Pros and Cons of Laser Treatment for Acne?
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Does acne bother you and make you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your skin? Are you tired of using different creams, lotions, and exfoliants that have not given you any results! Then Lasers are a great option for you that will not only treat but prevent the formation of mild-to-moderate acne at a doctor’s office; lasers have shown some promising results in treating severe acne (cysts/nodules).
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Pros and Cons of Laser Treatment for Acne
if you are considering laser treatment with lasers for acne scars, here are some reasons that might encourage you further:
- Dermabrasion used to be performed by manually removing the top layer of skin down to the level of the blood vessels. A lot of bleeding can happen during this. The outcomes of laser therapy were non-bleeding and had much fewer negative effects.
- Another benefit of laser acne scar therapy is that it works with the skin’s natural structure.
- Instead of harsh chemical peels, glycolic acid, punch excision, and surgical lasers that may cause permanent scarring, go for laser acne scar removal. Every one to two weeks, you may expect to have sitting of laser therapy.
- It is faster to use.
- A minimum of two or three days after the therapy is completed, the patient may return to their regular activities.
Even laser therapy has its own set of side effects; therefore, there is no such thing as a flawless treatment. you may observe some of these drawbacks:
- Removing a scar requires a lot of sessions.
- Laser therapy may not be effective on all skin types.
- Because of the increased melanin in darker skin, the laser light designed for hemoglobin absorption is ineffective on that skin type. Sometimes the skin may burn, exposing the raw wound. The regrown skin is paler, resulting in an unflattering contrast between the two parties’ complexions.
- With dark skin, laser therapy causes keloids, which are strong scars. Keloids are notoriously difficult to cure, and lasers have little effect.
- The use of a laser with a high level of intensity may have serious adverse effects, including burning, swelling, cyst formation, and dilated blood vessels.
- Blood spotting may occur in the treated acne scars, and it will take approximately a week to recover.
- Unreliable and infrequent laser therapy may result in various adverse reactions, including dermatitis, acne, cysts, and sagging skin.
- However, since it takes at least three sessions to see the desired results, it is more expensive than other therapies.
Types of lasers and lights used to treat acne.
Some severe forms of acne-like Acne cysts and nodules cannot be treated with a single laser or light therapy. They are all interconnected and must be treated as a whole.Â
Acne is treated with a variety of lasers and light treatments. Let’s explore what various lasers and lights can and cannot cure.
- Blue, red, and blue + red light devices:Â These gadgets, which employ visible light to cure pimples, are named that because you can see the hues. Whiteheads, acne cysts, and nodules cannot be removed using visible light.
- Infrared light: The FDA has allowed using this form of light to treat pimples on the back. Unfortunately, blackheads, whiteheads, cysts, and nodules can’t be treated with infrared light.
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT): Acne-prone skin is treated with a solution that increases the skin’s sensitivity to light during PDT. For 15 minutes to 3 hours, the solution must be left on the skin. The skin is then treated with a dermatologist’s laser or other light equipment.
- Severe acne patients may benefit from PDT treatment. PDT, administered by a dermatologist, helped some acne cyst sufferers stay clean for years.
- Photo pneumatic therapy:Â The IPL laser is used with a mild vacuum to provide this therapy. It works by clearing blocked pores of oil and dead skin cells. The FDA licenses it to treat blackheads, whiteheads, and a few pimple-like growths on the body. Acne nodules and cysts are inaccessible to this treatment.
How it works
We can say that lasers are the magical beams to help you get away with your acne scars. Yes, you heard it right! Here is why :
Acne scar laser therapy has two major effects. First, the laser uses heat to eliminate the top layer of skin above the scar. Peeling away the outermost layer of your scar makes the scar less obvious since your skin seems smoother and more even.
Heat and light from the laser tear up scar tissue, stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin cells. The laser’s heat draws blood to the region, and the blood vessels in the scar are targeted, which reduces inflammation.
As a result, scars seem smaller since they are less elevated and red. In addition, it aids in skin repair.
Conclusion
Laser therapy is a quick and easy approach to minimize acne scars. Perhaps you may require a few sessions of laser therapy to get smooth and healthy skin, but isn’t it something worth waiting for! Nonetheless, This therapy assures you flawless skin.
Consultation with a board-certified dermatologist is the initial step. Contact us if you have concerns about your acne scars.
FAQs
Q1. Does acne come back after laser treatment?
Laser therapy isn’t the end of acne. If you expect this therapy may clear your acne completely, your dermatologist specialist may refuse you as a patient due to your high expectations. Laser acne treatments help but never perfect the skin.
Q2. Laser treatment for acne is good or bad?
There’s bad, there’s bad, but there is no ugly! Laser resurfacing is often misunderstood as only safe for light skin. While some lasers might cause cell damage or discoloration in darker skin, other safe and effective solutions are available. Erbium lasers are less likely to cause discoloration in lighter-toned African American, Hispanic, or Asian skin tones. Patients with darker brown or black skin may need to explore radiofrequency or micro-needling.