Laser Treatment

Laser treatment for scarring can be very effective but it is probably the most expensive treatment method. For some types of scars one treatment is enough, but for others you may need up to 10 sessions.

Laser treatments for acne scars vary in the type of laser that is used. Some aim to smooth the skin, others are for reducing redness. Carbon dioxide laser treatment actually removes affected tissue. The stronger kinds of laser treatment can cause redness that may last for several months.

Dermabrasion And Chemical Peels

Dermabrasion is a technique performed by a plastic surgeon, sometimes in conjunction with a chemical peel. It removes the top layer of skin on the premise that the new skin underneath will be scar free.

The skin can take a long time to heal after this treatment and sometimes reacts badly to the process. Some people end off more badly scarred by the abrasion than they were by their acne. On darker skinned people it can cause pigmentation changes that will take a long time to fade. It is also very expensive.

Dermabrasion is very hard to control and can go wrong even in the most expert hands.

Microdermabrasion is a gentler technique that may be performed by a dermatologist or even a beauty parlor rather than a plastic surgeon. It is not so likely to cause new scars but will only be effective on scarring that was mild already.

Punch Grafts

This is a surgical treatment for pitted acne scars that involves removing the scarred area and inserting a graft, usually taken from behind the ear. Local anesthetic will be given. Removal is fast and even the placing of the graft does not take long. The treated area will be dressed for a week and then should steadily heal.

Punch grafts are sometimes used on deep scars before a chemical peel or dermabrasion is applied to make the area smoother.

This technique works best on deep but small ice-pick type scars. It is not so effective on large areas of scarring.

Collagen Injections

Collagen is a substance produced by the body when forming and repairing skin. It can be injected into scarred areas to help the process along. Think of it as being like Botox: it plumps out the flesh under the skin so the scar is hidden, but it is a temporary measure. Within 6 months the injected collagen will be reabsorbed by the body and if the scar has not healed by itself in that time, it will be visible again. You would then need another treatment.

It’s recommended to consult with a dermatologist to help you choose which treatment for deep acne scar is best for your condition.

Acne is rarely misdiagnosed, and is easy to analyze. It can leave lasting scars, which are more prevalent in forms of severe acne, while those left with milder forms of the condition are easier to treat.

One of the most successful treatment alternatives for treating acne scars is the use of lasers such as Erbium. Acne should be treated as early on in the course of the condition as possible, so as to prevent further scarring. This can also reduce the severity of the scarring.

One of the newest ways to treat active acne is with micro dermabrrasion using aluminium hydroxide crystals. These crystals abrate the skin, removing the top layers.  This   serves to remove excess debris associated with acne. This type of treatment is not necessary or recommended with milder forms of acne as it can be hard on the skin. However, this treatment has proven to be very effective in clearing up active acne.

This type of treatment is also used to clear acne on the back and chest. This can be useful since back and chest acne is often more dificult to treat than facial acne.

Treating acne scarring requires a series of treatments before obvious results are seen. Unfortunately, this treatment isn’t very effective in treating deep scarring caused by severe or pprolonged acne.

The drawbck of micro dermabrasion treatment is that it is operator dependent.  Over pealing the skin can lead to such side effects as hypopigmentation or scarring. So, in effect, if not done properly, the treatment you are using to clear up acne scarring could actually cause additional scarring.

Because of this, it is recommended it be done by a physician or qualified therapist who knows how to make it be effective without causing more damage to your skin.

Erbiuim laser treatment as a means of treating acne and the scars associated with it is painless, bloodless, gentle, and very effective.

The actual therapy is simple, fast, and accurate, and more severe scarring can be treated during several sittings if preferred.

Though the side effects of such lasting treatments are few, and may not happen, but they are still possible. It’s recommended to discuss this acne treatmet and its possible side effects with your doctor.

Pulsed and LHE (Light Heat Energy)

LHE can kill acne bacteria. LHE also tends to decrease sebum (the natural skin oil). Excess sebum production is considered one of the major factors encouraging acne development. This green light tends to shrink sebaceous glands.

The therapy is approved by the FDA for treating mild to moderately severe acne. Both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne can be reduced by two treatments per week over a period of one month. Drug-based treatments tend to take two or three months or longer.

Blue Light

The main effect is to kill the bacteria, but there is some effect on the skin oil. It can cause a slight dryness. The narrow band light contains a negligible amount of UV wavelengths.

Patients receive treatments twice per week over a period of about a month. It’s effective on forms other than more severe acne, such as those that produce nodules or cysts. The latter can actually be made worse with blue light treatment. Improvements ranged from complete remission to about 40% decrease in the number of lesions, in several studies. About two-thirds saw between a 59% to 67% reduction of inflammatory acne lesions.

ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid)

ALA is a compound applied to the skin. It doesn’t have any of the antibacterial properties of standard acne treatments like Accutane. It works by making the skin more sensitive to light, thus increasing the effectiveness of light treatment.

It’s kept on for 15 minutes to an hour, during which the patient receives blue or red light treatment. The jury is still out so numbers are sketchy, but early results suggest the treatment is safe and effective.

Lasers

Normal light contains waves that scatter in all directions. In the case of acne treatment lasers, one popular type produces waves of 1450 nm (nanometers, a billionth of a meter). This type is particularly safe and effective.

In one study, one treatment reduced acne lesions by nearly 40%. Two treatments decreased them by nearly 60% and with three the number rose to over 80%. There is some mild pain associated with the treatments, however, so a topical anesthetic is used during the procedure.