Before You Take Action on any Laser Treatment

You’ve lived with your acne scars long enough, and want to do something about them. But before you take any major action, such as laser treatment, read on to demystify the world of laser technology. There are many options available, but which ones are good? Or most importantly, which laser acne scar treatment suits you?

Fortunately with today’s laser technology, you can be sure that the entire laser procedure isn’t all pain and destruction. In fact, the healing time is faster, even though some procedures might require you to go back for further treatment or topical touch-ups. You do want to keep in mind, nevertheless, that the laser beam may still damage some skin pigments, so it’s best to understand the entire acne laser treatment itself, and leave the procedure up to certified doctors or dermatologists. Yes, check their credentials. And yes, that also means stay away from non-physicians performing the laser procedure in shopping malls or day spas. You also want to find out from the doctor or dermatologist what kind of laser technology he/she is using, and if the technology is not, say 10 years old.

Laser-zappin’ Acne Scar Treatments Available Today

In general, the laser treatments used to eliminate acne scars are essentially the same treatment for other skin problems also, using laser resurfacing technology. Laser resurfacing works by removing the scarred, top layer of the skin. By doing this, new skin – smoother skin – and collagen (main protein of connective tissue found in bone, cartilage, skin, and tendons) will grow in its place, and eventually smooth out the acne scar. Additionally, laser resurfacing is considered a safer, less invasive procedure than deep chemical peels or dermabrasion (described in non-laser acne scar treatment ). Laser resurfacing is often combined with one or several other treatments for acne scars. This approach consistently gives better results when compared to other acne treatments.

There are basically two types of acne laser treatments today, non-ablative and ablative skin resurfacing treatments.

Non-ablative skin resurfacing (non-invasive, aka no skin cutting)

Ablate literally means to remove by melting, vaporization, erosion, etc. (Don’t mean to scare you, that’s just a literal translation.)

From the definition itself, you can probably figure out that non-ablative skin resurfacing is a gentler alternative to ablative laser treatments. Non-ablative treatments can accommodate almost all skin types and all skin colors with no complications, and patients will only have the “weekend” recovery down time.

This type of acne laser treatment uses the laser heat to penetrate into the skin to stimulate collagen production which corrects the wrinkles underneath the skin. So your skin remains intact. Remodeling of the collagen under the skin’s surface takes about 6 months or so. Generally, this type of treatment consists of 3-5 procedures, spread out from two to four weeks apart. Results should become apparent after the second treatment and should continue to improve thereafter.

Most commonly used laser technology for this treatment is the Fraxel (re:store) laser and Smoothbeam laser.

Ablative skin resurfacing (more invasive, aka skin removed)

Remember that to ablate literally means to remove by some sort of melting or vaporizing method.

So compared to the non-ablative skin resurfacing treatment, the ablative treatment is of course more invasive. The laser used in this treatment generates high energy beams that directly vaporize the damaged skin tissue without harming the surrounding areas. Because the skin has been ablated, new skin and collagen will produce to grow new skin and eventually smooth out the scar. Be aware though that ablative skin resurfacing may pose some side effects for some skin types and skin color. You should consult with your doctor or dermatologist first.

Due to the high laser beam used in ablative skin resurfacing, this kind of acne laser treatment generally requires only one visit. The down side though is that that the recovery time will be longer, generally taking 4-7 days or longer.

Variations of this type of treatment include the two household lasers known as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Er:YAG (Erbium). CO2 is the most aggressive, while Erbium is milder with shorter laser pulses and has less risky post recovery period. The newest technology that uses the CO2 method is called the Fraxle re:pair, not to be confused with the original non-ablative Fraxel re:store laser.

Alternatives to Laser Acne Scar Treatments

There are also various non-laser treatments to eliminate acne scars. Find out more details in non-laser acne scar treatment .

Best Acne Scar Treatment for You

You are now well-informed on the various types of laser acne scar treatments, and may have even taken a preference as to which one may suit you. Regardless, in the best interest of your health, you should discuss with a doctor or dermatologist the best possible acne treatment before proceeding. Remember, this is a serious consideration not to be taken lightly. And avoid non-certified laser centers in the mall. (At least remember this – Just stick to your shopping.) Good luck!