Can different Fraxel settings give you bad and good results?

Question

I have melasma and had fraxel under the melasma setting. Excellent results. The melasma did come back and another expert told me I had pigmentation, therefore had fraxel under the pigmentation setting. Red, itchy skin as a result, not good at all. Why do different fraxel settings give excellent or bad results?

Manjula Jegasothy, MD · Answer

As with any laser, different Fraxel setting can yield different results, while we cannot specifically address your circumstances, it has been published in the medical literature that Fraxel treatment for melasma has mixed results. In some patients, it works better than peels and bleaching cream, while in others it clears the spots for a month or 2, then they "rebound" worse than before. This can even vary from treatment to treatment in the same person, based on recent sun exposure and hormonal factors. If you are not happy with any single Fraxel treatment, then stick with light chemical peels and bleaching creams, no matter how slow the progress or constant the maintenance must be. Cosmetic Dermatologists all understand that melisma is a frustrating problem...

Nissan Pilest, MD · Answer

Melasma
is a difficult skin condition to treat; it can be easily aggravated causing a flare
up. It is a common skin condition and usually appears on the face, cheeks,
bridge of nose, forehead, chin and upper lip in dark patches. Most Melasma
occurs in women, but 10% of those affected are men. People with darker skin
tones including Latin, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North
African descent tend to have Melasma more than others.

The
cause is unknown but pregnancy, birth control pills, cosmetics, hormone
therapy, and sun exposure often trigger Melasma. The more pigmentation your
skin has the more melanocytes you have. Production of melanocytes is increased
when the skin is irritated or exposed to rising hormones and the sun. In fact,
even a small amount of sun exposure is the main reason Melasma returns after
fading.

It’s
possible that the “pigmentation” setting was more aggressive than the “melasma”
setting and caused the unfavorable result. With any laser, different settings
will yield different results. Generally the more energy used the more
aggressive the treatment with more downtime. This is an example of more not
always being better especially when Melasma is involved.

For
Melasma treatment it is important to consult with a Board Certified
Dermatologist with plenty of experience treating this condition.For more information on Fraxel click link below:

Ramona Behshad, MD · Answer

Melasma is very difficult to treat, even in expert hands. Settings are very important in treating this medical condition. If I have exhausted topical treatments and chemical peels, I will use very low setting with Fraxel. High settings can certainly make the condition worse.

Michele S. Green, MD · Answer

Melasma is a difficult condition to treat.  There are times that Cosmelan  or chemical peels are the preferred treatment for a patient.  The different settings can give you different results and the pigmentation setting may not be good for a patient with melasma.  For the best cosmetic results please consult a board certified dermatologist with experience in Fraxel.

Can different Fraxel settings give you bad and good results?

Answers (4)

More Fraxel Laser Questions

Can fraxel laser be used on arms?

Dark underarms: could Fraxel Laser treatment work for me? I have brown skin and I'm worred about hyperpigmentation. (photo)

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Answers (4)

More Fraxel Laser Questions

Can fraxel laser be used on arms?

Dark underarms: could Fraxel Laser treatment work for me? I have brown skin and I'm worred about hyperpigmentation. (photo)

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS