Putting Aloe Vera After Fraxel Repair to Help the Skin Heal Better?

Fraxel repair is used to reduce wrinkles and signs of skin aging. It also reduces scars including acne scars. While aloe vera might be useful, it is most important to the healing process to keep the area adequately moisturized and protected from the sun. Although Fraxel restore is the one fraxel laser touted for treatmet of acne scar, Fraxel repair can also benefit the situation. Fraxel repair has more down time involvement compared to the restore which is virtually with no down time.

Hi Stephen,
Great question. We are always looking for better ways to treat patients after fractionated CO2 laser treatments (Fraxel re:pair). In fact, anyone who can come up a post fractionated CO2 product kit that is effective should make a "pretty penny".
Currently we recommend Aquaphor (but it is thick and a petroleum based product). Acne patients are prone to break out with white heads from the occlusive ointment. Therefore in those patients we recommend Cutagenix foam.
We have not tried aloe vera. I would not recommend putting it on the skin until the skin has re-epethialized (2 to 3 days). At that point I do not see it doing harm. Patients do have irritation and itching around days 3 through 6, and are instructed to immediately wash off any topical product that causes irritation. If you do try the aloe vera, I would try it first in a small test patch area to make sure that you do not react adversely.
Good luck with your re:pair and enjoy your younger appearance.
Dr. P

After Fraxel Repair we usually have patients apply a thick ointment such as Aquaphor for a few days.  After that they are progressed to a heavy moisturizer.  We do not use Aloe Vera.  I would check with whomever is doing your procedure.

Fraxel Repair is one of the best lasers for improvement of acne scars in one treatment.  However, it comes with a price of a minimum of one week indoor down time.  If a patient has a particular area of more significant acne scarring, we will perform additional passes at a higher energy on those areas to get more improvement.  If that is the case, you will need to be monitored even more carefully after the procedure.  It is extremely important to follow your individual physician's skin care regimens since they usually involve specific instructions as to skin care involving an occlusive cream such as aquaphor which speeds healing and oral antibiotics, anti-virals, and anti-fungals.  We do not recommend aloe vera after Repair since it is not moisturizing enough in the immediate post procedure period.

After a Fraxel treatment, the treated dermatologist will provide you with the post-operative instructions and possibly follow-up with you about your recovery. It is a common practice with all our doctors. You may want to follow those instructions such as applying aquaphor, vaseline etc. Scientific studies show that the delivery of the aloe to the wound can affect the outcome. For example Aloe vera wound gel is associated with the delay in would heal. So I advise you to follow your doctors post-operative instructions. Some doctors use special “healing preparations with copper other agents and others use a prescription cream called Biafine to speed wound healing.

You are undergoing a medical procedure and will have open wounds. Please follow the advice of your laser physician as to the proper post-operative care. Certainly you can ask him/her when you can use aloe, but they will advise you on the best care for the first several weeks to optimize your wound healing and your end results.