Can Fraxel make your skin look worse at first before it improves?

Question

I had my first fraxel session two weeks ago (acne scars...had acne conglobata ), my face is no longer red but I think that it looks worse than before. I had a small acne breakout / got some whiteheads, a pimple on my nose and the area on the cheeks right next to the nose looks more uneven than before (like the skin of an orange). Is this normal? .... can I still expect an improvement or did something go wrong? I am supposed to have another ssession next week (4-6 are plannend but I panic now.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is not uncommon to have an acne flare
after Fraxel Laser and there is also appropriate treatment to resolve it.
Typically, you will start to notice the difference within a day after your third
treatment. However, some photographs before and after the treatments would be
helpful to determine the results. I recommend you see your expert physician for
a follow up. All the best!

Hardik Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. It is not uncommon to have an acne flare
after Fraxel Laser and there is also appropriate treatment to resolve it.
Typically, you will start to notice the difference within a day after your third
treatment. However, some photographs before and after the treatments would be
helpful to determine the results. I recommend you see your expert physician for
a follow up. All the best!

Martie Gidon, MD, FRCPC, FAAD · Answer

It is best to have your Fraxel treatment in a dermatologist's office since it is not uncommon to have a flare of acne after Fraxel laser and it can be treated appropriately.  It may take 3 treatments before you notice an improvement in your acne scars.  Before photos would help you to compare the results.

Can Fraxel make your skin look worse at first before it improves?

Answers (3)