Acne Scars Specialist
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Refresh Rx Hawaii
Eugene M.C. Lee, MD
Internal Medicine & Sculpsure and Tempsure Specialist located in Honolulu, HI
As if acne weren’t a tough enough problem to deal with, the scarring it can leave behind stands as a permanent reminder of its presence. To combat this, Refresh Rx Hawaii, provides medical aesthetic services at their practice in Honolulu, Hawaii, and uses the latest technology in laser therapy to minimize those scars substantially, leaving you with fresh, unmarked skin.
Acne Scars Q & A
Why does acne leave scarring?
Acne, especially in its more moderate and severe forms, can have a damaging effect on your skin once it has run its course, leaving a pock-marked landscape in its wake. Scarring is your body’s way of healing itself as it races to protect the damaged area. This response is called a traumatic response, as your body sends blood and collagen to the area to work quickly. But sometimes your body makes too much or too little collagen, which leaves behind either a depression, or a raised scar.
Scarring typically occurs for several reasons, such as:
- Acne that penetrates deep into your skin, which damages your skin considerably (cystic acne, for example)
- If you pick at or squeeze your acne, which causes further irritation and inflammation
- If scarring runs in your family, you may be especially prone to it
- If you delay treatment of your acne
- As you age, your skin loses elasticity and previously unseen scarring may become evident
How does laser scar treatment work?
The team at Refresh Rx Hawaii uses a laser scar treatment that emits short pulses of micro-fine laser light to reach deep below the surface of your skin to target your skin’s support structure. By using a nonablative, fractional laser, there is minimal damage to your skin, and your body responds with a nontraumatic response, creating new collagen and elastin in the affected area in a less urgent manner than it does when it senses trauma.
From there, your body will naturally process and dispose of the older, damaged tissue and rebuild your skin with fresh collagen and elastin — the building blocks of normal-looking skin.
Laser scar removal works on all types of skin, including very dark and very light tones.
As a testament to its success, the laser treatment is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of acne scarring.
How long does the procedure take and how many will I need?
Typically, a single procedure takes less than 30 minutes. There is no downtime associated with the treatment, and you can resume your normal activities afterward.
The number of treatments you need depends on the extent of your scarring. Most patients require three to seven treatment sessions for optimum results, but the team at Refresh Rx Hawaii will let you know how many you need during your initial consultation.
*Individual results may vary.
