Acne laser treatment though a bit expensive than other treatments is getting increasingly popular amongst people who want to get rid of acne. Laser treatments focus on killing the acne causing bacteria and repair the damaged skin tissues and acne scars.  People were earlier a bit hesitant to go for laser treatments, but now-a-days there are trained dermatologists, health care professionals and cosmetic surgeons who are quite skilled in performing laser treatments. Needless to say, they have proved to be extremely effective.

There are various types of acne laser treatments practiced these days. Here is a quick glimpse of types of acne laser treatments:

  • Nonablative Laser therapy: This laser therapy is employed to tighten the skin and stimulates the growth of collagen present underneath the skin. This results in a noticeably improved skin tone and reduction of fine lines. The acne problem is also eliminated since this laser therapy targets the ducts which produce oil due to which acne is caused.
  • Erbium laser therapy: This therapy does not work on the glands of skin; it rather adopts quite a different approach from nonablative laser therapy. For those who have mild to moderate skin problems including facial lesions and wrinkles, Erbium laser therapy is recommended. It works on the water molecules present in the skin.
  • Carbon Dioxide laser therapy: This laser therapy is usually adopted for skin resurfacing. It involves emissions of scattered high energy light to the skin at very high rate. It removes the damaged layer of skin by vaporizing it and thus revealing the underlying softer, smoother and acne free skin. All types of acne and acne scars can be cured by using carbon di oxide laser treatment.

Usually the acne laser treatment procedure is safe and does not cause any particular discomfort or pain. Anesthetic cream is applied on the area where the therapy is to be performed. The session lasts somewhere between 20 minutes to an hour. After the treatment, it takes 1-2 weeks for the skin to heal completely (read acne cleanser and acne scar cream articles for more info).

However, before going for laser treatment, go through its pros and cons and make sure that you feel the need for it, rather than just experimenting with your skin. Some side effects of laser treatment can be roughness of skin, swelling of exposed areas, discoloration of skin color or increased pigmentation. Take necessary precautions to prevent any side-effects and discuss your options with the dermatologist.