Laser Treatment for Acne Scars: Fraxel
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  by Jessica Leary September 2008 Fraxel Treatment, or fractional photothermolysis, is a new concept in skin laser treatment that can be used to smooth acne scars. The procedure involves a laser that can apply many pinpoint shots in a small area of skin, with an even greater concentration than the pixels on the average computer screen. Each laser shot burns a tiny hole in your skin, all the way down to the collagen layer. Because there still remains untouched healthy skin surrounding each burn hole, healing is much faster than chemical peeling and other laser resurfacing techniques. As the collagen layer rebuilds, the skin heals smoothly. A treatment session covers about 15-20% of the skin. Therefore multiple visits to the doctor are necessary for the best results, typically 5-6 sessions. Improvement is noticed after each treatment, and continues over time with healing. Although it is costly (it can run over $1000 a session), Fraxel Treatment has been shown to be effective by a number of clinical trials published in reputable journals.Side effects were also evaluated. Redness happens after all treatments, and lasts for an average of three days. A recent study measured other side effects and it was concluded that there is a relatively low complication rate of 7.6%, all of which are temporary. Although uncommon, some of the effects include acne flare-ups, HSV breakouts, erosion, and hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation is much more prevalent if you have darker skin, and bleaching creams can be used post-treatment. We interviewed “Jennifer”, a woman who underwent a full series of Fraxel Treatment. Here is how she describes her experience: “The nurse gave me two tylenol and two motrin before treatment to help with pain and swelling. Next, an anesthetic cream was applied to my face. I waited for about 45 minutes before the laser was turned on. It was pretty scary, and actually quite painful. I was told that because my acne scarring was deep, a higher setting was used. In fact, by my fifth session, the doctor was using the highest possible setting. He told me that even one of his male patients could barely stand the pain. Other people I talked to who had Fraxel said it didn’t hurt at all, but I’m sure their settings were lower. “Tape was placed over my eyelids for safety. Then the doctor moved the laser tip across my face, one region at a time. A nurse followed the laser with a tube blasting cold air to keep my skin from overheating. The cold air feels like a gift from god. About ten passes are done over each area and it gets more and more painful along the way. After a region is finished, a cooling cream is applied and cold air blown onto the skin. At the end, I was given the cold air to hold over my face for as long as I wanted, and then sent on my way with strict orders to stay out of the sun.  “My face was very red and slightly painful for the rest of the day, but it got better after about three days. For two nights following treatment, I had to sleep sitting upright or else my face would get very puffy and uncomfortable. Because I have Asian skin, there were problems with discoloration, which I have to say I was warned about. So after the fifth and last treatment, I was put on a bleaching cream to help reduce the dark coloring, which I have to apply each night. It’s been two months and I’m still waiting for all the color to fade. “I’m going to get a photo and assessment at a three month mark post treatment, but I can say that I am very happy with the results. It was definitely worth the money and extreme discomfort.” In addition to acne scars, Fraxel is shown to be successful in the treatment of age/brown spots, melasma (skin discoloration), and wrinkles around the eyes. Get more information on the Fraxel website (Reliant Technologies) or talk to your dermatologist. back to top References: Hasegawa, Toshio, et. al., “Clinical trial of a laser device called fractional photothermolysis system for acne scars”, Journal of Dermatology, 33, 623, 2006. Collawn, Sherry S., MD, PhD., “Fraxel Skin Resurfacing”, Ann Plast Surg, 58, 237, 2007. Graber, Emmy M., “Side Effects and Complications of Fractional Laser Photothermolysis: Experience with 961 Treatments”, Dermatologic Surgery, 34, 301, 2008. Comment on this Article:  |
