How can laser treatment help with scars?

Laser treatment penetrates the outer layers of skin to stimulate new, healthy skin cell growth. The laser removes older, damaged layers of skin so that new, healthy skin can grow in its place.

Laser treatments are, in essence, creating a new scar in place of an old one. However, the new skin should grow more uniformly.

The formation of scar tissue is a natural bodily response to injury. Scars are not harmful and do not require removal for medical reasons. However, if they are painful, limiting, or affect a person psychologically, a range of methods can reduce their appearance and discomfort.

Laser treatment can help with scars by:

• decreasing pain or itchiness

• reducing their appearance

• improving the range of motion of the skin around the scar




Doctors can choose from a variety of lasers that use different wavelengths of light and affect the skin in various ways. Some lasers are ablative, meaning that they remove the top layer of skin, while others are nonablative, retaining the skin’s surface while affecting the layers underneath.

Some lasers may be unsuitable for certain skin tones because they may cause the skin to grow back discolored.

Examples of laser types that doctors use in scar treatment include:

• ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser

• intense pulsed light

• long-pulsed 1064-nm Nd:YAG

• nonablative fractional laser

• pulsed dye laser

• Q-switched Nd:YAG




A doctor should thoroughly evaluate a scar before recommending a laser for treatment use. They should explain the potential benefits unique to a particular laser as well as its possible side effects.

ON WHAT AREAS OF THE BODY CAN SKIN TIGHTENING TREATMENT CAN BE DONE?

Skin tightening can be done on the waist, abdomen, buttocks, hips, inner and outer thighs, arms, back, neck and face.