How many acne laser treatments are required is a difficult question to answer because there are many factors involved. Much of the answer depends on the type of acne, severity of the acne, degree of the acne scarring, skin type, and whether or not the patient is able and willing to have downtime. For example, if a patient has moderate inflammatory acne papules without scarring – the treatment plan may consist of 6 acne laser treatments. On the other hand, if the patient comes in with papules lots of whiteheads and cystic acne combined with red, brown or textured acne scarring, the recommended treatment plan may consist of 6 to 9 treatments spaced between 2 and 4 weeks apart.
We believe that a good acne practitioner will tailor the treatment plan to the patient’s acne condition, goals, skin type, lifestyle, and budget. From there, setting realistic expectations for our acne patients and involving them in the treatment plan is a good starting point. Acne treatment plans should be individualized and open to modification as needed.