Acne Scarring? Laser Treatments Can Help

The only thing worse than a huge red pimple, a bulging whitehead, or massive cystic acne is having a scar to remind you of your skin flaws. Around 80% of people aged 11-30 have acne — and 1 in 5 of them wind up with scarring.

It’s time to take back your skin, and our advanced laser treatments at Dermatology Specialists of Atlanta can help. In this blog, expert dermatologist and experienced acne fighter Kathleen J. Smith, MD, shows you exactly how they work.

The story of your acne scars

The best way to understand acne scars is to better understand the breakouts that caused them. Pimples and other types of acne are a lot like icebergs — you see the bumps on the surface, but a lot is going on below the surface of your skin.

Certain types of acne (namely cystic acne or nodules) can penetrate the deepest layers of your skin and virtually destroy the tissue below. Though the visible acne clears, your body is left to clean up the mess and repair the damage by producing collagen.

Collagen has become a sort of buzzword in the cosmetic world, but it’s quite powerful. It's an essential ingredient for firm, healthy skin. However, the amount of collagen your body makes matters a great deal.

Depending on how much collagen your body produces in response to your acne, you could wind up with depressed acne scars from too little or a raised acne scar from too much.

This phenomenon can happen to anyone who gets acne, regardless of skin type or tone, but there are a few risk factors that increase your chances.

You’re most at risk for acne scarring if you have inflammatory acne, like cystic acne, and delay getting treatment. Acne scarring can also be genetic. Picking, squeezing, popping, and otherwise fussing with your pimples increases inflammation and can lead to even more skin damage and scarring.

Let’s zap away your acne scars

Acne scars can be just as stubborn as the pimples that caused them, and many people struggle to find a conservative or over-the-counter (OTC) remedy. The best way to address your acne scars and see real progress in reducing their appearance is to team up with our expert, Dr. Smith.

We always begin with an in-depth consultation to evaluate your skin’s health, discuss your medical history, and understand your treatment goals. Then, we create a treatment plan that works best for you and your skin.

We often recommend laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments to reduce acne scars.

These treatments harness light energy to break up scar tissue and give your body another chance to regenerate new skin cells and produce the right amount of collagen.

Bonus: Laser treatments may also eliminate some acne-causing bacteria and reduce the dilation in the blood vessels around your active pimples to bring down swelling and redness. Our laser treatments are customizable, and we can adjust the settings depending on whether you have active acne or acne scars.

What to expect

Our patients love laser treatments because they’re safe, effective, and virtually pain-free.

Before your treatment begins, we numb your skin to keep you completely comfortable and give you a pair of glasses to protect your eyes. Then, we use the handheld laser device to direct laser energy directly into your acne scars. 

There’s no downtime required after laser treatments, but you may notice that your skin is red and sensitive for the first few days. After a week or so, the dead outer layer of your skin sheds and reveals fresher, smoother skin beneath. 

Many of our patients experience almost immediate improvement in their skin, but don’t panic if your acne scars don’t melt away in the first 24 hours. The best results develop over a few weeks, and you may even need multiple treatments to see improvement.

The best way to speed up your results is to follow basic skin care guidelines and adhere to Dr. Smith’s aftercare instructions. This usually means keeping your skin clean, moisturized, and protected from the sun.

We can also create a treatment plan that combines laser treatments with our other services, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), chemical peels, neurotoxins, and radiofrequency (RF) microneedling.

Ready to break away from your breakouts? We’d love to talk with you about all of your options for addressing acne scars. Call or click to schedule an appointment with the team at our Decatur, Georgia, office today.