Acne scarring - Lasers | Broadway, Sydney
Acne scars come in a variety of shapes, sizes and degrees of severity. Different scar types respond best to specific treatments. As most people have a combination of different scar types, this means best outcomes are most often achieved by using a combination of targeted treatments which include lasers, dermal fillers, TCA Cross, subcision, skin needling/rolling, cortisone injections, microdermabrasion, punch excision and surgery.
Lasers work by smoothing the skin, by stimulating collagen in the skin to decrease the depth of the scars, by or by targeting the blood vessels in the scar to reduce redness. Broadband Light (BBL) and laser resurfacing are two commonly used treatments for acne scarring. A new option for treating acne scarring is fractional laser resurfacing.
BroadBand Light (BBL) treats red acne scars and blemishes by targeting the tiny blood vessels that give these marks a red color. Whether the scars are flat, raised or depressed, the energy from this specialized system can make these annoying marks less visible. BBL is commonly used in combination with “fractional” laser resurfacing to help smooth out acne scars.
Traditionally, laser resurfacing with a carbon dioxide laser or erbium laser has been used for superficial acne scarring. These lasers vaporise and heat the entire top layers of skin to stimulate new skin growth and collagen production that help reduce the appearance of scarring. Depending on your skin type and scars, laser resurfacing may be used alone or in combination with fractional laser resurfacing.
Medicare rebates may apply for fully ablative laser treatments of acne scarring or scars from trauma or burns. Rebates from exceeding the Medicare safety net may also apply.
Fractional lasers have revolutionised the treatment of some types of acne scarring. Rather than treating the entire skin's surface, these lasers create microchannels of deeply treated skin amidst surrounding untreated areas. (See diagram) They provide the benefits of older laser treatments, but with faster healing time and fewer risks. These thousands of tiny microscopic channels of thermal damage stimulate the body’s own wound healing response - particularly new collagen production. As these channels heal, they fill with collagen and this lifts and plumps the overlying skin to help smooth out scars and wrinkles. The depth and density of these channels can be precisely adjusted to customise treatment for each patient.
A treatment course consists of 3-5 procedures, spaced at 2-3 monthly intervals. Gentle remodeling of collagen under the skin’s surface continues for 6 months or more after each treatment. Results usually become apparent after the second treatment and continue to improve from there. For suitable patients, fractional laser treatment is effective for old as well as new scars.
