15 replies to this topic

[DudleyDoRight]

http://www.fractionalc02.com/co2laserblog/

There is a lot of information on this site about lasers. The only type I have read that speaks to acne scars are the fractionalized CO2 lasers.

[simplybeautiful]

Thank you for the recommendation. It is important to know the facts before committing to a treatment option. Fractional Co2 laser seems to offer the best bang for the buck. Here is a great overview from the site.

[movieman]

Yes, thanks for the link. Very informative. I just wish I was aware of this site before I went ahead...

[simplybeautiful]

Yeah me too. But I will know next time as the wool has been removed from my eyes.

[DudleyDoRight]

I am ever the skeptic but so far I have been unable to find a scam running on this website, so maybe it is just a great source of information. I am sorry, but I come across so many sites that puport to be consumers friends when they are really pushing a product. I hope you all dig deep into this site before you have any laser procedure.

[annasui]

dudley, ive got a few questions and i hope youre able to answer them as you seem to be very versed when it comes to fractional ablative CO2 laser skin resurfacing!

the deeper it goes the more dramatic the results - right? so if scars are approx 0.5 mm (500 microns) deep - should the ablation depth be the same/slightly deeper in order to smooth out the scars so theyre no longer "visible",prominent...? or in other in other words - depth of scar = ablation depth, provided its technically feasible?

if one of the ablation spots meets the scar 100%, a direct hit - doesnt it make it even deeper? why/ why not?

thank you!!!

[DudleyDoRight]

annasui, I defer to doctors to answer your questions.

http://www.zimbio.com/Boston+Medical+Spa/a...+Lumenis+Bridge
http://www.theclinique.net/FRAXELrepairCO2Laser.aspx

This is a very in depth article that you should find very interesting.
http://healthy-aging.advanceweb.com/Editor....aspx?CC=112180

[annasui]

thank you very much for the fast reply + detailed information (esp last source)!(:

but i have to admit i couldnt find the answers i was looking for...

on the lumenis site it says that the active fx penetrates 300microns - this doesnt mean 3oo um of ablation but 100um ablation + additional 200um of thermal healing depth - so i was wrong thinking that penetration depth = ablation depth, right?

[black cat]

Dudley, did you not receive any improvement from the CO2 laser treatment you had done in 1996?

[simplybeautiful]

I checked out the fractionalc02.com site and sent in a question about how effective the lasers are in the treatment of acne scarring and how much of a difference the depth of penetration could change your results. Apparently, they have received this question quite a bit and have a Cosmetic Dermatologist that is writing an article about this issue. I looked her up and she doesn't have any financial involvement with the laser companies or the fractional laser site.

I feel like a lot of the doctors out there only sell the procedure that they offer in their office or get paid to promote. It just seems like a lot of fluff in most cases. Dr. Tierney works at Boston University and she does not have any affiliation with any of these companies. She will also cover the difference between Fraxel Re:pair and SmartXide Co2 Laser.

I just think this will be an interesting article as I have been contemplating Fractional laser treatment for the last 6 months. I have had fraxel for some icepick acne scars but was not very satisfied with the results. I went through two painful treatments for less than noticeable results. I am looking forward to narrowing down my selection for Fractional co2 laser resurfacing.

Best,
Lauren

[annasui]

Lauren,
did they tell you when to ecpect this article and are you gonna post a link then? (;

what fractional ablative CO2 laser are you considering?

[simplybeautiful]

They posted the article a couple of weeks ago. http://www.fractionalc02.com/co2laserblog/...aser-comparison

Dr. Tierney wrote the article for the site but it could go over peoples head if you are a newby to lasers. As she indicated in here study, there is significant evidence backing up the claims that an ablative fractional co2 laser is much more effective than its non ablative counterpart, i.e. Fraxel Re:store, Yags, etc. vs. SmartXide Dot, Fraxel Re:pair, etc... The owner of the site used to own a dermatology and plastic surgery practice and now spends a lot time consulting with physicians and reading articles to bring the content to his readers. He is still friends with a lot of derms which is how he got Dr. Tierney to write the article. I just thought that was interesting because I too am skeptical of 99% of the so called patient advocate sites out there.

I had fraxel re:store with the sr1500 a couple of years ago but am saving up and trying to find a good doctor to do my next treatment. I am leaning towards the SmartXide or possibly the Juvia co2 laser. I only want to have a maximum of two treatments but from what I have read the number of treatments is determined by how bad my scars are so it could take more like 3-4 treatments.

Does anyone know of any good resources relating to the use of fillers for acne scar removal? I have seen some different things but nothing that really convinced me that it can work.

Thanks,
L

[DudleyDoRight]

The wording of your comment was a little confusing, but after rereading I could understand your intention. Here is another chart presented by Matrix CO2 which I am sure is intended to show the cost difference, but as a patient I am more concerned with strength of the laser. For me Fraxel Re:pair and Deep FX still stand out, and I choose Re:pair because of what I consider a more efficient mode of delivery.
http://www.fractionalco2.com/comparison.html

Edited by DudleyDoRight, 14 October 2009 - 04:40 AM.

[mebe]

thx for the links dudley. very informative.

[DudleyDoRight]

Conambo, that is apples vs oranges. Re:pair is ablative and Re:store is not. You can compare Re:pair to DeepFX but not Re:store. I don't really have the answers to most peoples questions. I just dig into the internet and post the appropriate links. My Link O Rama thread has a ton of info. http://www.acne.org/messageboard/Laser-Lin...ma-t252527.html

See this link for an easy quick explanation.

http://www.zimbio.com/Boston+Medical+Spa/a...+Lumenis+Bridge

Edited by DudleyDoRight, 07 August 2010 - 03:23 PM.