Laser Surgery for Treating Acne Scars
There are many treatment options available for removing acne scars. Laser surgery or laser resurfacing is one such treatment that is used for mild acne scars. It is also referred to as laser peel or laser dermabrasion. Laser surgery involves the use of high-energy beam to burn away the damaged skin and thus promoting new skin and collagen growth. Laser surgery removes the top layer of the skin. Laser surgery or treatment may last for several minutes or even hours depending on the size and frequency of the scars.
Laser surgery is a relatively new treatment used for reducing the acne scars. Laser surgery may result in uneven skin color, therefore it is not recommended for the people with dark skin or those with active acne. The high-energy beam destroys the excess oil producing glands (sebaceous) that are under the skin and also destroys any existing bacteria in these areas. The most common types of lasers used for laser surgery are carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium lasers.
Both carbon dioxide and erbium laser surgeries are performed using local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. It may also involve use of some orally or administered sedative medications. Depending upon your current physical condition and previous medical history, doctor decides which laser is best for you.
Carbon dioxide Laser Surgery
Carbon dioxide laser surgery involves the use of short-pulsed light energy or continuous light beams. These beams are delivered on the affected areas in a scanning pattern. This removes thin layers of the skin causing minimal heat damage to the surrounding tissues.
This laser treatment can also be used with conditions like birthmarks, wrinkles, skin cancer and rhinophyma. You can recover after 2 weeks after the treatment.
Erbium Laser Surgery
Erbium laser surgery may work for the people with dark skin. It also involves the use of short-pulsed light energy or continuous light beams to remove superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles. In comparison with carbon dioxide laser surgery it causes minimal burning of surrounding tissue. Recovery time is a less than the recovery time of carbon dioxide laser surgery, which may be one week in most of the cases.
After the laser surgery, swelling or redness may be observed in the laser treated areas. You may feel like you have mild sunburn. You may experience stinging or itching sensation for 12 to 72 hours after the laser surgery. This redness generally fades after 2-3 months but may also take 6 months in some of the cases.
Side Effects of Laser Surgery
As in case of other surgeries or treatments, laser surgery also has some side effects. They include:
- In rare cases, laser surgery may cause scarring in the laser-treated areas.
- Erbium laser surgery may cause some side effects like as swelling, bruising and redness.
- Hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation may occur in laser-treated areas. Hypopigmentation however occurs in rare cases.
- Small white bumps called milia may appear in the laser-treated areas during healing, which can be removed by gentle cleansing with a washcloth.
One problem with the laser treatment is that it is very expensive. The cost may depend on quality of the laser and experience of the laser provider. Also, you have to eliminate smoking for some days as it can have harmful effect on the healing process.