Good or Excellent Response
46%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Moderate Response
81%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Side Effects
Low-Medium
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 Non-ablative Fractional Lasers
Compare To Other Treatments
5
12.9%
4
22.3%
3
30.2%
2
17.3%
1
17.3%

Used Non-ablative Fractional Lasers? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
April 25, 2009

Pros:

I am amazed. I've had four done and some of my scars are completely gone, while the others are severely diminished. It helps, though, that I took lots of vitamins, ate well, and did yoga breathing during the recovery time.

Cons:

Expensive for the average person. Painful during procedure.

It worked. The scars are either gone or minimized and best of all, it seems to have stopped the cystic acne by healing the sebaceous glands. My skin simply functions better now. It truly feels like a rejuvenation rather than a mere cosmetic fix. Considering the money I have spent on all sorts of acne treatments, getting a fraxel treatment every other year or so for maintenance seems do-able. I had none of the negative effects that others have written about. No crusting and I was socially presentable within two days. Much may depend on the doctor and the type of fraxel done.
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January 25, 2009

Pros:

nothing really.

Cons:

had 8 treatments done for 7000. 5 for smooth and small pores last 3 was fraxel.been 3 months and no result. Skin is sensitive and burns after medication, more acne appear and more scares. My skin is worst and it wasn't that bad to start with.

if your gonna do fraxel make sure your doctor is sure it's going to work and what to expect after. Don't do it if you know it's manageable. I regret doing it now because i'm left with more scares and uneven skin tone.
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July 2, 2008

Pros:

Fraxel Re-Store is what I used.
Downtime is low: 12 hr after my first treatment, my swollen face is almost 80% back to normal. Scare will get better, side effect none.
My God, do yourself a favor. . try this and get your face and confidence b

Cons:

Pricy. . .

Imaging you can look good under florescent, back lit light again. I'm an asian male, 30 y.o, fair skin (light asian) my scars were many smalls on cheeks/temples, with 2 or 3 moderate spots on one cheek and lower chin/mouth area. Moderate scars were with cyst. Base on the study, the improvement is almost guaranteed cause Fraxel is a physical device that force your skin to regenerate (the good ones stretch to fill where the laser hit) I know it's a matter of time and how many treatment so my concern was only with down time. I can happy to report that with Fraxel Re:Store, I can go to work on the second day and just claim I went to the beach, no problem. Beside the price, I think this is the answer to our scar healing prayer. . you owe yourself a consultation at least. . . I am expecting a 60% improvement for my moderate scars, 90% for small 1s. I can't believe I can have my old face back, I'd go to hell just for 50% better! Best thing for my face ever! Thank u, Dr. Groff from La J
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June 25, 2008

Pros:

Smaller pores for about 3 months.

Cons:

Doesn't last.

I had 4 Pixel laser treatments this year. After my last treatment my face looked great for about 3 months. My face now looks like it did before the treatments. Everything went back to looking bad again. It suppose to improve over time, but mine is doing the opposite. I will be calling my doctor soon.
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February 7, 2008

Pros:

Results, results and results. Feeling great, looking forward to minimising these stupid scars..

Cons:

3-4 days of Hybernating, Telling your friends lies that you can't see them as I felt self conscious with my Red cheeks and shiny face..
But all up definately worth it

Shop around, get a few quotes from different Doctors, I found some doctors just wanted to get your money, offering 4 visits and get the 5th one half price... The Laser specialist I am seeing is great, recommending I wait 3 months between treatments as she has seen maximum results this way... I've been twice so far and already I'm seeing big improvemnts, she expects 4 treatments should do it and only charges $400 per treatment...
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November 14, 2007

Pros:

Softer appearance on some scars.

Cons:

Noticed it created more scarring, painful, costly, a lot of risks associated with it.

What I once thought was an improvement, is now a regret. I've purchased 3 fraxel treatments and had the first fraxel done about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Only one treatment at 10mj and I noticed more scarring. Although some scars seem smoother in appearance, I've noticed small dot scarring in places I've never seen scarring before, it's very apparent in bad lighting. I've told the Dr. what I thought and he said at such low settings it can't cause scarring, only at 25mj's he said there might be a risk, but I know my scars and am certain of what it did and will NOT follow through with any more. I've had 2 erbium treatments prior which did little for my shallow atrophic cheek scars, but improved my skin texture and tone, had many compliments. It didn't make the scarring worse like the Fraxel. Fraxel can even cause pigmentation problems, luckily something I haven't experienced, yet anyway. Be cautious and don't follow thru with anything that doesn't work for you...
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April 3, 2007

Pros:

Deep scars. Noticed 10% improvement after only one fraxel treatent. One session treats 20%, so I wasn't expecting miracles. My skin looked healthy for the first time in years after the first. I plan to continue on.

Cons:

Of course, the price.

Try it once - at least. It's so clear that everyone has different results, so try it for yourself and see if it works for you. I have deep cheek scars and it appears to have put my skin on the right track. For me, it was a matter of - What else is out there that doesnt require a month of downtime?
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April 7, 2009

Pros:

smother skin loads more confidence

Cons:

a little red for a few days and it is a bit painfull but no pain no gain

haveing tried many different treatments for slight acne scaring including 2 exoderm peels and 1 cool touch laser .I have to say this treatment is by far the best i have tried with results i could have only dreamed of i have had 5 fraxel restore treatments spaced 4 weeks apart did not see much inprovement after 2-3 treatments but treatments 4-5 i really could see a big inprovement it has really changed my life and i feel so confident with the way my skin looks now with everybody telling me how good i look
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March 16, 2009

Pros:

My pores are signifacantly smaller and my skin is less oily. Acne scars are still visible but less severe.

Cons:

The procedure was extremely painful at higher energies. However, the pain only lasts during the procedure. Numbing cream and pain killers are a must!

After 5 treatments with microdermabrasions in between, I am satisfied with the result. I don't have baby smooth skin but that is an unrealistic expectation. I may follow up with some deep chemical peels for remaining scars.
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April 11, 2008

Pros:

After one treatment, years of sun damage to my hands and arms have disappeared.

Cons:

Quite painful, especially on the hands.

I had this done because at 37 my hands were already starting to get a crepey (like crepe paper) appearance and had tons of freckles on my fair skin. It was quite costly and definitely painful (needed a Vicodin to complete the hand treatment), but worth it! My skin is smooth, supple and the freckles have faded. I would say make absolutely sure that your physician is qualified to do this procedure. I see some very low prices and it makes me wonder exactly what they did.
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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.

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.