How well does this work for acne scars? | Laser scars

How well does this work for acne scars?

The biggest advantage of laser treatment for acne scars is the absence of slightly infected, bloody wounds that would occur during dermabrasion treatments. Treatment with the CO2/Fraxel laser, on the other hand, is non-invasive, so no incisions are necessary. The scar bulges become flatter, more lightly pigmented and generally more inconspicuous.

But the main disadvantage of laser treatments for acne is that one treatment is not sufficient to remove the scars completely. In addition, more heavily pigmented skin types react very poorly to the treatment than light skin types. This is due to the fact that melanin absorbs part of the light energy that is used to heat hemoglobin.

As a result, less energy is available for the destruction of hemoglobin and the scar tissue cannot flake off well and be replaced by new healthy skin. There would also be a loss of pigment as new skin grows. Furthermore, dark skin tends to form keloids (hard scars).

These in turn require more laser treatments than lighter skin, which would be expensive in the long run and also put more strain on the skin. In addition, the sensitivity of each skin type must be taken into account before considering laser therapy. The more sensitive the skin is, the lower the success rate of the treatment.

How much does it cost?

The costs of laser treatment differ depending on the type of treatment, the size of the area to be treated and the effort involved in the treatment. In addition, there are the costs individually determined by the treating physician. However, it can be assumed that costs of more than 200 Euro per session will be incurred. In addition, a complete treatment can start at around 1,500 euros and, depending on the extent, the costs can also exceed a range of 4,000 euros.

Are there different lasers?

There are different laser systems that are used depending on the type of treatment. Thus, ablative lasers remove the upper layers of the skin, as they have a very low penetration depth. CO2 and erbium-yag lasers, for example, belong to this laser system.The CO2 and fractional CO2 lasers are mainly used for the removal and correction of scars.

Erbium-Yag lasers are further subdivided into thermal, ablative and fractionated Erb-YAG lasers, whereby the ablative form is primarily suitable for scar removal. In addition, there are also non-ablative laser systems that generate light beams in a very narrow wavelength range. The tissue is heated in a controlled manner, which stimulates collagen production in the body.

Collagen is the skin’s most important fibrous protein and gives it a high degree of stability, giving the skin a more youthful appearance. This laser system includes the IPL 560nm/intensively pulsed light and the fractional, non-ablative diode laser. Both types of laser are mainly used for wrinkle treatment and the treatment of scars and acne.