If you think having acne or any kinds of skin infections and wounds are a major problem, wait ‘til they heal to see the equally, if not the more problematic aftermath.
This is because scars do not only remind you of the painful past, pun intended. It is also costlier to treat a scar than to treat acne or any kind of wounds combined. Like seriously!
With all the available options for acne scar treatment that includes excisions, dermabrasions, and chemical peelings, the laser treatment has been proven to be the best treatment that is said to improve the appearance of acne scars by 50% to 80% and one of the most expensive treatments of all.
Laser treatment for acne scars is a non-invasive which means you are not placed “under the knife” so to speak. No wound or blood and with little or no downtime at all.
As much as the laser treatment is generally safe, however, some patients may have some conditions that may not be suitable to undergo this treatment. Some of these include people with psoriasis, cystic acne, and dermatitis, as well as people taking isotretinoin to treat their acne.
So how much does laser scar removal cost and what are the types of laser treatments available? Those we will see in this article.
Average Cost of Laser Scar Removal
It is said that the reported laser acne scar removal cost ranges between $700 and $800 per session on the average and can be much higher depending on which facility and location you want the procedure done.
You may think that it is way cheaper than what you might have originally thought or heard about. But do not get too excited yet. The key words there are “per session”. That is because it may take several sessions to be able to achieve the desired result. And it may take several months, depending on the severity of the scar.
Although some scars may be too small that can even cost as little as $100 when only a single, tiny scar is involved. But since we are talking about acne, which means we are talking about a few scars, if not worse. But basically, the number of sessions would dictate your overall laser treatment price.
There are actually four different types of acne scar laser treatments available in the market. These are the following:
- Fractional Laser Treatment
- Carbon Dioxide Laser Treatment
- Erbium Laser Treatment
- Pixilation
What are Included
The price of laser scar removal usually includes the cost of the procedure including the equipment use, the doctor’s fee, the anesthesia, and the facility fee.
Naturally, scars are not resolved in one session alone so expect to go back several times within several months to achieve the desired result. Talk to your doctor regarding your condition as he or she could assess the severity of the scars and you can discuss the potential treatment plan and the treatment combinations if necessary in order to speed up the process. At the same time, you could discuss the total cost estimate and the payment scheme if the total cost may be too much for you to be settled under one bill.
Typical scars could be eliminated for about four to six sessions for the duration of two months. But severe scars could be longer and may need additional treatments which can sometimes cost a fortune to achieve a very smooth and even skin once again.
Also, laser treatments for scar removal can address other skin problems such as fine lines and wrinkles so it is like hitting two birds with one stone.
Additional Costs
Before any procedure is even considered, a trip to your dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon is necessary to assess your condition. This may cost around $150 to $300 depending on the expertise of the professional as well as his or her location.
Laser scar treatments are generally safe and FDA-approved but because different patients can have different reactions to the procedure, some medications may be prescribed to them to minimize the skin color changes.
Shopping for Laser Scar Removal
After taking the first step towards your dream of having a perfect skin through researching about the rough estimate of the cost of laser scar treatments, the next step is to search for some of the best dermatologists or cosmetic surgeons near your area. You may find the locator the American Academy of Dermatology Inc. or AAD offers very useful. Just enter your zip code and the specialization of the doctor you need and get the results right at your fingertips.
You may also visit the PremierClinic.com for the list of their available skin services and their corresponding rates to give you a bird’s eye-view or estimates of the prices that you could compare with other facilities.
Factors Affecting Cost of Laser Scar Removal
- Type of Scar – scars may be a keloid, hypertrophic, or atrophic. These are some of the types of scars that a laser treatment can address. But some may be longer and more complicated to treat than the others, hence, the cost would differ.
- The severity of the scar – generally, the scars that have just recently acquired are easier to treat than those that have been on your skin for quite some time. The more effort as evidenced by the number of sessions required and the technology applied to the problem means the higher the price of laser scar removal.
- Location of the scar – those scars that are confined in one area alone may cost cheaper than those spread in several areas of the face or skin.
- Doctor’s fee – aside from the procedure, one of the major factors of the treatment is the professional fee of the doctor. When the doctor is more sought-after as manifested by a long queue of patients, then, expect to pay a higher cost.
- Medical facility fee – also factoring in the cost of the laser treatment is the fee for use of the facility. The rule of thumb is that the bigger the name of the facility, the higher you will have to pay.
- Equipment – the kind of equipment used for your treatment will also have an impact on the laser acne scar removal cost as some uses a more advanced equipment than others.
- Insurance – most laser treatments are performed in order to improve the appearance of a person which means it is a cosmetic procedure that is generally are not covered by insurance. Unless you can provide a valid reason that such procedure is necessary to avoid developing an illness like cancer of the skin, then you might just give up the hope for your insurance to even turn their heads towards you.