Maia Pells asked:


Abdominoplasty and laser treatment for stretch marks are two of the most sought after methods to eliminate stretch marks. If you’re trying to choose between the two procedures, you should first compare them with each other for you to come up with a more informed decision.

What They Are For

Laser treatment for stretch marks is a relatively new area in cosmetic surgery. Some critics feel that there is a need to study laser treatment for stretch marks further before it can be considered a valid procedure for stretch mark elimination.

Although it is not a procedure for stretch mark removal, abdominoplasty has been around longer than laser treatment and is also used as method for cosmetic surgery. People who want to get a tummy tuck simply want to get rid of a few extra stubborn fats on the tummy that do not respond well to dieting and exercise. The removal of stretch marks is simply an added bonus.

Before the Procedure

Tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is a more risky procedure and it is even considered as a major operation. Your surgeon may require you to undergo some extensive preparation. Your doctor will first spend some sessions with you discussing the procedure, risks and more importantly, assessing your validity as a candidate. You may also have to spend some time being medically counseled about your decision to undergo abdominoplasty.

Compared to tummy tuck, laser treatment is less invasive as a procedure and may even be done by your dermatologist.

Who Are Candidates

For abdominoplasty, candidates should be close to their ideal weight and must only have a certain minimal fat to be removed. They should also be physically and emotionally stable and should have realistic expectations. Sometimes a tummy tuck may not be able to remove all the visible stretch marks. It is also understood that the procedure will leave you with a big external scar.

The best candidate for laser treatment for stretch marks is someone who has fresh stretch marks that are still colored pink or purple. Mature stretch marks may not respond to laser treatment for stretch marks. Some experts also say that there will still be visible streaks but will be less obvious.

Recovery

Compared to abdominiplasty, laser treatment will require less time for recovery. The procedure involves little pain and no external scars at all. Abdominiplasty on the other hand is a procedure that may require weeks of recuperation. You may also experience some swelling and pain on the treated area.

What Are the Side Effects and Risks?

Compared to abdominaplasty, laser treatment has only very little known side effects. A little temporary reddening of the area may be the only thing you have to endure. In the hands of an incompetent practitioner however, you might suffer from minor tissue injury.

Abdominoplasty may open you up to more side effects and risks. Aside from the swelling and pain, you are also at risk of infections and irritations. A slip from your surgeon may also result in organ damage.

Cost

Laser treatment for stretch marks is considerably less expensive than abdominoplasty. Costs for laser treatment for stretch marks may range anywhere from $400-$1500 while abdominoplasty costs may range from $5,000-$9,000.

Samantha Williams asked:


For many years dermatologists have not succeeded in finding a viable solution to the acne problem despite their trying with excisions, punch grafts or different pills, acne is very hard to treat especially the scars it lets behind are mostly irreparable with classical techniques. Lately, acne light laser treatment has made a boom in the medical world. Acne is not just a youth problem, it can appear at any age depending on many various factors.

In order to make it clear which kind of acne may undergo light laser treatment, here are the most encountered forms. There is acne vulgaris specific to youngsters around puberty age, it usually appears on the face and shoulders. Then, acne rosacea appears as a red rash on the face, last, but no least acne fulminans is the worst form of acne known so far. Its appearance is caused by severe internal problems.

Over the last two decades acne light laser treatments have become indispensable for acne therapies. An increasing number of persons apply to this kind of treatment because it offers visible great results. In the ’80s acne light laser treatment was just experimental, it was observed even then, that scarred derma treated with laser radiation had the tendency to return to normal aspect.

The research that followed imposed significant improvements for the acne light laser treatment on most of the acne forms. The most rewarding results are obtained with colored red purples as with deep scars as well. Following a recent statistic almost all patients noticed an improvement of at least 50% in their skin aspect, of course easier acne forms can be treated with a success rate near to full recovery.

There are several alternative methods to classical acne intervention or pills treatment, such as acne light laser pulse treatments that can provide very good results. However, in such cases a pre-operative preparation must be taken into consideration for a successful intervention. There are laser procedures that don’t need anesthesia at all (the pulsed dye treatments), even only a local anesthetic cream is applied or local injections.

The first aspect of acne scar light laser treatment is that the skin remains irradiated for a certain period of time. This is normal, and the scar situation is reexamined several weeks after intervention when the procedure is repeated with an increased strength if the doctor considers it necessary. The post-operation examinations usually contain skin cleanings and the patient is advised to keep the area safe from irritating factors such cold weather or wind.