Laser Treatment for Acne & Acne Scars: What You Need to Know
Acne is a common skin condition especially among teenagers. Hormonal changes during puberty produce excess testosterone that often stimulates over-production of oil in the skin.
Excess oil can build up in the pores and lead to the development of pimples or acne. If the pimples become infected they can become inflamed and painful. When this happens, laser treatment for acne can successfully remove acne and acne scars.
Laser Treatment for Acne
Laser stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. Laser treatment for acne makes use of a high intensity light source to penetrate skin tissue and destroy acne-causing bacteria quickly. Laser beams also destroy certain glands that secrete excess sebum or oil.
It may take 4 to 6 treatments over a period of two months to get rid of acne and improve the appearance of skin.
Laser Treatment for Acne Scars
Even after the disappearance of acne, you may still have a problem as acne often leaves disfiguring scars behind. Of course, this is part of the natural healing process but acne scars are ugly nonetheless.
Laser treatment or skin resurfacing is a very effective way to get rid of acne scars. There are two types of laser treatment for acne scars:
Ablative laser resurfacing smoothens skin scarring by removing the outer layer of skin. Carbon dioxide or ErYAG lasers are often used to accomplish this. In addition to burning away scar tissue, heat produced by the laser helps to tighten the skin and stimulate collagen production.
Non-ablative laser treatment is a milder, non-invasive treatment that uses yellow pulse dye laser and Smoothbeam lasers. The procedure heats the collagen in the skin and tightens the skin, making the scars less visible. Unlike ablative laser treatment, the outer skin layer is not affected. However, a topical anesthetic cream is applied before starting the treatment.
Effectiveness
Laser treatment for acne is effective in destroying bacteria that cause acne as well as glands that produce excess oil. However, its effectiveness depends to a great extent on the skill of the dermatologist or surgeon.
Laser surgery for acne and acne scar removal may also require several sessions to effectively deal with all the glands and bacteria involved and to smooth out the scars left by acne.
Risks and Drawbacks
Laser surgery always involves some surgical risks and has a number of drawbacks:
- Laser treatment for acne and acne scars involves the risk of burning and uneven appearance of the skin. This is often caused by inconsistent application of lasers.
- Laser treatment for acne scar removal can be expensive.
- Laser surgery is not a fast cure for acne and may not effectively address the underlying cause of the skin condition.
- This type of treatment for acne may not be suitable for everyone.
To find out if laser treatment for acne or laser surgery is a good option for you, consult an expert dermatologist and explore all possibilities before deciding on laser treatment to remove acne and acne scars.
No Guarantees
There are many home remedies for curing acne out there that work beautifully. And always remember, getting a laser treatment doesn’t mean that your acne can’t come back.
Acne is caused by something within you or outside of you, and a laser treatment cannot remove that, so you still have to learn how to take care of yourself.
Please do try out all natural options before you opt for any expensive treatment with possible side-effects.
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