Ask an Expert: Banish Acne Scaring With Fractional Laser Or Microneedling!

If you’re disappointed with your skin and feeling like you could never be as confident as you’d like putting your best face forward, then rest assured that there are treatments available that address many mild to severe skin concerns.

Your face is the first thing you put forward, and acne scars can leave you feeling insecure and less confident. Years of mild to severe acne can take a toll on your skin, and over time you may see subtle or more obvious scarring leaving your skin looking uneven and pigmented. In recent decades, Laser technology and Microneedling has advanced incredibly far to be able to provide safe treatments that effectively address textural skin concerns. Regarding acne scarring, Fractional laser technology or Microneedling with product infusion has proven itself the optimal choices in lessening obvious signs of scarring, fine lines and enlarged pores for skin that’s brighter, smoother and naturally younger looking.

Fractional Laser is a very versatile system that works safely by puncturing the skin with tiny microscopic holes, leaving patches of skin between these holes untouched. The intact skin then works quickly and efficiently to rebuild the skin affected by the laser and encourages it to resurface smoother than before. Depending on the skin’s type, condition and concerns, each treatment is customized in strength and severity. Those with more apparent or deeper scarring may need more aggressive sessions which in turn require more downtime.

The Microneedling technology with product infusion uses multiple needles that vertically pierce the skin with an automatic vibrating function. When moved across the skin’s surface it stimulates natural collagen reproduction, while allowing fine channels to be created in the skin. The channels can carry up to 80% more topical nutrients, allowing for treatment delivery deep into the skin’s fibroblasts to feed the underlying cells found in the dermis and basal layer. This increased absorption of active ingredients into the skin creates stimulated repair and faster resurfacing results.

Which is the best choice for a person will be determined when seeing the clinician and talking about all concerns. The clinician begins preparing her patients by covering the treated area with a numbing cream for approximately one hour to make the procedure more comfortable. Although these treatments are tolerable, some patients may feel mildly uncomfortable. With the Microneedling there will be downtime of 3 to 4 days, with the Fractional laser depending on the intensity of the settings, any swelling or redness of the skin will last between 2 to 7 days with the skin feeling mildly rough and flaky. This is all a normal part of the healing process which should not be interfered with. We live in a time where no one needs to walk around with scar tissue or discoloration.