Laser Treatment for Acne Scars- How Does It Work?

The laser treatment for acne scars basically works by using various wavelengths and different intensities depending on the situation to contour the existing scar tissue. The laser treatment for acne scars can also significantly reduce the surrounding red skin that occurs near acne lesions that have healed. A doctor decides on the type of laser he will use in the procedure based on the results you and your doctor are looking for. Your doctor can eliminate unwanted tissue with a carbon dioxide laser. Doctors have reported that for some people a single laser treatment for acne scars is all that is required to achieve the desired permanent results.

Ablative Lasers for Resurfacing

The use of an Ablative laser causes the removal of the outer layers of your skin and unwanted scar tissue is burned off and this action causes the dermal collagen to tighten which helps to reduce the visibility of the scar. The most common types of lasers used for laser resurfacing are erbium lasers and ultra pulsed carbon dioxide lasers. This type of laser treatment for acne scars causes exposure of unprotected skin so appropriate skin wound care must be used and you must be checking often for possible infections. The skin might actually stay red for about a year although sometimes the redness goes away after several months after a person had laser treatment for acne scars.

Non-Abrasive Lasers

These lasers make changes to the dermis and do not harm the epidermis during the procedure. A laser named smooth beam focuses on and heats up the sebaceous gland which helps a person reduce the amount of sebum and acne that is formed. This procedure heats the collagen which achieves the goal of tightening the dermis which results in having less visible scarring. They typically apply an anesthetic prior to the laser surgery and the skin surface is cooled down which helps to prevent the epidermis from being harmed by the laser. The patient might feel some stinging during the procedure but the anesthetic helps the patient tolerate the stinging sensation. The amount of time the procedure takes depends on the amount of scars the doctor has to work on but generally the procedure takes a little over an hour. Usually three laser sessions in a month are necessary.

Some doctors choose to use the N-Lite which is another non-abrasive laser. Its function is to stimulate collagen formation and usually the patient needs at least three treatments to receive satisfactory results. There are different procedures available for dealing with acne scars and using a laser treatment for acne scars is something you might want to consider. Please consult your doctor.