Can I Treat My Deep Acne Scars Without Taking a Week Off Work?
The Fractional CO2 Laser is an excellent treatment for deep acne scars; it needs only one treatment and results are seen quickly. However, not everyone can stomach that three to five days of downtime that it requires. For these patients, the Fraxel re:Store laser is the best treatment option. Dr. Schweiger explains that, “The Fraxel laser pokes tiny holes in the skin, which stimulate the production of collagen. The difference between the Fraxel laser and the Fractional CO2 laser is that the Fraxel doesn’t ablate the superficial layers of the skin. This means that downtime is minimal and healing is quick. Patients are only needing the weekend to recover, and don’t even need to stay home during that time.” After the Fraxel laser treatment, patients experience approximately two days of mild redness and swelling (similar to a sunburn), but may wear makeup and leave their home. We often perform Fraxel laser treatments on Fridays, so that patients are able to return to the office on Monday. Four Fraxel laser treatments are generally needed to treat deep acne scars.
