Can I Use Fraxel Restore and IPL During The Same Period of Time?

The combination of IPL and Fraxel can be done and gives nice results. The IPL clears pigment faster than Fraxel alone and Fraxel treats lines and texture that the IPL does not address.   I would suggest getting your acne under control prior to investing in the laser treatments as you don't want acne after Fraxel to leave any scars or hyperpigmentation.  At a minimum, ask your doctor about giving you an antibiotic for acne prior to Fraxel as it is common to experience a flare after the treatment.  Best to you. 

Yes, you can have Fraxel Restore and IPL and have a great end result but make sure it is an experienced provider who is treating you!

Hope this helps.  Good luck.

Dr. Grant Stevens       

I love treating brown spots and acne scars.  Personally, if my patient has both acne scarring and brown spots, I prefer to first treat with the fractional CO2.  However, it is important to note that if you have active acne, fractional CO2 can temporarily flare inflammatory acne.  If active acne is an issue, you may want to consider starting an oral antibiotic 1 week prior to the treatment and remain on the medication for up to 2 weeks.  Most fractional CO2 lasers have settings that can be adjusted to treat either/both brown spots and acne scarring.  One month after the first fractional CO2 if it is apparent that there are brown spots remaining, I will use a laser (could also be an IPL) to target just the residual brown pigmentation.  Successful treatment of the acne scarring will require more than one treatment with the fractional laser.  

I have treated many patients with both the Fraxel Restore Dual and IPL on the same day.  This works very well in skilled hands and has not caused any problems.  It is important that your doctor has extensive experience with both IPL and the Fraxel Restore Dual Laser.