Best LASERs for Treatment of Acne Scars

Acne scars are permanent, meaning they must be treated in order to get rid of them. We feel that lasers are the best treatment for acne scars, as they deliver a permanent and dramatic improvement of scarring. Fraxel Re:pair is an ablative CO2 LASER fand Fraxel Dual is a dual wavelength, non-ablative LASER. They both fall in the category of fractional resurfacing lasers, which stimulate the skin’s own collagen production to smooth out almost any acne scars and pigmentation.

Fraxel Repair is an ablative resurfacing CO2 laser. This means that it uses its laser energy to poke tiny holes through the skin’s surface. The skin’s surface is ablated and new collagen production is stimulated to heal the skin and fill in the pitted acne scars. Fractional CO2 laser treatment requires approximately 5 days of healing time after the treatment, but only one treatment is necessary to see a dramatic improvement in acne scars.

Fraxel Dual is a non-ablative resurfacing laser, which contains 2 separate wavelengths 1550 / 1927 nm best for resurfacing / skin tightening and depigmentation, respectively. It sends its laser energy through the skin’s surface, without disrupting the outer layers of the skin. The advantage of the non-ablative laser is that it only requires 2-3 days of downtime, though most patients need 3-5 treatments with the Fraxel 1550 nm laser to equal the efficacy of one fractional CO2 laser resurfacing treatment.

Both laser treatments are excellent for acne scarring and are considered the best lasers to treat acne scars. During your consultation, the Boston Cosmetic Specialists will further review the advantages and disadvantages of each laser treatment and help you to choose the best treatment for your acne scars.