Fraxel Re:store for Type VI Skin?

Higher settings might increase your risk of developing hyperpigmentation. Fraxel, however, has worked very well on patients with your skin type. It is important to see a physician who has a great deal of experience treating Fitz VI skin with the Fraxel Re:store so that you can benefit from the proper pre-treatment and post-treatment regimens that have been time tested by that physician. Also, should you develop hyperpigmentation, that physician should be well versed in developing a... more

Hi Angelique, Type VI skin is always risky to treat. Type VI skin, the darkest skin possible, has been treated with Fraxel re:store. I have treated scars without pigmentation problems. Asian skin is usually type IV. We do treat Asian skin with Fraxel re:store at low density, multiple treatments, separated by at least 3 to 4 weeks. Pre-treatment with a bleaching agent is also preferred. There is a low risk of hyperpigmentation in any patient. Avoidance of sun exposure and use of a good... more

First, I am wondering if you really have type 6 skin. Asian patients generally fall in the type 3-4 range. Imagine the darkest skin you have ever seen in your life and that would probably be a six. I lived and practiced in Japan for 2 years and have published articles on Asian skin and the Fraxel restore. We treat this type of skin in our practice on a daily basis and have great photos of this. In our research, we found that Asian skin is more likely to hyperpigment with increased... more

In my experience, the key is the treatment level. If it is kept low (TL 4) is a good place to start, I have not seen post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. The treatment level determines the density or percentage of coverage, which is more important than the energy level used when worrying about pigment. The energy levels used should be high to go deeper for acne scars. It is always a good idea to be pre- and post-treated with retinoids and hydroquinone, and of course, sun protection. It is... more