Laser acne surgery is the kind of procedure that those suffering from adult acne have found to be extremely rewarding and much more preferable to the old method of treating it: dermabrasion. The latter of course was little more than a clinically supervised sanding of the skin. Just like the laser acne surgery, the goal of dermabrasion was the removal of the upper layer of skin which is affected by acne, thus revealing a smooth, blemish free, and fresh looking lower layer that will lend a youthful appearance to the face.
In addition to laser acne treatment, dermabrasion was also used for the removal of minor wrinkles, scars, age spots, and in some cases also superficial stretch marks. Patients had to undergo anesthesia and with the help of a freezing agent the very top layer of the skin that was to be removed was frozen and then sanded with an instrument resembling a rotating brush. Skin would come off in flakes and the underlying layer of skin is just as promised – but also very tender. This tenderness sometimes would last for several weeks, being made worse by sun exposure and even wind!
Unfortunately there have been some problems with dermabrasion, most noted being the extreme pinkness of the skin which was accelerated by the use of the freezing agent which damaged sometimes underlying layers of skin that were not to be treated. This problem is not encountered with laser acne surgery and thus those who fear the dreaded unnatural looking pink face have found that the work f the laser is much preferable to that of the sander.
In addition to the foregoing, there are some side effects that those undergoing dermabrasion are warned of: fist and foremost is the possibility of severe darkening of the skin but also scarring, as an unskilled practitioner sometimes may harm more layers of the skin than just the targeted top layer. If this is done in uneven movements, the various layers may seek to knit together, creating scar tissue that has the power of being very disfiguring. Skin color changes may also be experienced with laser acne surgery, but the risk is a lot lower, especially when undergone at the hands of a skilled practitioner.
Yet what is truly making dermabrasion old news is the worry that is sometimes part of the experience for the patient. There is the scabbing, the uncomfortable itching, and the sensitivity to materials that makes it hard to even sleep with the face on a pillow, and of course the risk of infection. With laser acne surgery, many of these concerns are nonexistent and those which may keep you up at night will be very short lived. Granted, each and every patient will experience the procedure differently and it is vital that you and doctor discuss the potential for side effects such as they might be germane to your skin type, but overall you may rest assured that laser acne surgery is more advanced and also safer than dermabrasion and thus is the new procedure of choice for those in need of such treatment.
