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[L73]Laser For Acne Scarring

by Rebecca Prescott, Reb

Acne is a condition that can affect people of all ages and both sexes, and can develop as a result of a variety of factors, such as hormones, outside factors, or stress levels. The condition results from an excess production of oils in the skin and the combination of trapped oil and bacteria in the follicle of the skin, which causes inflammation. Acne can affect different areas of the body too, from the face to the back or the chest. There are different types of treatment available for acne sufferers, and the type that is most suitable will depend on a number of factors such as your age and circumstances and the severity of your acne.

One type of acne treatment that has seen a rise in popularity over recent years is laser acne surgery, which can help to reduce acne as well as scarring. Laser acne treatment can be used as an additional treatment to regular acne medications or as an alternative depending on your circumstances and the severity of the acne. Those that have successful laser acne treatment often find that there is no need or very little need to use other treatments afterwards, such as ointments, creams, etc.

With laser treatment it is possible to reduce both the acne itself and the scarring that stems from it. Treatment with lasers is a non-invasive type of surgery, and in some cases dramatic improvement can be seen after just a few sessions. For many, this is a fast, effective, and painless way to deal with acne and associated scarring, and can reduce both the discomfort and embarrassment that often accompanies this skin condition.

How laser acne treatment works

There are a couple of different lasers that can be used with this treatment, and in order to decide which laser is best suited to you it is necessary for experts at the clinic where you have the surgery to assess your skin - this will help to determine the laser which will most likely have the best effect. Depending on the method that is used, laser acne surgery can work by reducing and controlling bacterial growth, or by controlling oil secretions through the reduction of the size of the sebaceous glands.

Laser acne treatment can be used alongside other acne treatments depending on the type of treatment you are using, and the advice of medical staff. It can also be used with other types of treatments such as microdermabrasion - again, based upon medical advice and need. You will find that the number of laser treatments that are required before any significant improvement is seen depends on the severity of the acne and how well it responds. How often you need to have these treatments will also depend on the frequency and severity of flare ups.

This is a very quick method of treatment, and typically a session of laser acne treatment takes as little as half an hour to complete.

Have you decided to invest in a laser procedure to remove acne scarring? What do you expect to get for your cash- a completely new look? You should because these services aren't cheap. No matter what your aims for laser skin corrections are, by using medical reviews of leading laser treatments for acne scarring, you can have a clearer idea of what to expect after your laser treatment.

Most appraisals of the effectiveness of laser skin enhancements are two-sided because both the patients and study-independent physicians typically access the level improvement in acne marks.

While these post-treatment assessments are not standardized, they still offer a glimpse into the potential cosmetic outcomes from using laser treatments. Besides cosmetic changes in the skin, another variable that you'll need to add to your review of laser treatments is the overall number of treatments required to see dramatic changes in the skin.

What follows is a rundown of what to anticipate from four different laser procedures for treating acne scarring along with estimates of how many treatment you will need.

Laser 1

1,064-nm Nd:YAG pulsed light system Marketed names include PhotoSilk Laser

Last year, a study in Dermatologic Surgery tested the efficacy of the 1,064-nm Nd:YAG laser at removing acne scars. Nine patients underwent eight treatments for moderate to severe acne scarring. Three independent physicians assessed the overall improvement level of acne scarring severity for the group at 29.36%.

Treatments: 8 Improvement rating: 29.36%

Laser 2

1,320-nm Nd:YAG Marketed names include CoolTouch Laser

An investigation from the same journal featured eight patients with facial acne scars. The group received eight treatments with the 1,320-nm Nd:YAG laser. After five treatments, independent observes assessed the overall acne scarring improvement rate between 40-60 %.

Treatments: 5 Improvement rating: 40-60%

Laser 3

1,450-nm diode laser Marketed names include Smoothbeam Laser

In a split test comparison between the 1,450-nm laser and 1,320-nm laser at treating mild to moderate atrophic (indented, or lost skin tissue) acne scarring, the 1,450-nm laser demonstrated greater improvement in acne scarring.

Laser 4

1,550-nm erbium-doped fiber laser Marketed names include Fraxel Laser

Just this past March, a study in Dermatologic Surgery tested the 1,550-nm erbium-doped fiber laser on fifty-three patients with mild to moderate atrophic facial acne scars. After three treatments, two independent reviewers judged a 51-75% improvement in the scarring of 90% of the study participants.

Treatments: 3 Improvement rating: 51-75%

Remember, these ratings are based on the improvement levels patients coping with mild to severe acne scarring experienced after various laser treatments. As Dr. Rohrer explained, it is difficult to predict what your skin will look like after a laser treatment for acne scarring because many of the patient assessments during the studies were based on opinions of before and after photos.

To reduce the uncertainty surrounding laser correction of acne scars, ask your laser surgeon for before and after images of laser cosmetic procedures she has performed in the past months. Then judge the overall acne scarring improvement level for yourself.

Sources:

Alster, Tina; Elizabeth L Tanzi & Melissa Lazarus. The Use of Fractional Laser Photothermolysis for the Treatment of Atrophic Scars. Dermatologic Surgery; March 2007, vol 33, no 3, pp 295-299.

Lipper, Graeme M & Maritza Perez. Nonablative Acne Scar Reduction after a Series of Treatments with a Short-Pulsed 1,064-nm Neodymium:YAG Laser. Dermatologic Surgery; August 2006, vol 32, no 8, pp 998-1006.

Rohrer, Thomas E. Ethics in Cosmetic Laser Treatments. Skin and Allergy News; May 2007, vol 38, no 5, pp 14-15.

Sadick NS & AK Schecter. A Preliminary Study of Utilization of the 1320-nm Nd:YAG Laser for the Treatment of Acne Scarring. Dermatologic Surgery; July 2004, vol 30, no 7, pp 995-1000.

Tanzi, Elizabeth L & Tina S Alster. Comparison of a 1450-nm Diode Laser and a 1320-nm Nd:YAG Laser in the Treatment of Atrophic Facial Scars: A Prospective Clinical and Histologic Study. Dermatologic Surgery; February 2004, vol 30, no 2, pp 152-157.

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About Author

Both Rebecca Prescott & Naweko Nicole Dial are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Rebecca Prescott has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Yoga Practice and Woman Menopause. You can read more about these high frequency, here. Or for rosacea sufferers, read about. Rebecca Prescott's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.

Naweko Nicole Dial has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Finances and Acne Treatment. Naweko Nicole Dial San-Joyz pioneered the acne trigger approach to naturally controlling acne in her internationally published book, "Acne Messages". San-Joyz continues to serve the acne patients by developing customized. Naweko Nicole Dial's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.