Can I get fraxel while I have active acne? What will happen?

Question

I want fraxel (non-ablative) for acne scars (hypo and hyperpigmented white/purple ish acne scars), but I still have some active acne too which I have tried everything it just won't stop. I heard you have to control acne first before fraxel, why is this and what will happen? I need my acne scars gone asap I can't wait for my acne to be under control first it will take forever. Is there any topical treatment for acne scars?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Fraxel lasers are generally used for scarring caused by acne. There could be some benefit, but for active acne treatment try a combination of peels and lasers like clear + brilliant, microneedling/prp along with Cosmelan and skin care. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Britt.  Thanks for your questions.  In our practice, there are a couple reasons for this.  The first and most important is that if a patient has a lot of active acne, it means that they are likely still developing acne scars.  If this is the case, it's difficult to make progress with treatment if the patient is developing new scars while we are trying to treat old ones.  The second concern is infection.  If we are treating textured scars with fractional laser resurfacing, we would prefer that the active acne is under control to minimize the potential for further infection at the time of the resurfacing.  It's not an absolute requirement, just a nice to have.  To see examples of acne scars before and after photos for our Los Angeles patients, click on the link below.

Erika Sato, MD, FACS · Answer

The fraxel laser tends to surface any "infection" hiding in the face bringing them to the surface. That is why it is common to have acne surface after the treatment. In some cases the acne is larger than normal and is more inflammatory. I put my patients on an antibiotic along with some other medication in preparation of this break out as it can be unsightly and painful. You do not want to pick or pop any of the acne that surfaces as this just makes them more "angry".

Can I get fraxel while I have active acne? What will happen?

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Can I get fraxel while I have active acne? What will happen?

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Everything you need to know about Fraxel Laser

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.