Historically they always said to wait for at least 6 months before getting any scar repair done. You might hear some different things these days, but I personally think erring on the side of caution is a good idea.

As far as the treatments they are advising, they seem reasonable. But you're right to be skeptical and to seek other opinions. I'd get a second and probably a third opinion from a couple different docs. Then only go with someone when you are comfortable. And make sure you see before and afters of people with similar scarring that they have helped.

Posted by: @gznner9997

Hi everyone,

Ive recently finished my isotretinoin treatment (last dose was on November 27, 2024), and Im now looking to start treating my acne scars. My active acne is finally under control, and Im eager to improve the appearance of my scars as soon as possible.

My dermatologist has recommended starting with 2-3 sessions of radiofrequency microneedling using the DeAge (by intros) before proceeding to CO2 laser treatment. However, Im unsure about the timing - should I wait longer after completing isotretinoin before starting these treatments?

Ive heard mixed opinions about waiting periods post-isotretinoin for procedures like microneedling or lasers, and Id love to hear from anyone who has experience or knowledge in this area.

Is radiofrequency microneedling a good first step, or would you recommend something else?

Or do you think radiofrequency microneedling is a waste of money and I should start with a CO2 laser right away?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

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I have no experience with RF needling but I've seen others talk about it like Lim did on his site, so did a few doctors I consulted with. Your scars are probably in need of aggressive approach so you should seek out several opinions just to be sure. I was just fooling around searching scars and there's lot of improvements out there I just feel like it's part luck, part genetics/healing, part doctor talent. Like https://www.nycdermatologist.com/2024/07/scar-treatment-center.html just randomly looking the first picture or two shows really good improvement but who knows maybe it's filler too. Try to search more before/after and expert stuff near you online. Search dr lim's thoughts on procedures on his site. I'd probably go aggressive with an experienced doc because. I believe Dr. Lim spoke of RF needling many times so google/research that please.

Let me explain what the RF needling followed by Co2 is suggesting. They want to stick needles under/bottom of the scar and distribute heat to cause significant injury and hope to build, heal or fill collagen loss. Then if that's successful, they want to use co2 to smooth out the top layer. It's logical, I just don't generally know how successful that is or how many times you should do it etc.

If you scroll to page 2 or so of this thread, some guy said he had wrinkles from rf needling a while ago. Some people say they did well from TCA cross I saw 6 widen from it. I mean let me just say this, every procedure is unique and some people respond poorly. Collagen is really tricky. I point out that there's some risk you could heal some parts, and it might worsen texture you just never know. That's why getting opinions is worth it. Depending on your skin condition there might hidden risks or better chronology of procedures etc.

I'm sure you could get improvement with the right procedures though, you have a lot of upside. In your case, i think the upside greatly outweighs the downside of most procedures. Best of luck! 🙂