How Much Downtime After Pro Fractional Laser?

ProFractional uses a laser microbeam to treat pinpoint areas of your skin, reaching depths appropriate for correcting wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars, age spots and sun damaged skin. These treated areas stimulate the production of new collagen and increase the skin's vitality, while enhancing tone and texture.  The laser targets only the affected areas of the skin, the procedure is comfortable and healing time is short. Deep treatments, including treatments for acne scars, normally heal within 3-6 days.

I have used the profractional and profractional xc laser for a few years now, and can tell you that the down time varies according to the patient's wishes.  When you consulted with your doc, your healing time was most likely part of that conversation.  Armed with that information, the doc will set their preferred depth, density, and coagulation (tightening parameter) that ensures you stay within your tolerance time.  Light treatments can heal in 24 hours, but require more treatments.  Deeper treatments can be selected to heal in 2,3,4 or more days.  Deep treatments, including those for acne scarring, usually heal in 5-6 days.  Deeper treatments also promise more results. 

Bruising rarely occurs, but is possible from two sources.  ONe, if you treat with aggressive settings, you might require local anesthesia injections for maximum comfort, and therefore might bruise from that.  Two, the eyelid skin is thin, and therefore deep treatments here can also bruise.  But again, both are very unlikely.

The other mark that might persist is a fine, burlap pattern to the skin surface that reflects the density pattern of treatment.  Not common, but can occur, especially in light skinned patients.  It too goes away with time, but might persist subtly for a few weeks.  Even a microlaser peel done right before the profractional treatment (a common combo treatment) will make it less likely, but still possible.

The beauty of the pro fractional laser is the ability to tailor the treatment to the expected results and downtime.  These two go hand in hand.  I would discuss with your doctor the expected results and what you are willing to have as downtime to guide the settings used during the treatment.  Sometimes it will take more treatments to have the desired results with less downtime.