Lasers as a acne treatment

Lasers as a acne treatment

Lasers have also become a popular acne treatment recently. Not only can lasers treat acne, they can also remove acne scarring. However, because these lasers are currently unregulated, anyone can purchase and legally use these lasers. The danger is that an inexperienced practitioner may overexpose a patient to the laser, causing permanent damage. There are two types of lasers, ablative and non-ablative. Ablative lasers are the oldest and strongest variety, and they essentially vaporize the outer layer of skin, much like removing a tattoo. When this outer layer of skin grows back, acne scars and wrinkles are greatly reduced.
The extreme heat produced by ablative lasers cause your oil glands to shrink, which prevents breakouts. Because your skin is burned off, acne treatment from ablative lasers will make your face red and sore for several weeks. Non-ablative lasers are newer and gentler than older lasers. Non-ablative lasers also shrink the oil glands, but since they do not vaporize your skin, there is usually no soreness or visible side effects. Non-ablative lasers also promote collagen growth, so they also remove acne scarring. Because non-ablative lasers are less harsh, they will require more than one treatment session, while an ablative laser treatment consists of only one session.