleeding, while chronic conditions like diabetes may impact the results of the treatment. In case you’re smoking, it’s best to quit it weeks before and after undergoing laser treatment procedure to prevent any complications and achieve optimal results.
#3. Laser treatment for acne scar removal may or may not get hurt
Perhaps you have heard scary rumors about lasers that they can be painful. The feeling you can experience during the actual procedure of acne scar removal treatment depends on the type of laser used, the intensity of your scar, and even your level of pain tolerance.
Non-ablative laser treatment (laser penetrating the skin but don’t remove the outer layer) cause no pain and can be tender on your skin while some can be a little painful but application of a topical numbing cream will offset the discomfort. On the contrary, deeper ablative treatment (laser removing some outer layers of skin) may need intravenous sedation or local anesthetic injections to make you comfortable during the procedure.
#4. The result of your laser acne scar removal treatment largely depends on who does it
The big question of whether laser treatment is good for acne scar removal heavily relies on who performs the procedure. In the hands of untrained or inexperienced individuals, laser treatment won’t only be ineffective but dangerous. So, choose very carefully a specialist who is highly trained, experienced, and fully qualified to do the job. Don’t be fooled by attractive deals but decide wisely to achieve the result you want in improving the appearance of your skin and your overall look.
If you want to learn more about laser treatment to remove your acne scar, you can make individual consultation with an acne specialist before booking an appointment. Only then you can discuss what’s the best type of laser treatment that will work perfectly for you.