Laser Surgery For Acne Scar - Should You Use Laser Surgery to Get Rid of Your Acne Scarring?

By Cavyl Stewart

Using laser surgery for acne scar treatment has become popular within the last several years. As more and more people struggled with deep set scars that would not fade, they began to look for a more permanent solution to their problem. Laser surgery can reduce and even eliminate acne scarring, but it is not without its risks. This surgery can be a good alternative as a last resort, but there are many factors that you need to consider before making this important decision.

How does it Work?

Before you even think of using laser surgery for acne scar treatment, you need to understand how it works. In this procedure, a laser is used to deliver high intensity heat and energy to a specific location on the face. It removes the damaged skin one layer at a time, until there is an undamaged layer left on the surface.

The laser surgery procedure takes about an hour to perform, and has up to an 80% success rate for eliminating acne scars. This treatment can only be performed by a licensed doctor however, and does come with medical risks and slight discomfort as well.

Common Problems

There are some common problems that can come up when you are looking into using laser surgery for acne scar treatment. These problems are part of the reason why this procedure is considered a last resort for eliminating acne scars.

1. Only doctors can perform laser surgery, and unfortunately not all doctors are trained how to do it properly, or get enough practice. To ensure that you are receiving high quality service, you would want to opt for a specialist which can be more expensive.

2. As we just learned, to get the best results from laser surgery it needs to be performed by a dermatologist, which can be quite costly. The high cost of this treatment method is one of the reasons that it is less popular than the others. This is something you may want to consider before using laser surgery for acne scar treatment.

3. There are high risks involved when you treat acne with lasers. As with all other types of surgery there is always the chance that something can go wrong.

4. Laser s can also be painful, as can the healing process when you will often have bruising and tenderness. Other treatments such as natural creams and microdermabrasion could save you the pain.

5. Aside from the high cost and risks involved, this treatment does not always work out as well as you might have hoped.

There are several reasons why using laser surgery for acne scar treatment isn't always the best idea. However, if you have exhausted all of the other options, or if you have a very bad case of acne scarring, then laser surgery may be the only chance that you have of achieving smooth skin again. It is far more effective at smoothing out deep scars than other treatments, but for lighter damage you would be better off exploring other options first. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cavyl_Stewart

The Truth About Acne Scar Laser Treatment

By Tamsin Gray

Laser treatment for acne scars is a popular way of getting rid of acne scars even though it is a costly procedure. Before seeking acne scar treatment, you should be aware of the different types of treatment available and the possible risks involved.

Acne scar laser treatment uses a high-energy light beam to burn away layers of damaged skin tissue. By inhibiting the growth of bacteria and shrinking sebaceous oil glands, acne lesions can be successfully treated. This can be very effective for certain types of acne scars and can significantly improve the appearance of the skin but it isn't a magical cure that eradicates acne scars overnight.

There are two main types of lasers used in acne scar treatment, namely ablative (resurfacing) and non-ablative lasers. Ablative lasers burn away scar tissue by heating and removing the top skin tissue which stimulate the skin to tighten up, thereby rendering scars less visible.

This type of treatment is used to treat keloids or raised scars by flattening and reducing itchiness by preventing redness of skin. However, ablative laser resurfacing injures skin during treatment and skin may remain red for several months.

During the healing period, care has to be taken not to infect the wound. The procedure usually requires multiple treatments and results will only become apparent over a year after the last treatment. The patient has to endure several months of discomfort with sensitive skin and cover the red appearance with skin foundation.

Non-ablative laser treatment stimulates changes in the skin without injuring the epidermis. This kind of treatment works for less severe acne scarring. It works by heating the sebaceous gland to reduce sebum production and stimulates collagen to fill depressed areas. Non-ablative laser treatment is popular as it has few side effects and recovery is fast.

Laser treatment for acne scars can have varying success in results. Always consult your dermatologist who will conduct a full medical analysis based on your medical history, the condition and location of scars among other factors before deciding a suitable type of acne scar treatment.

Since treatment often requires multiple sessions, the cost can be quite high, running into several thousand dollars for the entire treatment period. Results also vary with each individual not only because the nature or severity of the acne scars differs for each person, but also that different people react differently to the treatment. Some who are lucky have skin that heals well while others may see little improvement or worse skin condition after treatment.

Expectations of perfect skin after treatment are unrealistic. Skin is very unlikely to heal to the point of original flawless skin. At best, acne scars are minimized and lightened to give an improved appearance. Perhaps the best remedy is to seek medical attention early before acne problems take root. This will reduce chances of permanent acne scarring which even acne scar laser treatment may not be able to get rid of satisfactorily. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tamsin_Gray

Acne Scar Reduction - 7 Facts About Laser Treatment

By Markus Giancola

Acne scars develop when you poke your pimple. They are also marks left by the immune system as it tries to heal the lesions. For treatment, you better be prepared to spend more than $3000. When you have scarring, you will feel stressful, and it will undermine your self- esteem. Therefore, acne scar reduction becomes your goal to restore your dignity.

Usually the scars will go away without treatment. However, severe acne can result in permanent scars. Reducing the scarring follows the similar method in removing fine lines and wrinkles. One of the most common treatment for wrinkles is laser resurfacing. With the seven facts about laser treatment, you can decide if you want to try this method or not.

1. Laser resurfacing removes acne scars by projecting a light beam on the damaged skin. It works like a dermabrasion. It removes the layer of the skin, revealing a fresh new tissue. This promotes the formation of collagen, filling scars from the inside out. Using this procedure, your new scar will become less noticeable with time.

2. Treating a limited area requires a local anesthesia. For a complete facial resurfacing, an anesthesiologist will tranquilize you with the administration of intravenous sedation. The surgical procedure may take from 15 minutes to one hour to complete but the recovery times take up to several months.

3. You may experience redness after the surgery. You should never touch it even you are tempted. The redness develops during the exposure of your skin exposes to powerful intensity of energy from the laser. It may take several months for the redness to subside.

4. Dermatologists prefer laser resurfacing to dermabrasion because it is more precise when it vaporizes the scarred area. In addition, no bleeding is occurred.

5. Fractional laser works differently than the conventional laser. It does not burn away the epidermis. Unlike dermabrasion and laser resurfacing, it works deep below the skin. Therefore, your healing will be faster.

6. Both of these methods come with a high price. However, the insurance usually does not cover the cost of these surgeries because they are cosmetic procedures.

7. If you have a darker skin complexion, it is better not to use this therapy. It can cause hyperpigmentation, or the loss of skin color. That is why you should discuss this matter with your dermatologist before you make any commitment. Your dermatologist can advise you whether laser treatment is suitable for you.

The removal of damaged surface of skin with laser therapy makes your skin smoother. Although this method costs a lot of money but it is an effective acne scar reduction. They work best against acne scarring and pigmentation problems but not deep, pitted scars.

You want to get rid rid of the acne scars but you don't want to spend so much money. Natural treatment for acne scars is now available. This is a lower cost option compare to laser therapy. Read more about Acnezine and discover how it can reduce and prevent acne scars. Find out how it can penetrate deep within your skin and promote healing for scarring. Get your life back today! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Giancola

Acne Scar Treatment - The Benefits of Using a Laser

By Dave Cahill

As technology has continued it's ever increasing march it has had a corresponding effect on all aspects of society its' effect on the treatment of acne scars is no exception.

Acne can be a terrible emotional and psychology scourge to those suffering from it but when acne finally goes away, many also have to live with the by-product of severe acne and that is the left over scarring. For some, the scarring is worse than the acne because the acne could be treated and would eventually go away but many scars last forever.

Scarring may never go away because acne scars are not on the surface of the skin but their roots are deep down in the skin. For those who decide to invest in skin treatment, acne laser treatment is becoming a more popular and viable solution. On the other hand, it can be a bit expensive but for those suffering from scars if it can help its money well spent.

One of the features that makes treating acne scars using a specialized laser is that results can be seen relatively quickly compared to lotions or ointments that can improve the skin but results are slow. In fact, because the results take such a long time and in many instances are not as effective treating acne scars via laser for some can actually be a less expensive alternative.

Only trained medical health care professionals should administer acne laser treatment so be sure to make sure any clinic you decide to use is fully qualified. The first step in the process of treating acne and acne scarring with lasers is to kill the bacteria that are causing the pimple outbreaks. The next step is to shrink the sebaceous glands, which produce the oil. This helps to ensure that future outbreaks are reduced or even completed stopped in some instances.

In addition to greatly reducing or even preventing acne, acne laser surgery can greatly reduce the appearance of scars. If scarring is bad it will take more than one session to reduce their appearance and it may not be possible to completely eliminate any signs of scarring but for those with light scarring one session can completely remove the scars for some.

Another nice aspect of treating acne with lasers is that there are no known side effects and while being treated there is little or no pain during the sessions which normally take less than an hour to complete. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Cahill

Acne Scar Co2 Laser Treatment

By Yvette Chau

The acne scar co2 laser treatment is performed with a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. It is considered state of the art technology for laser surgery and is revered by laser surgeons. Is ease of use and precision is unmatched. This laser treatment is best suited to atrophic scars or depressed scars that don’t have deep pits. More surface or facial scars respond well to the treatment.

Scars that have already been treated will be more difficult to treat with the CO2 laser. If you are on Accutane (isotretinoin, roaccutane) or have taken Accutane, you should stop it for at least 6 months before using the co2 laser treatment. Do not go on this treatment if you have a skin infection or inflammatory disease.

What is acne scar co2 laser treatment?

A laser beam passes through a carbon dioxide (CO2)gas-filled chamber and performs collagen remodeling. The laser removes one layer of skin at a time, which can eliminate more surface scars. The heat from the laser also makes the skin tight and smoothes out scars.

The surgeon may give you some intravenous anesthesia before the procedure.

How long does it take to see results?

You likely will see results at about 18 months. The best results occur when this type of laser resurfacing is used in combination with other treatments, like topical creams that help to speed the healing process. Laser treatment is great for getting rid of more shallow boxcar scars, reducing wrinkles, and smoothing out and tightening existing scars.

Does acne scar co2 laser treatment have disadvantages?

This method for acne scar treatment does have its downsides. For one, healing is painful and takes a long time. Some people experience redness for many months, while others experience changes in skin color. In darker skin, the acne scar co2 laser treatment can cause noticeable skin color changes.

Helpful healing tips after acne scar co2 laser treatment

Carbon dioxide or Er:YAG laser resurfacing of atrophic scars -Work with your dermatologist to find a topical cream to help your healing process along.

  • Use ice or a cooling mask if necessary. -Always keep your skin clean.
  • Make sure you see your surgeon or practitioner for follow-up.
  • Treat any side effects or complications right away. Alternative laser treatment – Erbium:YAG laser

The Erbium laser is not as harsh as the co2 laser. It produces less heat and therefore results in less redness and faster healing. However, it does not perform collagen remodeling as well as the co2 laser. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvette_Chau

Laser Acne Scar Treatment

By Marlon Dirk

Though there is a plethora of treatment options available for acne treatment, starting from oral medication to topical lotions and creams, but none of the treatments have been found to be effective in its removal for good. One of the reasons for this could be that there are different types of acne which require a different therapy regimen. For instance, oral antibiotics work wonderfully for inflammatory acne. These are the situations when we think of laser acne treatments.

One of the recent treatment options for acne and acne scars, laser treatment usually reduces the quantum of medication required to treat acne. While researchers have been trying to find more effective ways for treating acne and acne scars, laser treatment announced its presence some two years back and has since been used with a high degree of success.

Though laser treatments have been known for a long time now, it is only a couple of years ago did the doctors discovered its efficacy in acne treatment also. While before this laser treatments were used mainly for anti-aging purposes, doctors discovered that laser treatment was favorably received by many patients suffering from acne and acne scars.

Laser acne scar treatments are usually used in specific areas of treatment of acne and acne scars like reduction or removal of severe acne scars as well as in the treatment of active acne. This treatment modality has received wide-scale acceptance since its introduction a couple of years back. It is also used on teenagers when all other treatment options have failed while adults choose it as the treatment option with high degree of success.

Laser treatments for acne would normally reduce the quantum of bacteria invading the skin or shrink the oil producing glands. While both routes are successful in the treatment of acne, experts feel that shrinking the oil producing glands is the best approach for treating acne.

But how does the laser treatment work in treating acne? Depending on the choice of treatment approach, different sets of lasers and lights are used in the treatment. For instance, a laser emitting yellow light would be used if the doctor was trying to reduce or eliminate the bacteria which have caused the acne.

The yellow light then reacts with the prophorine, a substance found inside the acne causing bacteria to produce oxygen, which ultimately kills the bacterial. The yellow light also favors formation of collagen which prevents scarring caused by acne.

The laser treatment for acne is still in the initial stages of development and further research is ongoing on the matter. With the problem so widespread, researchers are getting duly motivated to further find the use of laser treatment for tackling acne.

As a result of the ongoing research, newer methods are being tested. Doctors are now using a potent combination of various types of laser lights and types of lasers to get the most out of the laser technology. Of course, the treatment options would largely depend on the patient's individual condition.

After years of research into the area, experts are finding that the laser acne scar treatment option is localized, secure and does not cause any systemic side effects. Thus the treatment option is gaining popularity and acceptance with every passing year. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marlon_Dirk