To the untrained eye a laser can seem like a magic wand that can make any scar disappear. Medical lasers, however, are nothing to play with. To get impressive results and avoid serious side effects, it’s important to know these basic facts before you have laser treatment for a scar.
The laser helps stimulate new, healthy skin growth. Although laser treatment cannot completely remove scars, it can make them less noticeable and uncomfortable.
People can get laser therapy on many types of scar, including surgical scars, acne scars, and scars from injuries. It is also safe to use on the face.
Laser Treatment for Scars
Laser treatment for scars is an outpatient procedure. The doctor repeatedly moves a laser wand over your skin to remove damaged skin cells and diminish scars. These include:
- injury scars
- burn marks
- acne scars
- dark spots, age spots, and other types of hyperpigmentation
Your doctor may also discourage laser treatments if you take blood-thinning medications due to the risk of bleeding.
What is the procedure for laser treatment for scars?
We recommend you consult a doctor to decide the procedure possible. But in general your options would be the following:
- Ablative or laser resurfacing - This type of treatment improves the appearance of scars, warts, and wrinkles. Resurfacing removes the outer layer of skin and eliminates skin cells that have been damaged at the surface level.
- Fractionated laser resurfacing - In fractional laser skin resurfacing, a device called a fractional laser delivers precise microbeams of laser light into the lower layers of skin, creating deep, narrow columns of tissue coagulation. Coagulated tissue in the treatment area stimulates a natural healing process that results in the fast growth of healthy new tissue.
- Non-ablative laser resurfacing - Non-ablative skin rejuvenation uses a laser to improve the appearance of wrinkles, brown spots, and minor scars by creating heat in the skin without injuring the surface of the skin. The heat generated by the laser promotes collagen production which causes the skin to tighten and look young and healthy.
What To Expect After The Procedure?
Recovery times vary, but it may take 3 to 10 days for your skin to heal. Your doctor will provide aftercare instructions immediately following treatment. These may include the following:
- Avoid direct sunlight for four to six weeks after the procedure.
- Apply a cold pack or moist cloth to the area to reduce swelling.
- Take over-the-counter pain medication when needed.
- Wash and apply moisturizer daily.
- For facial procedures, you may need to avoid makeup for a few days.
Are There Any Risks or Side Effects To The Treatment?
Let’s be honest we all know that this process will not provide a perfect skin, it can improve the appearance of your skin. Here are some of the common risks associated with this process listed below:
- Burns or other injuries from the laser's heat
- Scarring
- Changes in the skin's pigmentation, including areas of darker or lighter skin
- Reactivating herpes cold sores
- Bacterial infection
How Much Do Laser Treatments Cost?
Gurgaon is considered to be the one of the most prominent cities in India for laser treatment. So unsurprisingly, we are bombarded with queries such as “laser treatment for acne scars cost in Gurgaon” . It is essential to know that the cost of treatment depends on the following:
- the size of the scar
- the number of scars
- the amount of laser treatments you’ll need
Here are the information for 9 cities:
| City | Average Price |
| Bangalore | Rs. 6075.00 |
| Chennai | Rs. 8596.00 |
| Hyderabad | Rs. 14438.00 |
| Kolkata | Rs. 11812.00 |
| Mumbai | Rs. 11925.00 |
| Gurugram | Rs. 13107.00 |
| Pune | Rs. 7814.00 |
| Thane | Rs. 1750.00 |
So…Are Lasers Really The Answer for Scar Removal?
Acne must be adequately controlled before commencing treatment for acne scars. The treatment options available for acne scars include subcision, fractional CO2 laser, dermaroller, TCA cross, punch elevation, and excision in most of cases. The actual options to be used vary from person to person. You must visit your dermatologist for an exact diagnosis and treatment.
We hope this blog has answered all your acne related queries. Please be sure to comment below on what topics you’d like us to cover next and share this blog with your friends if you found the information useful.
