Acne is a skin condition that unfortunately can affect anyone at any time in life.
Since acne is common among so many people, many treatments have been developed to attempt to prevent acne and treat the scars that it leaves. Laser treatments have proven to be a highly effective and minimally invasive way to remove acne scars, but there are many different types of laser therapy.
The truth is that the best laser for acne scars is going to be dependent on a number of factors, including the type of acne scars the patient has. Scar removal will usually require multiple sessions, around four to six, no matter which type of laser is utilized.
Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment
Carbon dioxide laser therapy is potentially the best laser for acne scars currently. Many specialists recommend carbon dioxide lasers first and most frequently because they consistently provide significant improvement for clients with a variety of acne scars. These lasers are not considered harsh and the recovery time usually ranges from three to ten days depending on the client and the intensity of the treatment session. Carbon dioxide lasers work by emitting short bursts of high-energy laser. The short bursts allow the laser to penetrate a layer at a time into the scar, which will remove it over time. These lasers are considered ablative, meaning that they actually cause some of the layers of the skin to die and then reform. For this reason, carbon dioxide lasers may not be necessary in the case of mild scarring. However, ablative laser treatments generally provide better results.
Fraxel Laser Treatment
Fraxel laser treatment is considered a non-ablative option, which means that the laser heats up the skin layers to promote collagen production without killing any of the tissue. It is important to note that fraxel laser treatment can be used for a number of conditions, including discoloration, wrinkles, and acne scarring. There are two different wavelengths with these lasers, which are 1927 and 1550. The 1550 wavelength is the one that is utilized in the treatment of acne scars. The recovery time for fraxel laser treatment is typically shorter than the recovery time for carbon dioxide lasers because it is less invasive and less skin tissue has to recover. However, the results are also not as strong so the client and clinician should discuss if this treatment will be aggressive enough to provide the results that the client wants. Since this treatment has many applications and a short recovery time, some clinicians consider it to be the best laser for acne scars.
Pixelation Treatment
Pixelation is a relatively new type of laser treatment that is being applied to acne scars. It is not typically considered as effective as carbon dioxide laser treatment but offers a number of advantages so, over time, it may come to be considered the best laser for acne scars. Pixelation involves the application of several very small lasers to very specific regions. The main advantage is that the depth that the lasers penetrate can be easily adjusted, as can the strength of the pulse. This means that if some areas are more scarred than others, they can be treated more aggressively. Meanwhile, more minor scars can be treated with less-intense lasers, which will preserve layers of skin and reduce the recovery time for the patient.
