Lasers have been around for just about 50 years now, and today laser technology is used in a whole host of health related applications: eye surgery, teeth whitening, hair removal, wrinkle removal,  gallbladder surgery, and the newest application -  acne treatment.

Acne treatments employing lasers first began around 2002 and  today there are two kinds of laser acne treatments.  In the first treatment, a single beam of light from the laser is used to actually kill the germs responsible for acne.  At the same time, it causes the glands that secrete oil  – the sebaceous glands – to shrink.  While the oil serves to nourish the skin, it also tends to promote acne.  Shrinking the oil glands works to decrease the frequency of acne outbreaks.

The second kind of treatment is known as laser skin resurfacing and is a procedure directed toward the scars caused by acne.  This treatment utilizes is a process in which an upper layer of your skin is actually burned away.  When the area heals, the result of the treatment is newer and nicer looking skin.  For many who are suffering from severe acne scarring, this has proven to be the best acne scar treatment available.

Do lasers provide the best acne treatment?  That is debatable, and many doctors and scientists are divided on the issue.  Clinical research studies have been inconclusive as well, with some studies concluding that laser treatments are very effective in significantly reducing acne, while other studies have concluded that they hold no real advantage over the best natural acne treatment.  Time will tell if it turns out to be the best treatment for acne.

The best approach if you are considering this type of treatment is to speak with your dermatologist.  He will determine the type and severity of acne that you have and whether or not it will respond to laser treatment.  Due to its cost, as well as several other considerations, laser acne treatment is generally reserved for the most severe cases that have not responded to other forms of treatment.  In those cases lasers tend to provide the best acne treatment.

Laser scar removal, also known as laser skin resurfacing, is a procedure that makes use of high energy light to vaporize the uppermost layers of skin that has been scarred by acne.  There have been significant advances in the technology that makes this type of treatment possible, and now precisely controlled levels of penetration of the skin by the laser are attainable. Using powerfully focused light from the laser, highly specific vaporization of skin tissue is achieved.  As the layers of skin are removed in this way, scars and blemishes disappear and the surface of the skin becomes smooth.  All of this makes  laser scar removal treatment one of the most effective acne treatments available today.

Laser scar removal has proven to be quite a blessing to chronic acne sufferers who have never experienced the desired results from any of the creams, lotions and other products or treatments they may have tried.  Usually satisfactory results are achieved in just one laser acne treatment, but occasionally several sittings are necessary.  The laser scar removal surgery itself doesn’t take too long;  generally an hour is all that is needed.

Despite the high laser scar removal cost, many consider it to be the best acne treatment available today.  For most people dramatic results are seen in just the first sitting, with as much as 60%-80% of scars visibly removed.  One drawback of this kind of laser acne treatment, however, is that there are longer recovery times when compared with other forms of treatment.  Recovery for this kind of treatment takes about 12-18 days, depending on the skin of the patient.  During that time there may be varying degrees of discomfort experienced, as well as some redness and swelling in the areas that have been treated.  For this reason the dermatologist will sometimes prescribe an antibiotic and a cream to be applied to the affected areas.

It is usually a good idea to follow some general precautions just before and just after laser acne treatment.  For example, try to avoid direct exposure to the sun.  If you need to be outside for any length of time, then use a sunscreen.  One with an SPF of 30 and above is recommended.  Also, avoid scratching and picking at the scars, as this will make your condition worse than it already is.  It is also a good idea to avoid swimming around the time of your treatment.  Following these common sense guidelines, and others recommended by your doctor, will increase the likelihood of you having a positive treatment experience.

One more thing.  Acne scar laser treatment is not inexpensive, as I alluded to before.  In fact, depending on the degree of scarring and the exact treatment option you select, laser scar removal prices can be as high as $1000 to $10,000.  Unfortunately, most health insurance plans do not cover this kind of laser scar removal.