Not really. At worst you’ll feel a little hot and “zappy”. This is thanks to the strong anaesthetic cream we apply to your face one hour before your treatment is performed. This cream works to numb the skin, providing full comfort through your treatment.
In addition to this, we use a cool air blower on your face through the treatment which helps to reduce any discomfort. Most patients don’t find laser acne scarring treatment very painful or unpleasant. In fact, most people find the treatment is nowhere near as bad as they were expecting!
Laser skin treatments can be absolute miracle treatments! Whether you want to get rid of that acne scar, lighten those dark spots, or treat a skin condition, lasers are the most advanced and effective option available. But the biggest question most patients want to know before undergoing a laser procedure is:
Will it hurt?
While laser skin treatments do work incredibly quickly, they can be slightly irritating during the treatment itself. The pain is minimal and has been compared by patients to ‘a rubber band snapping against your skin.’ After a few minutes, your skin becomes used to the pain and you don’t feel it anymore. After the session is over, usually there will not be any pain.
Still, there are ways to be sure you will experience the least pain possible by following some simple steps before your treatment.
* Talk with your doctor! Let he or she know of any skin issues, sensitivity, or chronic conditions you may have had.
* Wash your face using tepid water — no hot water.
* Use sunscreen to avoid burns that will make laser treatment impossible.
* Talk to your doctor about applying a topical anesthetic to skin about an hour before the treatment. This will help keep pain to a minimum.
I’m If you are still concerned about pain during or after treatment, speak with your doctor. If you have especially sensitive skin, you’ll want to make sure your doctor knows this. Occasionally, a laser treatment isn’t right for a patient.
Whatever type of laser treatment you choose, be sure to be ready to experience a little bit of pain. Your threshold level combined with topical anesthetics and your own doctor’s expertise can make the whole experience much more comfortable.
Raulin C, Grema H. Single-pass carbon dioxide laser skin resurfacing combined with cold-air cooling: efficacy and patient satisfaction of a prospective side-by-side study. Arch Dermatol. 2004 Nov;140(11):1333-6.