Pain from ProFractional Laser with Microlaser Peel?

Question

I'm considering doing the Profractional Laser treatment and the Microlaser peel at the same time. Should I expect to be in a lot of pain? Will I get good results? I have deep acne scars.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

Generally the pain level is manageable.. However, there are more sensitive areas such as the upper lip and forehead which can be more tender during and after treatment.

Debra Irizarry, MD · Answer

Because the oil glands are deep in the skin dermis, the scars caused by acne  are also deep. Microlaser Peel addresses the epidermis, (not hte deeper dermis), but gives good improvement in superficial wrinkles and texture irregularities. Microlaserpeels can be ,(and often are), combined with the more penetrating Profrfactional laser treatment , which addresses the deeper dermis issues, such as acne scars, other scars, or deeper wrinkles. To "get to the acne scars, the treatment depth needs to be about 800 microns, and for a patient to tolerate this well, oral pain relief combined with nerve blocks work very well. Find a Physician whom does these, and you should have a comfortable treatment. Some areas of the Acne scarring may require repeated  "spot" treatmtents to improve the results from the first procedure. this is a "normal" part of Profractional therapy for acne scarring.

Peter A. Aldea, MD · Answer

The combination of Microlaser Peel to shave off a precise thickness of the outer layer of skin (10 to 50 microns, most commonly 20) followed by fractional treatment with variable depth of column ablation with / without coag is a powerful skin rejuvenation and tightening system with rapid recovery. Most patients complain of pain the night of the procedure. The vast majority are comfortable with Tylenol and a crushed ice pack, some require either Tylenol no. 3 / or a few Percocets for the first night only. There is no pain the day after the procedure.

Theodore Katz, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

I am not sure that the combination of the two would be necessary. The purpose of the fractional laser is to allow microscopic islands of normal skin to remain so that the wound healing would be faster post treatment. This avoids the significant down time of a fully ablative laser. I have used the Fraxel re:Pair extensively with good success in treating acne scars and never have used any form of adjunctive treatment (i.e. peel). Depending on your skin color, texture and severity of the acne scars the Fraxel appears to have the greatest potential for depth of treatment and control over the surface area treated (up to 70%). Even with mild sedation and nerve blocks there is still some pain but the process is relatively fast (about 20 minutes for the face). Post treatment there is very little pain and the down time is about 48-72 hours before makeup is able to be applied. There may be moderate swelling for about 48 hours.

Pain from ProFractional Laser with Microlaser Peel?

Answers (4)

Answer: Lasers and Acne Scars

Answer: Lasers and Acne Scars

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Pain from ProFractional Laser with Microlaser Peel?

Answers (4)

Answer: Lasers and Acne Scars

Answer: Lasers and Acne Scars

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Everything you need to know about ProFractional Laser

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