What is scar laser?
The laser scar corrector is a treatment designed to improve the appearance of scars or marks on the skin, whether caused by acne, wounds, burns or other types of injuries.
It will be the specialist who must determine what level of improvement or correction can be obtained for each type of scar. For example, acne scars are some of the scars that best respond to this technique.
Why is it performed?
The objective of this treatment is the aesthetic improvement of scars or skin marks. There are different types of scars and therefore there are different types of lasers that are adapted to treat them:
- Hyperpigmented scars present a dark coloration as a result of a higher degree of melanogenesis linked to the inflammatory repair process. This type of scars can be lightened in an accelerated way and with very good results using lasers capable of heating the melanin, such as the Q-Switched Alexandrite laser or Intense Pulsed Light for Medical Use (IPL).
- Hypopigmented scars are lighter in color than the rest of the healthy skin Narrow Band Ultraviolet Light Laser.
- Atrophic scars: These are typical acne scars, which sometimes simulate a āUā shaped pitting in the skin. Stretch marks also fall into the group of atrophic scars, since in them there is a rupture of the dermal tissue.
These types of scars have benefited greatly from advances in laser technology. Two types of lasers can be used to treat them:- Ablative Fractional CO2 Laser: Treats both the epidermis and dermis and requires some convalescence time.
- Non Ablative Infrared Fractional Laser: It does not affect the epidermis, it only heats the dermis. Therefore it does not have an exudative phase and recovery is faster.
Both treatments produce a photocoagulation distributed in microcolumns surrounded by healthy tissue, which activates the reparative phenomenon immediately.
- Hypertrophic and keloid scars are characterized by being red, hard and itchy, but remain at the limit of the surgical wound. Keloids differ only in that they grow beyond the limits of the skin wound. The laser used to treat them is the Pulsed Dye Laser, combined with intralesional corticosteroid infiltration and the application of pressotherapy (in the form of silicone sheets).
In the laser treatment for scars, between five and eight sessions are performed.
What does it consist of?
The application of the laser is not painful and consists of moving the laser light (emitted from a specialized device) through the scar to reduce the lesions of the first layers of the epidermis and smooth the skin irregularities, as well as to remove or eliminate the scars gradually, as the renewal of the superficial layers of the skin is provoked.
In addition, depending on the time elapsed since its appearance will require more or less treatment sessions, which are usually between five and eight.
Preparation for scar laser
Before starting any of the laser treatments, it is essential that the patient undergoes a medical evaluation to determine whether prior preparation of the skin with specific topical products is necessary.
Care after the procedure
Some of the recommendations made to patients who undergo any procedure on the skin is to apply a strict SPF50 photoprotection, although if possible the patient is advised to avoid direct sunlight.
Alternatives to laser for scars
As an alternative treatment for acne scars or atrophic scars, hyaluronic acid injections, derma-rollers or dermatological rollers and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can be used. Radiofrequency, a laser-like system, can also be used to treat these types of scars.
In the case of hypertrophic-keloid scars, techniques such as surgical excision, cryotherapy and 5-Fluoruracil infiltrations can be used.