Fraxel Works Well for Scars, Not Real Well for Skin Appearance

Let me first say that I have very fair skin. The doctor told me that lighter skin colors usually yield greater results. I also had very bad acne scaring around my chin area (dark purple, indented scars).

I started my Fraxel treatments in May 2008 (roughly a year ago) and got 6 treatments. My last treatment was in January. So far, I have noticed some amazing results. I still see the scars (after all, I'm pretty sure scars can never be FULLY erased... but maybe I'm wrong) but they have faded so much that really only I notice them. I still expect them to fade further within the next 3 months (the doctor told me that the treatments can continue working up to a year later) but so far I am happy with the results.

Now, I will say this: some of the bonuses of the Fraxel laser do not last. A month or two after the procedure, my skin is very healthy looking and the looks very good. However, about 3 months after the last Fraxel, my skin has reverted back a bit to how it originally was. The scars are still faded, but my skin appearance is still pretty bad. Pore size hasn't changed significantly, although my skin is much smoother and softer.

A few things I'd recommend: Keep your skin really hydrated during the first few weeks of the procedure. Don't scrub your face too roughly. Wear lots of sunblock (Obagi is a good brand) and continue to reapply it throughout the day. Continue to wear it for 4-6 months after the treatment.

Hopefully this helps someone. I'll try to update this in a month or two when I am 6 months out of the entire series of treatments.