Does fraxel help acne?

When I see patients who have significant acne, I tell them that first we have to get the acne under control and then treat the scars from the acne. If there is pigmentation, then the 1920 setting of the Fraxel Dual would be a adjuvant treatment for that condition. Other lasers such as the V-Beam or Blue light lasers will treat acne.

Fraxel is generally not indicated for the treatment of active acne. There are better options for this and one of the most aggressive is ALA phototherapy. However, Fraxel can be beneficial in providing some improvement to the scarring or irregular pigmentation that occurs as a result of acne. There are numerous other modalities including IPL treatment which have demonstrated varying responses. It is best to consult with a physician who has multiple modalities on hand to offer you the best... more

Fraxel laser is not a treatment for active acne. Fraxel laser will significant help acne scarring, but has no beneficial effect on active acne. Other lasers with 'green' light wavelength (such as KTP lasers) as well as Blue Light sources (not a laser) can improve active acne.

Hi, Fraxel Restore and Repair both help with acne scars but do not help with active acne.  In fact, after Fraxel Restore, some patients may have minor breakouts as the laser treated dots start to exfoliate.  For acne scars, a series of Restore Treatments performed on a high energy setting help a lot with minimal down time.  Repair does the most improvement as a one time treatment but be prepared for one week of downtime.  Ask you physician what is best for you and... more

Fraxel is a great way to treat acne scars, but it is not a good treatment for active acne breakouts. Fraxel will resurface the skin and smooth away acne scars. However, the treatments may trigger an acne breakout in people who are prone to acne. And some people will notice the appearance of little acne-like bumps, even if they do not normally have a problem with acne. If you have acne and acne scars, get treated for your acne first before you have Fraxel.

We do not advocate using the Fraxel laser for active acne. The resurfacing benefits of Fraxel are suited for acne scars, but not acne. If you are looking for acne options, consider photodynamic therapy with ALA (amino luvulanic acid), the Aramis laser, the Smoothbeam laser or Blu-u treatments. All would be better options than Fraxel. Good luck.

Fraxel can be used to improve acne but there are many other methods that are less costly than Fraxel. Fraxel is good for acne scarring but not as a treatment modality for acne itself. A variety of other lasers can be helpful in the treatment of acne.

Acne should be in remission prior to fractionated laser resurfacing such as Fractional CO2 Laser or Fraxel. You would be asked to apply copious amount of emollient which can be comedogenic and trigger more acne outbreak. Ideally, you should get a board-certified dermatologist involved who can guide you steps to minimize acne outbreak and customize a post-op skin care routine to prevent acne flare after laser resurfacing.