Acne, Redness & Brown Spots Aren’t the Same. So, How Can One Laser Treat Them All?
Most people wouldn’t think that fine lines, acne scars, facial redness and brown spots have much in common. In a lot of ways, they don’t. They don’t share the same triggers or follow the same progression, but they do affect the skin in a similar way: by making it look uneven.
Acne scars give the skin a rough, sometimes wavy texture, while active breakouts, diffuse redness and brown spots from aging or sun damage create blemishes and patches of discoloration that disrupt your skin’s natural clarity.
Because these concerns are so varied, it’s reasonable to assume they’d call for entirely separate treatment approaches. But at Austin Skin & Wellness, one laser can improve 30+ conditions, even when the underlying cause is completely different: Aerolase Neo Elite®.
The interesting part is how. Here’s what changes from one Aerolase treatment to the next and how the laser adapts to whatever your skin needs most that day.
One Laser, Different Targets
Meet the device that makes it all possible.
Aerolase Neo Elite is an FDA-cleared laser that can treat a range of skin concerns with a single handpiece. It delivers a 1064nm wavelength of light in extremely short pulses that last only 650 microseconds, or millionths of a second, heating the tissue quickly. That heat doesn’t have a chance to build up before it disperses, reducing the risk of burns and making cooling gels or numbing creams unnecessary for a comfortable treatment.
Aerolase’s versatility comes from what happens after the light enters the skin. Depending on what we’re treating, the energy can interact with pigment, blood vessels or the sebaceous glands, or it can create controlled heat that stimulates collagen and elastin production. The laser stays the same, but the biological target changes depending on how it’s used.
For patients in sunny Austin, that flexibility can be especially useful when sun damage and early signs of aging tend to appear together.
Targeting Acne
Acne is a particularly good example of how Aerolase works because there isn’t one single target to eliminate. Several things happen at once beneath the skin for acne to form, including excess oil production, clogged pores, inflammation and the proliferation of C. acnes bacteria.
Aerolase’s NeoClear protocol acts on several of those processes at once to clear stubborn breakouts. Notably, it shrinks overactive sebaceous glands to reduce oil production and destroys acne-causing bacteria. For those with lingering discoloration after a breakout, it also treats excess pigment to restore a more even skin tone.
Targeting Facial Redness
Persistent redness, whether from rosacea or small facial veins near the surface of the skin, comes from blood rather than pigment. Hemoglobin readily absorbs Aerolase’s 1064nm wavelength, generating heat that causes visible or dilated blood vessels to collapse. Facial redness fades as these are naturally cleared by the body.
Targeting Brown Spots
Brown spots and other forms of hyperpigmentation develop when melanin clumps more densely in one specific area. Aerolase uses thermal energy to break up excess pigment and restore a brighter, more even complexion. As the skin renews itself, treated spots fade without the crusting, peeling or flaking of more intensive lasers.
Historically, pigment has been tricky to treat. Older laser technologies that absorb heavily at the surface were more likely to overheat the surrounding melanin and cause burns or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), especially in patients with deeper skin tones.
Aerolase’s ultra-fast pulses deliver energy too quickly to burn the skin or trigger rebound hyperpigmentation, making it exceptionally safe for all skin tones and types.
Targeting Fine Lines
Acne, facial redness and pigmentation concerns all give the laser something specific to act on. Fine lines and early skin laxity don’t work that way. They aren’t caused by overactive oil glands, visible blood vessels or an excess of pigment that can be targeted directly.
Instead, we rely on dermal heating. The energy warms the deeper layer of skin to prompt fibroblasts, the cells that produce collagen, into action. The surface stays untouched while the deeper tissue responds as if it’s healing, building new collagen over the following weeks. Since renewed collagen production happens gradually, these kinds of results develop slowly, but they also tend to be longer-lasting.
What Else Can Aerolase Treat?
We did say Aerolase works on over 30 skin concerns, so you might be wondering what else it can treat beyond the four we’ve covered.
Aerolase Neo Elite is effective for:
- Acne & acne scars
- Rosacea
- Melasma
- Hyperpigmentation
- Facial redness
- Aging skin
- Razor bumps
- Ingrown hairs
- Nail care
- Visible veins
- Vascular lesions
- Unwanted hair
- Some types of scarring
It can also be used on areas beyond the face, including the neck, chest and body, depending on what we’re treating.
Aerolase’s range doesn’t automatically mean it’s the best choice for every concern, however. The right treatment still depends on your concerns, your treatment goals, the amount of correction needed, and how much downtime you’re comfortable with. We also factor in treatment intensity. Some patients prefer a more aggressive treatment with fewer sessions, while others opt for a gentler approach, with treatments spread across a series of visits.
During your consultation at Austin Skin & Wellness, our providers evaluate your concerns and treatment goals to recommend the best approach for you.
One Laser Doesn’t Mean One-Size-Fits-All
Even when Aerolase is the right device, the treatment itself can look very different from one patient to the next. The settings we use for acne won’t necessarily be the same ones we choose for facial redness or hyperpigmentation.
Your provider can adjust factors such as energy level, pulse delivery and the number of passes based on what’s being targeted and how your skin responds. That flexibility is especially important when several concerns are present at once, since different areas may need to be treated differently during the same visit.
It also means your treatment plan can evolve over time. As one concern improves or your priorities change, we can adjust the device’s settings to focus more attention elsewhere rather than repeating the exact same session each time.
Ready to Meet Your Skin’s New Best Friend?
Aerolase can do a lot, but the best results still come from knowing exactly what your skin needs. At Austin Skin & Wellness in West Lake Hills, TX, we take the time to evaluate your concerns, skin tone and treatment goals to determine if Aerolase is right for you. If you’re ready to see what this versatile laser can do for your skin, book a consultation now to get your personalized recommendation!
