How Does Laser Scar Removal Work?
by Margaret in Laser Scar Removal
Laser scar removal involves targeting a laser beam at the scarred area of your skin. Many patients experience dramatic results after undergoing the procedure. There are different types of lasers used for scar removal, but they work in essentially the same way. Your doctor will evaluate your skin type and your scar to determine which method will work best for you. Different types of lasers penetrate the skin to different depths, so more severe scarring will require more powerful lasers. The same types of lasers that are used for scar removal are also used for skin resurfacing, as these procedures are essentially the same.
During the procedure, you and the technician will both wear protective eyewear so the laser beam does not enter your eyes. Then the skin will be treated with an anesthetic, and you may be given pain medication. This outpatient procedure may be a little uncomfortable, but it should not be overly painful. Because the laser will be focused only on the scar, you should not experience any pain or other effects in the surrounding skin.
Throughout the entire laser scar removal procedure, the lasers beam will be concentrated on the scarred area. The technician will hold the handheld device to your skin, sending laser pulses slowly over the area. This may take up to 2 hours, or as little as 15 minutes, depending on the size and severity of your blemish. The surrounding skin should not be affected or damaged in any way thanks to the precision of the laser beam.
During laser scar removal, the laser will vaporize the topmost layers of skin. Once the top layers now gone, new fresh skin is revealed and the appearance of scars is decreased. This procedure is similar to the sanding of a tabletop, making your skin smoother and removing the roughness associated with scarring. The lasers can remove tissue on swollen scars, sculpting the area around the scar so that the blemish blends in better with the surrounding skin. How deeply the laser penetrates depends on the type of laser used, as well as the severity of your scarring. Because of the way laser scar removal works, it is most effective on shallow scars, although with several treatments it can be used on more severe scarring.
You may need multiple treatments for each scar, especially if they are large or severe. These treatments will be scheduled about a month apart. The treatments will stop once you are comfortable with the scar’s appearance; it may not be possible to fully restore your skin to its pre-scar condition. After laser scar removal, your skin will need a few days to heal. The more drastic the single treatment, the longer the recovery time associated with it. This is the main reason why multiple treatments may be required.
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