subject: Acne Scar Treatment [print this page] Having acne scars can often be unsightly and disfiguring to a person's ego. Acne Scar Laser Treatment can totally change a person's life. In the past, doctors often used a procedure called dermabrasion which involved removing the top layer of the skin by sanding it off. This was quite painful and left the skin raw. New, unscarred skin would often grow back months after this procedure was done. Today there are newer types of remedies for removing acne scars.
In the past, removing acne scars was a difficult process. The introduction of new laser techniques was exciting news to the medical community. When using the laser treatment, the doctor has exact control and the patient will usually not even bleed.
To remove acne scars using the laser method, the surgeon uses a laser that looks like a wand. It has a hand-piece attached to the wand that the surgeon uses to burn off the scars. Brand new skin cells then replace old scars. The procedure is very precise and the surgeon only lasers the scarred skin and not the surrounding skin. Facial skin is very fragile so the surgeon must be very skilled.
There are two types of laser used for acne scar removal. The first type of laser treatment is called the Erbium laser. This uses an energy that produces a very precise wavelength and penetrates the skin.
The next type of acne scar laser treatment is the CO2 laser, which is a recent development in laser surgery circles. It works by emitting short bursts of high-energy, highly focused laser light that takes off the skin tissue one layer at a time leaving new skin. Medical complications are rare for this type of laser treatment.
Acne scar treatment causes the oil production glands to shrink. When the glands are shrunk they produce less oil which will cause fewer acne outbreaks. Acne scar laser treatment usually takes between fifteen minutes to one hour to finish. There is usually no pain and the patient can go back to their normal routine afterward.
Surgeons who provide scar treatments are highly qualified and must have skill at recreating the skin to look as though the acne scars never existed.