Types Of Laser Treatments For Acne: Pros And Cons

Treating Acne With Ablative And Non-ablative Lasers

Although there are many different ways to treat acne, many traditional acne treatments are harsh on your skin and have numerous side effects. However, experimentation with different techniques are yielding positive results and providing much safer and natural ways to deal with acne and acne scars. At the forefront of these more gentle acne treatments are light and laser therapy.

It has been found that specialized lights and lasers can have a positive impact on acne and can even remove acne scars in some cases. There are now a variety of lights and lasers that can be used in different situations to treat acne depending on a person's skin type and the severity of their acne. However, there is some kind of laser or light therapy for nearly anyone, regardless of how severe their acne is or where it is located: on the face, on the back, or even the scalp and hairline.

Although laser beams are a type of light ray, there are some distinct differences between light and laser treatments, and even drastic differences between various laser treatments. One thing that should be noted is that since light and laser treatments do not necessarily include any kind of medications or traditional medicine, there are no restrictions on who can professionally apply laser treatments. This means you do not need a license, certification, or training to operate laser or light treatments. As with other acne treatments, each treatment carries certain risks, although some are more serious than others.

Laser Treatments

There are two types of laser treatments, ablative and non-ablative. Both of these laser treatments are becoming very popular because of their effectiveness in eradicating acne, as well as removing acne scars, age lines, wrinkles, and discolorations. As would be expected, the more extreme treatment yields quicker and more permanent results, but there is a risk of side effects.

Ablative lasers are the oldest type of laser used to treat acne. The ablative laser rids skin of acne in two different ways. First, the laser heats the sebatious glands beneath the skin. The heat applied to the sebatious glands causes them to shrink and produce much less oil, which means that your pores do not clog as easily. However, ablative lasers also remove the epidermis, which is the outermost layer of your skin. The epidermis is essentially burned off or 'vaporized' as many websites say. Removing the outer layer of skin destroys skin that is marked with acne scars and causes collegen growth, which replaces skin damaged by acne scars with clear, smooth skin.

Although this treatment only takes one session, patients will find that their face is red and very sensitive for a number of weeks, which is a direct result of the outer layer of skin being burned off. The skin that replaces it is normally free from noticeable flaws, but it takes several weeks for this skin to grow and heal, leaving patients discomforted and with red marks on their face until healing is complete.

Using an ablative laser to treat acne is very much like removing a tattoo. Vaporizing the epidermis essentially allows your skin a blank slate so that it can grow back naturally without any scar tissue or formations. The drawback of using ablative lasers is that it takes a long time to heal completely and it is possible to vaporize too much with the laser. In some cases, laser operators can make the laser too intense or hold it in one place too long and cause permanent scarring.

Non-ablative lasers, on the other hand, produce similar results, but are much milder. Like ablative lasers, non-ablative lasers also shrink and impair the functions of the sebaceous glands so that they will not get clogged as easily and produce pimples. However non-ablative lasers have no effect on the outer layer of your skin. Because your epidermis is not burned off, non-ablative lasers do not leave patients with embarrassing red marks on their face. Non-ablative lasers also stimulate collagen growth, so acne scars can be removed without vaporizing your skin. However, because non-ablative lasers are not as harsh, they do require more than one treatment session. For non-ablative lasers, it may be necessary to receive treatment every two weeks.

If you do decide to pursue laser therapy to deal with your acne, it is necessary to make sure that the person running the laser is qualified and knows what they are doing. Because you do not need a license or certification to purchase or operate a laser therapy system, some operators will be more reliable than others. For any laser treatment, going to a dermatologist will likely yield much better results than someone who doesn't have a lot of experience treating acne, especially concerning the use of lasers. Laser treatments can be very effective in treating acne, but if used incorrectly, permanent scarring can result