It goes without saying that scars can be pretty traumatizing, not only for your physical appearance but also for your mental confidence level. Over the years, people have tried everything imaginable to get rid of their scars, ranging from something as minuscule as a scar removing cream to something as drastic as a scar removal surgery, albeit to different effects.

However, none can come close to the advanced technology that is seen in laser treatment. This treatment has been widely adapted for its effectiveness and scientific approach. But still, there are many misconceptions regarding it. So, time to learn more about it.

What is Laser Treatment?

Whenever our skin is injured, a number of events are initiated that are collectively called wound healing. These events help in restoring the tensile strength and barrier function to the affected area.  However, whenever there is a deviation from the normal healing pattern, it can lead to scarring. In other words, scar formation is a natural response of your body in the event of an injury.

It is suffice to say that no one wants a scar on their skin, and everybody looks out for numerous ways to help get rid of them. While scars are not harmful and do not require medical attention, they can be limiting, painful, and affect a person mentally and psychologically, making them conscious about their appearance.  

But the technological advancements in the arena of laser scar treatment are almost unmatched in any other way.

Lasers can not only reduce the appearance of scars but also minimalize any itching or pain resulting from it. They help in stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin cells. Mind you, they don’t completely remove scars; but yes, they do make them less uncomfortable and noticeable. 

Whether it is surgical scars or acne scars or burn scars or scars resulting from injuries, laser treatment can take care of every type of scars. Essentially what happens is that laser treatments create a new scar in place of the older one. Sounds strange, right? Don’t worry!

The new scar that will be created through laser will grow uniformly over your old scar, thereby making it as less prominent as possible. In fact, it also helps in improving your skin’s overall range of motion around your existing scar.

How to Prepare Yourself for Laser Scar Removal Treatment?

Having thorough and detailed consultation sessions with a certified dermatologist is necessary to help understand how you can benefit from a laser scar removal treatment. It is crucial that you be transparent to your dermatologist about any skin infection or allergy that you may have. Also, don’t forget to mention any medication that you may be under.

Although you will be given some personalized suggestions by your skincare specialist in order to prepare yourself for the treatment, the following preparations are seen in almost every case:

• You need to avoid any glycolic acid-containing products or a retinoid for 2-4 weeks before and after the treatment.
• You would be required to avoid any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, or herbal medicines that increase the risk of bleeding. This includes herbal supplements such as ginger or Ginkgo Biloba or Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as Naproxen and Ibuprofen, or even some other drugs like Aspirin.
• Try and stay out of the sun so that you can avoid getting exposed to UV rays. This is because if you have a sunburn or tan, it would adversely affect the laser. 
• Don’t use any cosmetic procedures such as waxing, collagen injections, or chemical peels.
• We also highly recommend you to quit smoking at least two weeks before the treatment. This is because when you smoke, it affects the ability of your skin to heal quickly.
• On the day of the treatment, you must not use any deodorants, perfume, lotions, or any similar products that could interfere with the laser treatment. 
• Try and wear light clothing and that is not too difficult to take off or put on. A loose-fitting pant and a soft button-up shirt are advised.

Laser Scar Removal Treatment – The Procedure

After getting an appointment at a dermatology clinic about a laser scar treatment and getting your scar examined by the doctor, the procedure would follow like this:

• First of all, your doctor would mark the area of the skin (where the scar is) with a pen.
• You would be asked to wear a protective goggle if the scar is on your face.
• In order to absorb laser pulses which otherwise would affect the growth of healthy skin, your doctor would place gauze or wet towels around the affected area.
• Next up, the laser treatment would start and the doctor will pass over the laser to the scarred area. 
• To soothe any pain, they may apply a water solution or cooling saline from time to time.
• The Doctor would then clean the area and apply an ointment.

You might see some redness in the treated area for a few hours. Some experience mild tingling sensation and swelling as well. You would be advised to apply moisturizing lotion to the area twice daily. Until and unless the redness goes away, we advise you to avoid using makeup in any shape or form.

Other than that, this treatment doesn’t involve any long-term recovery period. In fact, you would be able to go back to work in one or two days. 

Laser Scar Removal Treatment – The Cost

We must tell you that since laser scar treatment is a cosmetic procedure, your medical insurance is highly unlikely to cover it. You might be able to call in your health insurance to cover a portion of the procedure if the scar results from surgery though.

The cost of laser scar removal treatment depends on the following factors:

• The number of treatments that you would need.
• The size of your scar.
• The number of scars.
• The place you are getting treated from.

For an exact price for your treatment, please contact our medical clinic and one of our skincare specialists will assist you.

Are There Any Risks Associated with Laser Treatment?

Laser treatment uses the energy of heat and light to treat damaged skin cells. Needless to say, you would probably experience some side-effects. Some of the most common side-effects that people experience from laser scar removal treatment are as follows:

• Bleeding
• Itching
• Redness
• Swelling
• Scarring
• Pain

Usually, these side-effects go away within a few days. However, stay in touch with your dermatologist regardless of the outcome and immediately report to him if the side-effects become severe in your opinion or continue for a long time. 

Some people experience infections and other major side-effects such as accumulation of pus in and around the site of the affected area or the development of an abscess. In such cases,  inform your concerned dermatologist immediately about it.

References

Xiujun Fu, Jiying Dong, Shen Wang, Min Yan, and Min Yao – NCBI – Advances in the treatment of traumatic scars with laser, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, and ultrasound. Available at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6350396/

Anny Xiao and Leila Ettefagh – NCBI – Laser Revision of Scars. Available at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539686/

Uma Keyal, X Huang, and Anil Kumar Bhatta – Research Gate – Laser treatment for post-acne scars– A review. Available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272870486_Laser_treatment_for_post_acne_scars-_A_review