Dermabrasion vs. Laser Treatment for Acne
Acne affects most people at some point in life, usually striking during puberty. Mild to severe cases of acne can be not only embarrassing, but can permanently scar the skin. When medication fails to alleviate problems of severe acne, dermabrasion or laser treatment may be a solution. Does this Spark an idea?
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Causes of Acne
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Acne or pimples form at the opening of the skin's sebaceous glands, when the pores become blocked by dirt and bacteria. Sometimes infection or cysts may form at the site of blocked pores due to popping pimples or the skin being irritated. Acne can be mild to severe, and is often triggered by fluctuating hormones during puberty, stress or poor diet.
Laser Treatment
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Pulsed-dye lasers have been shown in trials to significantly reduce acne after a single treatment with no serious side effects. Infrared nanometer lasers reduce acne up to 83 percent, but patients experience the side effects of temporary pain, redness, swelling and hyperpigmentation according to Derma Network.
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Dermabrasion
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Dermabrasion is a skin care procedure which can be effective against recurring acne symptoms, when used with other forms of acne treatment. Dermabrasion unclogs the pores using a wire brush or via microdermabrasion crystals. A doctor uses micro-crystals or a wire brush to scrub the skin's surface, lifting layers of skin cells and bacteria away. A vacuum is then used to remove the dead skin cells and crystals when the procedure is finished.
Healing Time
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Laser resurfacing is a medical procedure which takes skin about three to ten days to heal. Local anesthesia may be used before a laser resurface treatment takes place. Demrabrasion is a little more intense then laser treatments, and it takes the skin 10 days to three weeks to heal.
Treatment Expectations
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You should consult your medical physician before undergoing a specific acne treatment to discuss costs and figure out which treatment is best for your acne. Acne cannot be cured, but only controlled medically via oral or topical medications, laser treatment, light therapy or dermabrasion. Signs of improvement may take a few weeks and a few treatments, so have patience.
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References
Resources
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