Laser Treatment on Acne Scars

by Isobel Washington

Overview

Acne scars are unique to other visible scars in the skin, as acne scars are typically depressions rather than raised textural irregularities. Although acne scars were once difficult to treat, laser treatment now offers an effective solution for reducing their appearance.
Features

Laser treatment involves the use of precision technique with guided laser beams, emitted from a hand-held or overhead device, that employ heat, energy and/or light to treat the affected skin areas. Plastic surgeons, dermatologists or trained physicians are the legitimate sources of treatment.

Types

The optimal type of laser treatment depends on the skin condition. Ablative lasers (which burn surface skin tissue), such as CO2 and Er:YAG, are used to treat deep acne scars. The pulsed dye laser (PDL) uses yellow light to treat redness. Profractional and Fraxel treatments resurface the skin in small areas, where it is needed (versus resurfacing the entire skin surface).
How It Works

Although laser treatment approaches differ, the treatment of acne scars typically involves the use of high-energy lasers to target and destroy the abnormal skin cells in a "controllable wound" process, which, with healing, restores the area with new, healthy skin cells.
Procedure

The length of laser treatment sessions depends on the type of laser used and the patient's skin condition, and may range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Some laser treatment types, such as Fraxel, require multiple treatment sessions over an extended period of time.
Recovery

Most laser treatment types have little to no downtime, and patients can leave the session to return to normal activities. Recovery and side effects vary, but are most intense with ablative laser resurfacing, after which the skin is red, bruised, slightly burnt and swollen for up to a week.
Complications

Complications vary by laser type, but may include scabbing, blistering, infection, and hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or hypopigmentation (light spots) of the treated area (the dark or light spots are more likely in dark-skinned patients).

Overview