Ablative Fractional Lasers
Reviews
2.8
111 Reviews
Ablative Fractional Lasers
Good or Excellent Response
44%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Moderate Response
82%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Ablative Fractional Lasers
Side Effects
Medium-High
Ablative Fractional Lasers
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist or plastic surgeon? Make an appointment to get this procedure done. Don't have a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find a dermatologist or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to find a plastic surgeon.
Read All About Ablative Fractional Lasers
Compare To Other Treatments
5
16.1%
4
22.3%
3
20.5%
2
8%
1
33%

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April 24, 2008

Pros:

My first fraxel treatment my skin looked wonderful. So I decided to have a second treatment and what a nightmare,after the swelling and the redness went away my skin turned this horrible color and I look like Howdy doody with alot of brown spots.

What a mistake I made
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April 8, 2008

Pros:

dont know if there is any good from this

Cons:

doctor did not tell me the risks of pigmentation changes

dermatologist are manipulative liars. you can compare a dermatologist to a car salesman. i had a nice pale white skin and now its discolored with pigmentation. i regret doing the initial procedure because my main purpose on doing this treatment was to reduce my visible acne scars. i can do anything but now stay home and avoid the sun. bottom line is " WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!?!?!?!?!?" is this pigmentation and discoloration permanent???!!??!!? damn .... i feel like i got my dignity taken away from me. some one reply please because i am very scared and worried
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November 23, 2007

Pros:

none

Cons:

Skin looked worse afterwards with more scarring on cheeks that wasn't there before. Downtime was 10 days with intense swelling for 3 days.

It has been 3 weeks since first treatment and once swelling completely healed my face looks much worse than before. I have orange peel skin everywhere and new poc marks on my cheeks that were smooth before. I did it for pigmentation from the sun and now I have little scars everywhere. I am outraged and wonder that they went too high but of course they deny and are unaccountable. I went to a dermatologist also and he has become defensive and in denial.
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May 12, 2007

Pros:

None

Cons:

Very expensive, long downtime, no lasting results, redness.

I've had Erbium laser resurfacing 3 times for pitted acne scarring around my lower face and before this 10 micro-dermabrasion treatments with no results at all. In fact i would say that the scarring in some areas is actually worse than before. The first laser consultation the doctor advised i would see a 50 - 60% improvement and actually had zero. I have also got slight melasma caused from going into the sun a few weeks after resurfacing. I wouldn't really recommend this treatment to anyone as I didn't even see improvment on the smallest and flattest scars let alone the deeper ones. Over $5000 dollars wasted and a bunch of false hopes from the Cosmetic surgeons. I have been advised from the surgeon that did my face that the Fraxel laser could possibly help however after seeing some of the posts submitted here, it doesn't appear to do anything either. I will try Scultra injections next to fill out the scars and lessen the apperance as nothing else seems to work.
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February 13, 2007

Pros:

see some in provment

Cons:

had to take a week off of work

FEB. 3 2007 I had co2 lazer treatment. dont know what kind he said it was a 6000 dollar treatment i payed 2500. was in formed 1 of these treatment to remove scaring. had high expections. little inprovement. now was informend it will look alot better not gone want to do a second treatment i wished doctors would have to state only the facts. sever redness and burning
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January 5, 2007
Had co2 lazer procedure 4 years ago for deep rolling acne scars, noticed little if any improvement for acne scars, some decrease in hyperpigmentation. Would say not worth the money if your scars are deep
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website