| Laser treatment for acne scars is a very | | | | are those most often used during laser |
| useful way of diminishing or getting rid of | | | | resurfacing. |
| any scars you were unlucky enough to get | | | | |
| through having acne. There are other | | | | When treating scars with laser treatment, |
| treatments for scarring including | | | | unprotected tissue is exposed and the skin is |
| dermabrasion, chemical peels, subcision, | | | | injured. Wound care is very important to |
| punch techniques and augmentation. Laser | | | | prevent infection and the skin might be |
| treatment is suitable if your scars are | | | | reddened for up to 12 months after the |
| relatively shallow rather than 'ice pick' | | | | treatment. |
| type scars. | | | | |
| | | | A non-ablative laser works differently. It |
| There are various kinds of scars which you | | | | will trigger changes within the dermis |
| might have if you have had acne. Ice pick | | | | without affecting the epidermis. The newest |
| scars usually occur on the cheeks and they | | | | FDA approved laser for this is Smoothbeam, |
| have steep sides and a jagged edge. They | | | | which targets the sebaceous gland and heats |
| cannot be stretched by pulling the skin and | | | | it which has the effect of reducing sebum and |
| might be shallow or deep. Depressed fibrotic | | | | the visibility of acne scarring. |
| scars are quite big. Ice pick scars might | | | | |
| turn into these. You might have soft scars | | | | Another type of laser is the yellow pulse dye |
| which can be deep or shallow. Atrophic | | | | laser. This is good for treating keliodal |
| macules can occur anywhere on the body where | | | | scars. It flattens them and controls |
| you have had acne. They are usually small on | | | | itchiness and redness. |
| the face but can be bigger on the body. On | | | | |
| your chest or back you might have follicular | | | | Laser treatments last between 5 and 20 |
| macular atrophy which are soft, small white | | | | minutes and should not be too uncomfortable. |
| lesions which look like undeveloped | | | | It usually takes just a few treatments before |
| whiteheads. | | | | results are noticed. |
| | | | |
| 95% of acne sufferers will have scars. Minor | | | | Laser treatment can cause skin discoloration |
| scars might be a mere annoyance but major | | | | in people with darker skin tones and is not |
| scarring can lead to embarrassment, | | | | guaranteed to work. It can also be expensive, |
| depression and emotional suffering. | | | | costing anything from $100 to $6000 depending |
| | | | on the extent of your scarring, which part of |
| Laser treatment is one option to treat | | | | the body it is on and how many treatments are |
| scarring. There are two categories of laser | | | | required. |
| used in this process. There are non-ablative | | | | |
| and resurfacing (ablative) lasers. An | | | | If you have scars and they are causing you |
| ablative laser will burn away scar tissue and | | | | depression or embarrassment, it might be |
| stimulate the dermal collagen to tighten. | | | | worth looking into laser treatment for acne |
| This reduces scar visibility. Ultrapulsed | | | | scars because it could make a great |
| carbon dioxide lasers and erbium YAG lasers | | | | difference to your life and outlook. |