Hi there ,
Subcision treatment involves perforation of the epidermis (top layer of skin ) and the gliding of a cannula or needle to break acne scars that are stuck together. As the scars are fibrous and hardened , it takes some strength and trauma to release them, and thus it causes pain, swelling , bleeding and bruising.
For lasers , the most painful laser would be the fractional CO2 laser which doesn’t penetrate as deep and which targets only 20-30% of the top layer of the skin. The picosecond lasers for acne scars are not as painful as this .
Comparing subcision to fractional CO2, I would still say subcision has much more pain and downtime involved. Having said that, certain scars can only be reduced with subcision. So keep your options open according to your doctor’s assessment.
Hope that helps !
Best Regards,
Dr Isaac Wong
