Acne scars are a common problem that can affect anyone. They can be caused by any number of things, including pimples, blackheads, and cysts. They can also be caused by other skin conditions or injuries. The good news is that there are ways to treat acne scars, including surgical procedures like dermabrasion and chemical peels. But in some cases, these treatments may not be suitable for your skin type or size of the scarring.
Another option is laser treatment for acne scars. This treatment uses light to stimulate cell growth in the skin and help new tissue form over the area where the scarring is located. The procedure can take about an hour per session and will require several sessions before results are visible.
Read on to learn more about Laser For Acne Scars, Vi Peel At Home
Laser For Acne Scars
Dr Hussein is recognised as a national authority in the management of acne scar treatment. He teaches and lectures regularly on the subject. He specialises in the use of a technique called laser resurfacing for the improvement of acne scarring. Both fractional and fully ablative laser resurfacing are used in conjunction with the methods below to obtain the best possible improvements in acne scarring. This laser resurfacing is performed with surgical-grade CO2 and Erbium YAG lasers. Most clinics use low power CO2 and non-ablative lasers. These devices do not have the same capability as the lasers that Dr Hussein uses in his practice.
Dr Hussein’s pursuit of excellence and commitment to the state-of-the-art in cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery leads him to invest in only the best laser equipment to get the job done. The best equipment combined with his specialist knowledge in cutaneous laser surgery makes him one of the UK’s leading doctors in acne scar management.
Dr Hussein’s treatments constitute laser skin surgery. They are not aesthetic medical treatments performed by medispas or low level cosmetic medical practices. The treatment will give the highest degree of improvement in acne scarring but needs to be performed in a medically controlled environment under special types of local anaesthetic (potent topical anaesthetic gels or tumescent local anaesthesia). Undergoing this type of treatment usually requires in the region of 10days recovery time. Redness of the skin can continue for several weeks but this can be camouflaged with make-up.
He also uses multiple adjunctive techniques such as:
- Full Field Subcision (Taylor Liberator) of acne scars under local/tumescent anaesthesia
- Punch Excision of acne scars
- TCA CROSS (Chemical Reconstruction of Skin Scars)
There is a myriad of treatments that are available for the treatment of acne scarring but unfortunately, most of these are mild low-grade aesthetic/beauty therapy treatments. This section of Dr Hussein’s website is designed to give you specialist advice on the issue of acne scarring and help you to make an informed choice about treatment.
Not all laser is the same
One of the lasers that Dr Hussein uses is a Lumenis Ultrapulse CO2 laser. This is the same surgical CO2 laser used in the burns unit of the Chelsea & Westminister Hospital in London. It is also used in the St Johns Institute of Dermatology in London. There are around 5 of these devices located in NHS in the UK. They cost in the region of £100K. They are powerful precise surgical tools that have sufficient penetration depth and power to treat acne scarring in the most effective way.
Many clinics may advertise the use of CO2 laser but these devices are usually of relatively low power. Examples of these lower power devices are lasers such as Deka Smartxide, Candela CO2RE and Alma Pixel. These machines cost in the region of £30K and can only achieve a much milder result in the treatment of acne scarring. This is because of the devices low powered fractional only nature.
Whilst they may go some way to helping in the treatment of acne scarring they cannot deliver the type of results that Dr Hussein will achieve. This is because he uses advanced surgical grade lasers such as Lumenis Ultrapulse CO2 and Sciton Joule X Contour TRL Erbium YAG.
Microneedling
This is by far the most popular treatment used to treat acne scars. It is effective but only mildly so. Treatments are multiple in nature and do go some way to produce new collagenand remodel collagen in sunken acne scars. One of the reasons why this treatment is popular is because the recovery time is quick. Usually, the patient can go to work the next day with only some mild redness as a consequence. The redness usually will last a maximum of 2 days. Even though tangible benefits are only very mild in each treatment the trade-off is quick recovery. it is a good way of improving one’s acne scarring without having to take time off work. There are multiple devices. Dermapen is an electronic needle stamping device in which needles can be repeatedly stamped to a controlled depth (eg 1.5mm) at a speed of 100 times per second! Less state-of-the-art in the world of microneedling are simple roller devices that needle the skin using a rolling motion. Often local anaesthetic cream is used prior to the procedure as it is uncomfortable despite a quick recovery.
Chemical Peels
This is also a proven technique in the treatment of acne scars. A caustic agent such as Trichloracetic Acid (TCA) is applied to the skin and causes the outer layers of skin to be removed by a process of controlled chemical burn. This helps acne scarring in two ways. There is an element of surface remodelling through regrowth of a new superficial dermal and epidermal layer. The inflammatory process causes an increase in the production of new collagen as part of the healing process. By the nature of chemical peels, this remodelling and collagen formation is limited to the upper layers of the skin.
Improvement is mild but if a good medically qualified provider is used a typical TCA 25%/Jessners combination peel or TCA 35% peel can achieve a better result equivalent to multiple microneedling treatments.
The downside is that recovery time is in the region of 7-9 days. As a result, more technically advanced treatment providers are offering fractional laser resurfacing as the benefits are greater for a similar amount of downtime. Therefore chemical peels although effective are seen as somewhat old-fashioned.
Radiofrequency Microneedling
This is a type of microneedling that combines radiofrequency energy via the needles. The idea behind this concept is that with the thermal energy created by radiofrequency greater collagen stimulation is created than needling alone. There is limited evidence to support this claim. At present results appear to be more device, technique and operator dependent. Fractional laser treatment with CO2 laser is a more powerful modality with a much larger evidence base.
Vi Peel At Home
A highly effective treatment for the many signs of skin aging, this peel is ideal for treating aging skin, pigmentation (even melasma), sun damage, fine lines, uneven texture, large pores, dull skin and acne. Suitable for any skin type or color.
How does it work?
The VI Peel® contains a synergistic blend of powerful ingredients suitable for a variety of skin types. This peel improves the tone, texture and clarity of the skin. It reduces or eliminates age spots, addresses hyperpigmentation and softens fine lines and wrinkles. The VI Peel® is an excellent choice for healthier, firmer, more youthful skin. This self-neutralizing peel provides dramatic results with virtually no pain, no skin preparation and minimal downtime in as little as seven days.
Key Ingredients:
• Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) is a non-toxic chemical (Trichloracetic Acid), which has been used to perform skin peels for over 20 years. It is a relative to vinegar (Acetic Acid). When TCA is applied to the skin, it causes the top layers of cells to dry up and peel off over a period of several days to one week. It provides excellent exfoliation while stimulating collagen production.
• Retinoic Acid (vitamin A) promotes collagen and elastin production, helps to increase water levels within the epidermis, normalizes cell turnover and is a melanogenesis inhibitor. Retinoic Acid triggers exfoliation and unclogs the pores while boosting collagen and elastin production.
• Salicylic Acid is a Beta Hydroxyl Acid (BHA) with anti-inflammatory properties and acts as an agent to exfoliate the skin. It can improve skin thickness, barrier function and collagen function.
• Phenol has the ability to trap free radicals, works as a chemical cauterant to exfoliate the skin, has preservative properties and in low percentages is an effective numbing agent.
• L-Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) is a stable, water soluble form of vitamin C. It is an antioxidant, a photo protectant (protects from UV damage), stimulates collagen production, brightens the skin and suppresses melanogenesis.
Each VI Peel® incorporates a two-part system to optimize satisfaction. After the initial application of the peel, three Retinoic Acid towelettes are applied at home as part of their post peel treatment regimen. You will enjoy radiant, younger looking skin in as a little as seven days.