Acne is one of the most prevalent skin concerns in the U.S., affecting up to 90% of the population. Unfortunately, acne can still plague you years or even decades after you put your teen years behind you. And even if you no longer have to worry about dealing with embarrassing, unpredictable breakouts, you still have a reminder in the form of unsightly acne scars. Today, our dermatologists will break down the reasons acne creates scarring, and how laser treatments can improve your skin’s quality.
Why Does Acne Leave Scars?
Acne scars result from inflamed acne blemishes. The affected pores swell, and the pore wall breaks down. With smaller, less severe breakouts, the resulting scars tend to be minor and heal rapidly. However, when the acne flare-up affects the surrounding tissue, it can cause more pronounced scarring. The skin’s natural healing response is to repair the scar by forming new collagen fibers.
Acne scars can be deep, V-shaped indentations or raised, shiny blemishes marring the skin’s surface. V-shaped, or “ice pick,” scars result from tissue loss, while raised, keloid scars form when the skin creates excessive collagen to heal the wound.
How Can Laser Treatments Improve Your Complexion?
At Dermatology Medical Group of San Francisco, we offer cutting-edge laser skin resurfacing with solutions including Fraxel®®, Clear + Brilliant®®, and intense pulsed light. These gentle, minimally invasive options have few risks and side effects when performed in a clinical setting by a trained provider, and they can provide dramatic results with little to no recovery time.
Lasers provide the following five benefits for acne-scarred skin.
- Encourages new collagen production: The heat energy from the laser can penetrate deeply into the dermis, where it stimulates the growth of new collagen while leaving the top layers of skin undamaged. Due to collagen’s role as a structural protein, you’ll notice a remarkable improvement in your skin’s texture and resilience after a series of laser treatments for acne.
- Treats discoloration: Depending on your skin tone, acne scarring can lead to embarrassing hyperpigmentation. The collagen remodeling that results from laser treatments can also reverse years of sun damage, dark spots, and discoloration.
- Minimal dangers or downtime: Another benefit of laser treatments for acne scarring our patients appreciate is that it isn’t as disruptive or intrusive as some other available procedures. For that reason, it’s often an excellent solution for people who aren’t good candidates for somewhat more invasive options such as dermabrasion, deep chemical peels, or microneedling. You’ll need to be careful to moisturize and minimize sun exposure as your skin heals, but other than those instructions, there are no activity restrictions to observe after a laser procedure.
- Easy to combine with other non-surgical procedures: Laser treatments can further reduce acne scarring when you pair them with other options such as dermal fillers or microdermabrasion, enhancing your results. During a consultation, we can suggest a customized treatment plan based on your concerns.
- More affordable than surgery: Our patients love how much money they can save by opting for laser treatments instead of a facelift or other surgical options.
Learn More About Where to Get Clearer Skin in San Francisco
If you’re ready to put the memory of acne behind you once and for all, Dermatology Medical Group of San Francisco is here to help. Our team of board-certified dermatologists includes some of the most experienced skin specialists in the greater Bay Area. Let us help you with our expertise by contacting us today.
