Deep FX for Unevenness and Acne Scarring?

Fractional CO2 Laser has become the new gold standard for laser resurfacing for acne scarring, wrinkles, and sun damage. The ablative CO2 laser resurfacing had been the prior gold standard treatment; however, the requirement for general anesthesia and associated downtime has made the traditional CO2 laser resurfacing less desirable. Fractional CO2 laser allows for the CO2 laser energy to be delivered in a fractionated fashion to dramatically shorten downtime 5-6 days and achieve significant smoothing of skin texture and rejuvenation of an aging skin with one treatment.
There is not that much difference between the existing Fractional CO2 Lasers (Deep/Active/Total Fx, Mixto, Fraxel Repair, etc) and they all perform fairly comparably. The key is to find an experienced physician with a team approach to customize a series of pre-op and post-op care routine to maximize your clinical outcome. Different parameters such as the depths of laser penetration, density of penetration, energy released, number of passes for particular anatomic region vary for different skin types and different priorities of the patients. Ideally, you should be under the care of a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has performed at least 50 cases of your skin type and know exactly what to do in order to prevent and manage complications.

Hello and thank you for your question. Deep FX can be a very effective method of treating acne scarring - in the right patient. However, scar revisions are not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The treatment needs to be customized to the precise needs, scarring and skin tone of the individual patient to ensure an optimal outcome. In my office, we offer more than 45 different laser devices because we know tailoring treatments appropriately is the key to success. I encourage you to focus less on the device and more on the experience and expertise of the board-certified doctor you choose to ensure you receive the treatment that is best choice for you. . 

While Deep FX is an excellent choice for treating scars in some patients, it is not the right choice for every patient. Your best result will come from working with a provider that has the experience and expertise to customize your treatment to your needs, the type of scarring you have and your skin tone. Find a board-certified dermatologist with these qualifications and you should receive the best treatment for you.