Fraxel Vs. Pixel Laser for Facial Scar?

Question

Thanks!  A month ago I was in an accident and I have a jagged red deep scar remaining after sutures on my forehead area.  Its about an inch long and wider than other scars I have had.  1)What is the best laser for something like this?  I've heard Pixel or Fraxel?  Also I've heard of some hybrid treatments but have yet to find more info about them.   2)Is a month a good time for treatment or a should I wait until 3 months  3)Where can I find a scar specialist in New York City?  Someone with post suture experience?  Thanks!

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Our practice has had the Fraxel laser since its inception and was one of the first three practices in NYC to acquire it about 7 years ago. We have treated many different types of scars with the Fraxel such as: hypertrophic (raised), spread, hypopigmented (lighter), indented, creased, uneven, and pigmented. The texture of a scar will never be normal no matter what type of treatment is rendered, but the result might be very good. Some scars are not expected to improve greatly and I inform my patients if I don't think they will respond well, but some patients are so eager to try that we do and rarely, my negative expectations are not realised. If someone has a very large scar, or bad stretch marks, I will do a series of test spots to see over time if there is improvement and if my patient agrees that there is a benefit from the laser treatments, then we can proceed ahead to treat the entire scar(s). Dermabrasion, chemical peels, V-beam Perfecta, aggressive microdermabrasion have also been done in my practice with great results. Having been referred many patients by plastic surgeons to treat scars with lasers, it is amazing to see the improvement that some patients receive by lasers alone. A recent patient of mine was referred by a plastic surgeon to temporize the appearance while they were waiting to perform a second surgery on a bad traumatic scar of the lip and chin. After several V-beam and Fraxel Restore treatments on this Fitzpatrick V (dark) skin patient, he may not need any further surgery!

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi,

	I have had great sucess with Fraxel (both repair and restore) in the treatment of traumatic scars.  I have not had any experience with Pixel, but Fraxel treats the skin deeper.  A month is plenty of time to have the treatment, in fact we treat patients about one week after injury.  Ron Geronimus, MD is a Fraxel expert in NYC.  Glad that no one will need Fraxel to repair scars from the car bomb that did not go off this past weekend in Times Square.  Good luck and be well.

	Dr. P

Jason R. Lupton, MD · Answer

If your scar is deep red and jagged then a pulsed dye laser may be the best first option.  Often I combine the pulsed dye laser with a resurfacing laser like the Pixel to both decrease the redness and stimulate new collagen formation to fill in and "normalize" the overlying texture for the skin in that area.

	I would recommend New York Dermatology Group in NYC - Shilesh Iyer, MD.

	Good luck

Fraxel Vs. Pixel Laser for Facial Scar?

Answers (3)