Hello. I am Jin-ho Kang, a dermatologist. If you are concerned about acne scars, you may have considered laser dermabrasion at some point. Today, we will delve into the common misconceptions, effectiveness, and precautions regarding laser dermabrasion.
What are the treatment options for acne scars?
Representative acne scar treatments include Fraxel DUAL and surgical treatments like Subcision, as well as combination surgeries that involve both. A powerful additional treatment to consider is laser dermabrasion.
Understanding the history of laser dermabrasion makes it easier to grasp
Examining the history of laser dermabrasion can help you understand this treatment more easily and accurately. The origin of laser dermabrasion is chemical peeling. Chemical peeling is a technique that uses chemical substances to exfoliate the skin surface, thereby inducing skin regeneration. Although it is an old treatment method, it had the disadvantage of difficulty in precisely controlling the treatment depth. To overcome this drawback, laser dermabrasion was developed as a new treatment. Its greatest advantage is the ability to control the treatment depth more precisely than chemical peeling. The treatment principle of Fraxel DUAL, the most common acne scar treatment, also originated from laser dermabrasion.
The difference between 'full ablation' and 'fractional ablation'
The principle of causing skin regeneration by creating wounds on the skin with a laser and exfoliating it is the same, but there is a difference depending on whether the entire skin is exfoliated or only a part of the skin. The advantages and disadvantages of these two treatments are also contradictory.
Fractional laser exfoliates only a part of the skin, so its treatment effect is weaker compared to laser dermabrasion, which exfoliates the entire skin. However, because only a part is exfoliated, skin wound healing is much faster, which has the advantage of less disruption to daily life. Due to this advantage, acne scar treatment was once rapidly replaced by fractional lasers from laser dermabrasion.
However, less disruption to daily life came with the sacrifice of reduced treatment effectiveness. The presence of laser dermabrasion was highlighted again as a treatment for severe acne scars that are difficult to treat with fractional lasers. Based on my treatment experience, laser dermabrasion could be expected to have a much higher regenerative effect than Fraxel DUAL. Therefore, laser dermabrasion can be an effective alternative for severe acne scars that have not responded to fractional laser treatments similar to Fraxel DUAL.
Laser dermabrasion, does it make the skin thicker even though it shaves it off?
An interesting twist is hidden in the principle of laser dermabrasion. Laser dermabrasion, which induces regeneration by shaving off the skin, does not thin the skin; instead, it can make it thicker.
Laser dermabrasion focuses not only on shaving off normal skin but also on simultaneously shaving off depressed scars. In this process, normal skin regenerates to its original state, but depressed scars regenerate more than before, making their depth shallower. Ultimately, the skin becomes thicker and flatter than before treatment.
- Normal skin: Regenerates to its original state.
- Depressed scars: Regenerate more than before, making their depth shallower.
- Result: The skin becomes thicker and flatter than before treatment.
Precautions and recovery period after laser dermabrasion
The most challenging aspect of laser dermabrasion is the long recovery period, also known as downtime. Thorough management and supervision are required during this long downtime. The importance of post-treatment care is even more emphasized compared to fractional lasers.
- First week: You may need to cover your entire face with gauze or regenerative tape, and eating and even talking may be uncomfortable.
- After 1 week: The regenerative tape is removed, but the skin may remain very red and swollen for up to a month. Depending on the condition, you may need to be extra careful with management. Also, normal social activities may be difficult. Therefore, if you are considering laser dermabrasion, it is recommended to allow at least one month of free time.
- Up to 3 months thereafter: Phenomena such as pigmentation may appear. Important meetings may be difficult, but light daily activities should be possible.
- Skin regeneration: Usually continues for about 2 years. Therefore, the full effect of scar treatment can only be properly confirmed after at least 1 year post-dermabrasion, and various skin troubles or pigmentation that occurred after the dermabrasion procedure will also gradually disappear.
Advice for successful laser dermabrasion
We have learned about laser dermabrasion so far. While laser dermabrasion has good treatment effects, the procedure is highly difficult and requires special post-treatment care. Therefore, it is crucial to consult sufficiently with an experienced dermatologist before deciding on laser dermabrasion.