Laser Treatments for Burn Victims

If you suffer a burn to your skin, heavy scarring on the tissue may result, which many feel is unsightly. While not a serious health threat, visible scarring can wreak havoc with your self-esteem. Laser treatments have been developed that can eliminate scar tissue very effectively. These treatments are also relatively cheap compared to reconstructive surgery.

Purpose

• Laser treatments use a low level laser to chip away at burn scar tissue. It also stimulates the skin cells' natural healing process, something conventional surgery does not do. The same treatment is used to treat serious acne scarring. It helps reduce pain in the tissues and eliminates scars as much as possible. Multiple treatment sessions are often necessary to completely remove the scar tissue. Eliminating the scar tissue helps reduce the unsightliness of the scars and can also help speed up the recovery process. Scar tissue often gets in the way of newly growing skin. This can cause the skin to grow back unevenly or even stop growing entirely. Removing scar tissue lets new growith come in more quickly and evenly.

Process

• The process of laser skin burn treatments involves placing the patient on a treatment table. The patient is made comfortable on the table and given protective goggles. The scar tissue is exposed and protective clothing is placed around the exposed skin. The therapist aims the laser at the scar tissue, activates the laser and carefully moves it over the surface of the skin. The whole procedure takes under half an hour. The scar tissue is covered with gauze which should be left on for at least 24 hours.

Advantages

• There are many advantages of laser skin burn treatments. According to the Dedicated to Health website, burn victims treated with lasers have been shown to heal almost twice as fast as victims not treated with lasers. They have also been shown to more efficiently eliminate scar tissue. Laser treatments also avoid the potentials of additional scarring, often the result of conventional scar tissue removal surgery. The treatment cost can also be as low as $500, making it the cheaper alternative. The Dedicated to Health website also states that laser skin treatments are relatively painless, especially when compared to more conventional surgeries.

Disadvantages

• Laser treatments also have disadvantages that must be considered. Laser treatments aren't readily available around the nation. This means you may have to travel further than you can afford to find a laser treatment center. Laser burn is another potential disadvantage of laser treatments. The lasers used in the treatment are very low power. However, the possibility of human error does exist. Imprecise laser operation could lead to unscarred skin being burned and injured by the laser. Some insurance companies won't pay for a laser skin treatment. This means you will either have to pay the money yourself or settle for traditional surgery.