How can I improve scar on my face from IPL from hell? (Photo)

Hi there, thank you for sharing your experience and I’m truly sorry to hear that you’re going through this. Scarring after IPL, while uncommon, can happen, especially if blistering occurred during the healing process. I completely understand how upsetting this can be.

From what you’ve described, the scar appears to be both indented (atrophic) and discolored, which means we may want to target both texture and pigmentation.

Here are some treatments that may help improve both aspects:

Fraxel (fractional non-ablative laser) or Fractional CO2 laser: These help resurface the skin and stimulate collagen production to improve indentations and texture over time.

Microneedling with or without radiofrequency (e.g., Morpheus8, SkinPen): Great for improving scar depth and stimulating your skin's natural healing mechanisms.

Vascular or pigment-specific lasers (like Vbeam or Excel V): These can address persistent redness or brown discoloration left behind after the injury.

Topical treatments: In the meantime, gentle skincare with ingredients like silicone gels, niacinamide, and prescription-strength tretinoin can help fade pigmentation and improve the appearance gradually.

Please don’t lose hope—many patients see real improvement with a combination approach. The key is to treat conservatively and allow time between sessions, as scar remodeling is a gradual process. I’d also recommend consulting with a board-certified dermatologist or laser specialist to assess your skin in person and customize a plan.

You’re not alone in this, and we have tools to help. Sending you encouragement on your healing journey.

Thank you for your inquiry! Scar creams can be used on scars to minimize appearance as well as silicone scar sheets. Lasers such as Microneedling can also be performed to minimize appearance as well. We would love to see you in person or virtually to discuss treatment options or schedule a consult with a licensed aesthetician.

Our office has many different treatments for scars depending on the depth of atrophy or hypertrophy. Scars require a combination approach using our HI DEF protocol which uses a combination of lasers, topical scar modulation, and RF treatments to pixelate scars, improve contour, reduce hyperpigmentation, and improve the visibility of the scars so that they are no longer visible in ambient light. Everyone has a unique pattern of scarring and we employ our HIDEF technique to improve texture, color, contour, and topography. We often use a combination of treatments that begin with a careful examination to examine the micro texturing of the acne scars. Atrophic scars and indented scars can benefit from injectable fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra, and Restylane with or without subcision to remove tethered scars and atrophic depression. Hyper-redness in scars can be improved with V beam laser, Excel V, BBL, IPL, and Venus RF to improve the redness and reduce the visibility of deep scars. Fractional Thulium laser and clear & brilliant can also reduce the inflammation and redness of the scar when combined with topical therapy. Fractional lasers such as Fraxel, erbium, and CO2 laser can be combined with radio frequency and also fractional RF to improve textual issues and microtopography. Subcision and TCA cross are also used for deep ice pick scars and narrow valley scars in order to improve the micro texture. Above all, our combination approach with our clinical nurses and board-certified plastic surgeons can improve the quality of your skin by using at home Melarase creams combined with PRP treatments in our office to improve your skin quality and tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an experienced team of experts in order to reduce your scarring.

Finally, hyperpigmentation of scars can be improved with at-home Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads to help reduce active PIH and melanin deposition.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon