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VBeam Perfecta Laser: Versatile Dermatology Treatment
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Most of us enter the world with baby smooth skin devoid of scars. However, as the saying goes “nobody gets off this planet easy” and many of us end up with scars. As a board-certified dermatologist and micrographic surgeon, scars on the skin are a common problem. As far as emotional scars, I leave that to the mental health professionals.
This month we will discuss the most common types of scars we treat including keloids and hypertrophic scars, acne scars, surgical scars, and traumatic scars.
Keloids and hypertrophic scars are very common, affecting 5–15% of surgical scars. Your body is essentially “over-healing” itself, producing more collagen than is required. These thick scars are most seen after body piercings or surgical procedures.
If you are prone to these or if you have a keloid, you can treat it before you even see a dermatologist by applying a medical-grade silicone ointment or dressing. Don’t go to Home Depot—go to your nearest pharmacy.
The most common way we treat keloids is by injecting cortisone into the scar. This turns off the collagen-producing cell known as the fibroblast. Most keloids will shrink and soften with a series of injections.
We will often combine injections with pulsed-dye laser treatments. The treatments are effective, but the laser is not a magic wand. Oftentimes, multiple treatments will be required. Some patients choose to defer injections and choose laser therapy alone.
In some stubborn cases, the keloid scar can be cut out (though this has a high rate of recurrence) or treated with X-ray. If you have a keloid scar, you would be well served seeing a board-certified dermatologist experienced in treating them.
Acne is the most common skin problem treated by dermatologists. In 2022, we have medicines that can cure acne, and in most cases prevent acne scarring. It is important to treat acne to prevent the suffering not only caused by having blemished skin, but to prevent the suffering inflicted on those who suffer from acne scarring.
For those who have acne scars, there is hope. Many patients that I see in consultation to treat their scars are still breaking out with active acne. It is important to treat and control the acne before embarking on scar treatment—otherwise, you will be in a vicious cycle of creating new scars.
The most common way we treat acne scars is with fractional resurfacing lasers. Many of the treatments require minimal downtime. For instance, many of our patients with careers in sales or other forward-facing occupations can have a treatment on a Friday and be back in action on Monday.
We also offer micro-needling but find superior results with laser. Some acne scars can be cut out while others can be treated with injectable fillers. No two patients are the same and we tailor the treatment to the individual. The goal for all of our patients with acne scarring is improvement, not perfection.
Surgical scars and traumatic scars are often unavoidable. Most surgical scars heal well and don’t require any treatment.
More obvious scars can be improved with lasers including pulsed dye lasers, fractional erbium lasers, and fractional CO2 lasers.
A less common type of scar we treat is a traumatic tattoo, which I most commonly see when bicyclists fall on pavement and small particles of asphalt impregnate the skin—essentially creating an asphalt tattoo.
We have successfully treated these with the PicoWay laser, which we more commonly use to treat tattoo ink as well as pigment lesions.
If you have a scar, you’re not alone. If you have a scar that bothers you or one that you wish to improve, you have many options in the hands of an expert.
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