Both men and women could suffer from chronic acne. In fact, up to 85% of people are said to experience it at some point. Whether mild or severe, acne can be crippling to your self-esteem, particularly because it leaves both physical and emotional scars.
Maybe you’ve tried pharmaceuticals, chemical peels, and even birth control pills to try and clear your skin, to no avail. Thankfully, there is a new solution on the market — the laser facial.
This article will discuss how the new technology of laser facials is revolutionizing the world of acne treatment.
What Causes Acne?
Acne occurs when the hair follicles on your skin are blocked up with oil and dead skin. Bacteria colonizes, populates and multiplies. During such instances, the sebaceous glands — the glands that produce oil or sebum on the skin — generate too much sebum to lubricate the hair and skin. This sebum, along with dead skin cells, can eventually plug your follicle.
Then, these blocked pores will become inflamed, resulting in whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. This most often occurs on the face, chest, back, shoulders, and forehead — areas with the most sebaceous glands.
Though scientists are still stumped as to why precisely these glands pump out sebum enough to block the pores, we do know that several factors can trigger acne, including the following:
1. Hormones
Hormones are believed to be the primary cause of acne. Specifically, it is largely attributed to rising levels of androgen, a hormone present in both males and females, particularly during puberty.
2. Genetics
Vulnerability to acne has been proven to be genetic, though experts are still unsure how it could be passed on. The unfortunate truth is that if you have one or more parents who suffer from acne, you have a much higher chance of developing it yourself.
3. Stress
It’s highly likely that emotional stress can contribute to the formation of acne. Stress produces cortisol, opens up the pores and allows more sebum to produce. It can alter your hormones and mess with your immune system, making it harder for your skin to heal and recover after an acne breakout.
4. Diet
Some studies have indicated that a carbohydrate-rich diet can potentially worsen acne, though further research is needed to solidify this claim. Also avoid food that may contain hormones such as milk and red meat.
Types of Acne Scars
As if acne wasn’t bad enough, you also have to deal with acne scarring. Though most marks left behind by healed acne will fade away with time, some acne spots can leave permanent scars. This is particularly true in the case of severe acne or cystic acne.
Acne scarring is also more likely to occur if pimples and bumps are picked and squeezed during the healing process.
There are several types of acne scars, including:
1. Icepick Scars
Icepicks are narrow, indented scars that reach down into the dermis or the layer of skin beneath the visible epidermis. These scars are typically small and thin, like a mark made by an icepick, but they can also appear large and open in some cases. Icepick scars most commonly appear on the cheeks.
2. Boxcar Scars
Boxcar scars are rounded depressions with sharp vertical edges, usually found on the lower cheeks and jaw. Boxcar scars occur when your body cannot form enough collagen to repair the damage caused by acne.
3. Rolling Scars
Rolling scars are wave-like indentations that appear across the skin, and their edges are less defined than boxcar scars. The depth of these scars may vary and can make the skin look uneven.
4. Hypertrophic & Keloid Scars
Unlike the aforementioned scar types, hypertrophic and keloid scars are not indented. Instead, they are raised patches of scar tissue left behind by acne. They usually appear on the jawline, chest, back, and shoulders.
How Does Laser Facial Work?
Laser facial, or laser resurfacing treatment stimulates collagen at the Dermis ( second layer of skin ) and thus allows restoration of some connective issues that are broken. It is a process through which lasers are used to break up scar tissue on your skin.
Why Is Laser Facial Better Than Other Options?
The laser from your facial regenerates collagen and elastin in your skin without causing any damage. It reduces the pores and thus less sebum produced and less opportunities for bacteria to colonize. This encourages faster healing of acne scars and promotes bright, even, and healthy skin. Though laser facials do not ‘cure’ acne, they can stabilize your acne by keeping skin clean, clear, and controlled.
Book Your First Laser Facial Session Today
If you are wondering how to get rid of acne scars and soothe your skin to give it a more flawless look, you may want to try laser facial treatments.
At Quiklaser, we use our patented QuikLaser Cleaning System to keep your face clean and clear by first keeping acne under control. To find out more about our acne treatment services, give us a call at +(604) 428-7845 or book an appointment online with one of our trained dermatologists.
