Will Laser Resurfacing Get Rid Of My Acne Scars?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I have pretty substantial acne scarring and I would really like to have a procedure to remedy this. My scars cover a large area of my face, most of them are small indented scars but there are a few larger ones. I’ve looked into laser scar removal and chemical peels, but I’m not sure which one I would be the best candidate for. I’m also unsure of the average cost of these procedures and how long they will last. I want whatever I have done to have permanent results, at this point cost isn’t my primary issue, I just want results that will not fade within a couple of months. Any information you could give me on this would be great, I am definitely planning on having something done within the next couple months.

A: Facial acne scarring is a difficult problem and there is no complete cure for it. It can be improved but rarely can the skin ever be made completely smooth. The most effective treatment is going to be laser resurfacing not chemical peels for acne scars that are not too deep and are large in number. It is often best to have an initial fully ablative laser resurfacing treatment followed by a fractional laser resurfacing three months later. This will give you the best improvement with a sustained result.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana