Laser acne treatment methods have greatly improved in recent years. This is great news to chronic acne sufferers who have long agonized over the problem of how to get rid of acne. Those who have struggled with severe or chronic acne for any period of time invariably find themselves dealing with a lingering problem long after their acne is no longer active: scarring. In many cases, though, acne scar removal is possible. While there are several procedures available, this post will discuss just one – Laser scar removal.
Laser scar removal, also known as laser skin resurfacing, is a procedure that makes use of high energy light to vaporize the uppermost layers of skin that has been scarred by acne. There have been significant advances in the technology that makes this type of treatment possible, and now precisely controlled levels of penetration of the skin by the laser are attainable. Using powerfully focused light from the laser, highly specific vaporization of skin tissue is achieved. As the layers of skin are removed in this way, scars and blemishes disappear and the surface of the skin becomes smooth. All of this makes laser scar removal treatment one of the most effective acne treatments available today.
Laser scar removal has proven to be quite a blessing to chronic acne sufferers who have never experienced the desired results from any of the creams, lotions and other products or treatments they may have tried. Usually satisfactory results are achieved in just one laser acne treatment, but occasionally several sittings are necessary. The laser scar removal surgery itself doesn’t take too long; generally an hour is all that is needed.
Despite the high laser scar removal cost, many consider it to be the best acne treatment available today. For most people dramatic results are seen in just the first sitting, with as much as 60%-80% of scars visibly removed. One drawback of this kind of laser acne treatment, however, is that there are longer recovery times when compared with other forms of treatment. Recovery for this kind of treatment takes about 12-18 days, depending on the skin of the patient. During that time there may be varying degrees of discomfort experienced, as well as some redness and swelling in the areas that have been treated. For this reason the dermatologist will sometimes prescribe an antibiotic and a cream to be applied to the affected areas.
It is usually a good idea to follow some general precautions just before and just after laser acne treatment. For example, try to avoid direct exposure to the sun. If you need to be outside for any length of time, then use a sunscreen. One with an SPF of 30 and above is recommended. Also, avoid scratching and picking at the scars, as this will make your condition worse than it already is. It is also a good idea to avoid swimming around the time of your treatment. Following these common sense guidelines, and others recommended by your doctor, will increase the likelihood of you having a positive treatment experience.
One more thing. Acne scar laser treatment is not inexpensive, as I alluded to before. In fact, depending on the degree of scarring and the exact treatment option you select, laser scar removal prices can be as high as $1000 to $10,000. Unfortunately, most health insurance plans do not cover this kind of laser scar removal.
