A valuable input has been provided by a group of physicians from Korea, which published the results of their study in May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The group did a very interesting split-face clinical study of 18 Korean patients with facial acne scars. They treated on cheek with a 585-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and the other with a 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser to compare the efficacies of these two lasers in the treatment of acne scars.

Each patient received 4 sessions of PDL or Nd:YAG laser at 2-week intervals in a randomized split-face manner.

Results

“Both lasers induced notable and comparable improvement in the appearance of acne scars, particularly superficial scars, with significant reductions in the scores associated with the clinical evaluation scale for acne scarring (ECCA). Histologic evaluations revealed significant increases in collagen production and deposition following both lasers. Patient satisfaction scores concurred with these improvements. Ice-pick scars and boxcar scars tended to respond better to PDL and Nd:YAG lasers, respectively”.

Atrophic acne scars of representative patients showed notable improvement at 8 weeks after completion of laser treatment. A and B is PDL-treated side versus; C and D – Nd:YAG laser–treated side. Left column A and C) is the baseline (before treatment). Right column (B and D) – 8 weeks after completing 4 laser treatment sessions. Ice-pick and deep scars (C and D) as well as superficial scars (A and B) showed noteworthy improvement after laser treatments.

The study group concluded that both lasers are effective modalities for the treatment of acne scars. Results appear to be very comparable in efficacy.

LaserOffers.com Comment

This is a notable study, which conclusively shows that both lasers work well on Asian skin type, and the skin type is a very important factor in choosing one laser over the other. Nd:YAG laser should clearly be the laser of choice for a darker skin type. The 1064 nm wavelength is a much safer modality for the skin of color and tanned skin.

The study did not address the pain level for patients. Again, 1064nm with a short pulse width would be preferable as the patients with darker skin would experience less pain during the treatment.

An experienced aesthetic medical professional should determine the choice of laser for a specific skin color, skin condition and the scar type to achieve optimal results for the individual patient.

Fraxel laser treatments are very popular due to the glitzy marketing by the manufacturer. Patients satisfaction with results and physicians opinion on efficacy and their return on investment are mixed. Very mixed.

Here is a good source of opinions shared by actual patients who have had Fraxel:

Interactive map of Fraxel costs

Fraxel treatment was designed to provide profound rejuvenation results with minimum pain and downtime for the patient. Results and opinions are still mixed on all counts.

We recommend the following growing before and after picture collections:

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Laser hair removal is a very mature market in the U.S. and costs do not vary dramatically for comparable types of facilities.

There are clinics and franchises that specialize exclusively in laser hair removal. Typically these facilities provide a high level of safety, customer satisfaction and long lasting results. However, since the actual procedures are not administered by a doctor, you should check the track record of the specific facility and the technician who will work with you.

There are fly-by-night medspas, which can offer the lowest price and the highest risk. These are typically operated by aestheticians. A medical doctor would sign off their charts without actually seeing the patient. More due diligence is required before you can accept their offer.

Many physician’s offices have started offering laser hair removal as an add-on ancillary service. Treatments are usually done by physicians and carry the lowest level of risk for the patient. The physician’s fees may be on a higher side, but doctors realize the spectrum of risk and appreciate the value of their license, so they can (and they should) command a higher fee.

You can get a good idea of the laser hair removal costs by reviewing the following useful resources:

Interactive map of LHR costs

Laser hair removal, aka permanent laser hair reduction, is becoming a standard routine hair treatment as more people realise the aesthetic and long-term cost benefits of this type of laser procedures. You may spend upwards of $3,000 for a full body treatment, but relatively few people actually do it. The majority of laser hair removal is done on the face, neck, chest, armpits, bikini line, and other spots. Low cost, great results and maintenance-free – that’s what you get after a completed series of laser hair removal procedures performed by an expert.

We recommend the following growing before and after picture collections:

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IPL treatments are very popular due to the long history of use, large installed base and recent technological advances. You will find an IPL in many medical aesthetic practices. How much does a treatment costs? Depends on a treatment.

Here is a good source of opinions shared by actual patients who have had one or more types of IPL treatments:

Interactive map of IPL treatment costs

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) devices are not lasers, but they are effective in a number of light-based procedures for photorejuvenation, pigment and vascular lesion removal and others. More about Lasers vs. IPL on LaserOffers.com.

We recommend the following growing before and after picture collections:

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