Although, acne itself doesn’t always lead to scarring, the picking, scratching and squeezing of acne can cause permanent damage. The good news is that laser for acne scars is one treatment that can minimize their appearance.
Laser acne treatment works by directing a laser at the cause of acne. There are several different types of lasers, and each is designed to attack one specific acne trigger. No matter what type is used, you will have about the same experience during treatment.
Laser acne treatment is nearly painless, thanks to special anaesthetic gels, which will be applied to the skin beforehand. During the treatment, a laser beam is targeted at the skin. These lasers can be used anywhere you are prone to breakouts. Common treatment areas include the face, chest, and back.
The lasers used for laser acne treatment are each of a specific wavelength. These high intensity lasers produce heat under the surface of the skin. This heat is what stops the acne, although the exact process depends on the type of laser used.
Most laser treatments used to treat acne focus on the sebaceous glands, which produce the oil in your skin. Excess oil clogs your pores and causes breakouts. By directing intense heat at the glands, the treatment is able to shut down oil production.
This type of treatment works in much the same way as laser hair removal. However, instead of targeting the hair follicle, the sebaceous glands are targeted. When the laser enters the skin, it turns into pulses of heat, disabling the oil-producing glands that are responsible for acne.
Other types of laser treatments target the bacteria that cause acne. These use a blue light to kill the bacterial infection that causes acne, stopping the current breakout. This light is absorbed by the bacteria, which naturally occurs in the oil of the skin.
When the light is targeted at the bacteria, it is effectively deactivated. This strategy is often used in conjunction with the first type of laser treatment, which is more effective for stopping recurring breakouts. Blue light treatment is the type most commonly used for teenagers.
While these two types of lasers are the most commonly used strategies for fighting acne, there are other methods. Erbium (ER) lasers go through the skin to target water molecules. It is usually used on facial wrinkles, but can also be used on zits and other blemishes.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) lasers and Smooth beam Diode lasers emit bursts of high-energy lasers that vaporize the outer layer of skin. This process has been compared to the sanding of a tabletop to reveal a fresh smooth surface. These types of lasers are more often used to remove scars, but can also be used against zits and pimples.