Like it or not, scars on the skin are a fact of life.  Scars can come from childhood playground mishaps, the after effects of severe acne, serious accidents, and even surgery.  What most patients find displeasing about scars is that there is usually redness, swelling, thickness and raised skin.  Because of this and the location of the scar, they can be exceedingly visible and difficult to cover with clothing or makeup.  Over time, most scars will become less noticeable, flatter, and red in appearance.  However, some patients feel that scars from acne, surgery or a bad accident are so severe and hard to cover that they sufficiently interfere with their lives.  If this is the case, then such patients should consult with a dermatologist or a cosmetic dermatologist who is well qualified in improving the aesthetics of a scar.  More aggressive approaches to treating scars include microdermabrasion and even the use of lasers.  Microdermabrasion can assist in flattening the scar tissue thereby making them less noticeable, and this is especially true of in improving scars from teen acne.  However, for more stubborn scar tissue using a laser may be called for, such as a pulse dye laser (PDL) or intense pulsed light (IPL).  Such cosmetic dermatology techniques stimulate collagen production in the skin, and the collagen plumps up the skin and scar making it look more like the surrounding skin.  Laser therapy for scars is serious business; therefore it is critical to seek treatment for a board certified dermatologist who has several years of experience using laser therapy – especially if the scar to be treated is on the face.  West Houston Dermatology Laser & Skincare Center is an excellent resource for both medical and cosmetic dermatology, and Stephen Mahoney, M.D. has over 18 years of experience in treating scars using a multitude of techniques, including lasers.