Erase pigmented, ice-pick & boxcar acne scars

with Acne Scar Reduction Treatment

Acne can leave behind a devastating reminder. Thankfully at Denver Laser Solutions, we get great results improving both old and new acne scars on the face and body. 

 

We recommend clients schedule a complimentary skin consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for treatment and explore recommended treatment options. Certain skin care products, such as Retin-a, Hydroquinone, and Alpha hydroxy acids may be required for your skin to tolerate treatments better and to produce significant results.

Acne Scar Reduction Before & Afters

Most Aggressive Approach to Treating Acne Scars

 

To achieve the best result, the most aggressive strategy is to treat acne scars with CO2 Fractional Laser Resurfacing.

  • CO2 Laser Resurfacing is the most aggressive treatment for acne because it ablates hundreds of precise micro-columns into the skin in a grid-like pattern. This process forces an aggressive skin renewal process.
  • The CO2 process thickens the skin which lessens the depth of pockmarks and ice pick scars from past cystic acne.
  • CO2 treatment for acne scars is allowed on Fitzpatrick skin types 1-4.
  • Up to three treatments may be performed for ongoing and continuous improvement.

CO2 treatments require your cooperation in ensuring you’re realizing results by following pre and post-care instructions. Physical downtime is required. This treatment may not be suitable for everyone. A consultation with our skilled aesthetician is required prior to scheduling.

A Second Option for Treating Acne Scars

 

Our more aggressive strategy is to use a combination of both TCA chemical peels and non-ablative fractional laser treatments for acne scar reduction.

  • TCA peels assist in removing several layers of superficial skin to thin the epidermis and soften the depth of acne ice-pick scars.
  • TCA peels will also help correct acne based post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) or darkening of the skin residual from an acne breakout, also known as acne dark spots.
  • We alternate TCA chemical peels every other week with fractional laser energy which is delivered into the skin causing an inflammatory response leading to the creation of new collagen fibers.

The two treatments complement each other with the goal of thinning the top layers with peels and thickening the dermal layer with the laser. Treatments in this combination produce significant improvement.

Acne Scar Reduction Treatment Pricing

Price per Treatment

CO2 Fractional Laser Resurfacing - Full Face

$ 1200

CO2 Fractional Laser Resurfacing - Cheeks

$ 800

TCA Chemical peel

$ 150

Cheeks Only/Medium Area Laser Scar Revision

$ 300

Full Face/Large Area Laser Scar Revision

$ 475

Mix, Match & Save

We typically see most acne clients with scarring on the cheeks. For the most significant improvement purchase a package of 3 TCA Peels with 3 medium area scar revision for a 20% package discount.

Frequently Asked Questions for Acne Scar Treatment

How do acne scars form?

Acne scars are a result of inflammation in the skin surrounding a pimple. The body responds to a breakout as an injury, blood is rushed to the area to try and repair this wound, when the pimple is fully alleviated, a lingering stain in the form of dark red or a brown spot may remain. Most textural damage such as ice pick and box car scars that resemble small to large holes in the skin tend to be related to cystic acne or acne vulgaris. The inflammation is much deeper and more severe in this type of acne that it actually eats away at the collagen fibers below, when it fully heals the result is a devastating divot in the skin.

Why do I have acne scars?

You can get acne scars from pimples, pustules, blackheads or whiteheads that have been improperly extracted or extracted too soon. Brown spots also known as post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation most commonly happen in darker skin tones such as Asian, African American or Hispanic due to their more abundant source of melanin in the skin. If you have experience acne in the past but haven’t treated it properly to reduce inflammation and gently heal the injury then the side effect is a complete breakdown of the collagen resulting in a hole in the skin.

How do you get rid of acne scars?

Getting rid of acne scars takes time and dedication to a consistent regime of laser and chemical peel treatments. In approximately 6 months the estheticians here at Denver Laser Solutions can produce significant improvements by lightening acne dark spots and smoothing out the texture of pock marks.

Can acne scars go away?

The type of acne scars and the severity of them play a role in getting them to completely go away. We have the greatest success removing dark spots left over from an acne breakout, however, sever textural damage from loss of collagen due to chronic cystic acne or Acne Vulgaris will significantly improve but may never fully cure.

How long do acne scars take to go away?

Sometimes it feels like brown spots from an acne breakout can linger forever and in some cases they do. It is helpful to encourage proper healing of the skin, with simple home remedies such as a dab of Neosporin on the skin after extracting it, to reduce or avoid scarring altogether. When doing nothing a brow spot from acne breakouts can take months to fade where as a cavity, dent or dimple may never fully go away on it’s own.

Why do acne scars take so long to heal?

Post inflammatory hyper pigmentation or PIH is a brown spot that is caused in the skin due to inflammation of an injury. Just like a tan from over exposure to the sun can take weeks fade, so does PIH. The pigment tends to be driven deeper into the skin so some acne dark spot may take 6-8 months to completely clear on their own.

How do I get rid of acne scars naturally?

Acne scar treatments with fractional laser is a way to cause a controlled wound in the skin. The body’s natural healing process stimulates collagen to heal the wound, this natural regeneration of skin will eventually get rid of the acne spots after multiple sessions

How many laser acne scar removal treatments will I need?

Reducing the appearance of your acne scars will take some time. Ongoing and cumulative laser treatments produce more and more improvement over time. Although you will see initial improvements fairly quickly we recommend a minimum of three treatments. TCA chemical peels are recommended in between sessions to expedite and increase improvements.

Am I a good candidate for acne scar treatment?

We do not recommend acne scar removal treatments for clients still struggling with chronic acne. Otherwise, almost anyone can receive some type of treatment to help reduce the devastating reminder.

What are the side effects of laser acne scar removal?

Expect redness and swelling similar to a bee sting in the skin immediately following your laser acne scar reduction session. The swelling puffs out the skin and creating an illusion that the pock mark scars are gone. Swelling will fade over the next few days while the regeneration of collagen will continue to remodel the skin for up to six months following treatment.

Does laser treatment for acne scars hurt?

There is no better comparison of laser treatment than to a rubber band snap. The sensation is tolerable yet we still recommend two Ibuprofen and topical prescription-strength numbing cream that you can either purchase from us and have appl for you approximately 45 minutes prior to your treatment.

What is the cost of acne scar laser treatment?

Anyone looking to improve the appearance of their skin and erase acne scars can expect to invest approximately 6-9 months of their time to utilizing scar revision creams that consist of retinoic acid and lightening agents at home along with an average of both three fractional laser scar revision treatments and three TCA chemical peels in office. The total cost for this advanced scar revision process is approximately $1200.

What should I expect after treatment for acne scar reduction?

Within about 4 weeks you will begin to see acne scars reduce after your first Laser and TCA peel. The collagen in your skin will continue to create improvement for up to 6 months following sessions. You can also expect dark spots to start fading within one week after using acne scar treatment creams.

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