What effect will Subcision have on collagen after Fraxel Laser?

Question

I heard that subcision followed by Fraxel Laser has had great results for acne scar patients (I am not sure if this is in the same session or separate). I have had 5 Fraxel treatments, and it has been over 4 months since my last one. Is it alright to have subcision now (in reverse order)? What effect, good or bad, will subcision have on the collagen remodelling process initiated by Fraxel? How about other treatments such as TCA cross (medium to deep peeling)?

David Goldberg, MD · Answer

Subcision is a very good additional treatment for some acne scar patients who have bound-down scars, which are scars that are fixed to the underlying skin. With these scars, even when you move the skin, the scar appears &ldquo;stuck&rdquo; to the underlying area. Subcision involves an incision in the skin, after which I insert a needle to snip away the bound down scar tissue.
This procedure is only done, and only helpful, if you have the right kind of scar. A peel is sometimes done for patients who don&rsquo;t get laser treatments, but, in general, peels do not produce as consistent a result as laser treatments.

Susan Goodlerner, MD (retired) · Answer

Subcision will improve deep acne scars that may not have completely responded to the Fraxel laser treatment. It is safe to do after a series of Fraxel laser treatments and can be done on the same day as a Fraxel procedure. Each physician has their own protocol for the order of procedures. It is likely to add some improvement to your results and will not interfere with the collagen remodelling process.

What effect will Subcision have on collagen after Fraxel Laser?

Answers (2)