Keloid scars are the most common form of scarring, and they can be challenging to treat. A keloid is a type of overgrowth of scar tissue that often occurs after surgery, injury, or an infection. Keloids can also occur spontaneously. The goal of treatment is to reduce or eliminate the appearance of keloid scars.
Fraxel laser treatment is one option that has been used to treat keloid scars. The Fraxel laser uses multiple wavelengths to target abnormal cells in the skin and cause them to die off. This process reduces the overall size and redness of the keloid scarring.
Before starting any treatment for your keloids, make sure you talk with a dermatologist about your options so that you can make an informed decision about which treatments would work best for you.
Fraxel Laser For Keloid Scars
The Fraxel® Dual Laser is a workhorse. Seriously, this device can do pretty much anything.
From improving the appearance of acne scars to treating melasma and taking years off your appearance, the Fraxel Laser is an overall crowd-pleaser.
The Fraxel Laser uses safe, non-invasive fractional laser technology and has proven itself time and time again with more than a decade of successful treatments. I’ve seen this laser achieve outstanding results, improving or even eliminating a variety of issues that can become extremely bothersome to patients.
The Top 5 Benefits of the Fraxel Laser
- Acne Scar Treatment
For those with pitted scars, or other types of acne scars on the face like rolling or icepick scars, the Fraxel Laser is by far the most effective treatment option. It’s going to penetrate the skin and break apart the scar tissue causing those textural changes. Trust me; there’s no topical cream out there that can impact these types of textural scars.
- Keloid Scar Treatment
Fraxel is even beneficial for getting rid of and smoothing out thick scars like keloid or hypertrophic scars. These are the types of scars that people often get after having been in an accident or after having surgery.
If you’re the kind of person who tends to scar-like this, the problem is, you don’t know how to stop healing. You probably have periods where the scar gets really tender and painful. In this case, the laser will not only help the appearance, but it seals the scar so that it doesn’t continue to flair like that.
- Stretch Mark Removal
I love the Fraxel Laser for stretch marks. It’s the only thing that’s going to soften stretch marks that are not red. If you have red stretch marks, you have to treat that with something different, but as far as the textural changes that come about with the thinning of the skin, Fraxel all day long.
- Melasma Treatment
Often called the mask of pregnancy, Melasma is the hyperpigmentation that comes from hormonal changes but can also be caused by the sun and heat. Fraxel is a great treatment for superficial melasma and can work wonders when it comes to getting rid of hyperpigmentation.
- Facial Rejuvenation
Though it’s effective at treating a range of issues, the Fraxel Laser is probably most widely used to reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin. Its impact on overall facial rejuvenation cannot be underestimated. By stimulating collagen and elastin growth, it’s going to smooth wrinkles and fine lines and reveal younger, brighter, and more vibrant skin.
Ready to renew your skin with the Fraxel Laser?
Depending on the issue you’re looking to treat, patients typically need a series of treatments. Sometimes results are immediate, but within a few days, you’re sure to see satisfying results that will continue to improve and last for years to come.
Just about every patient that’s used the Fraxel Laser has been more than satisfied with the outcome. It’s simply the best at achieving amazing results for a variety of bothersome issues.
Fraxel For Surgical Scars
Scarring is caused by a chaotic response to healing from different types of wounds, incisions, and acne. The irregular formation of your collagen leaves fibrotic tissue behind resulting in scarring. There are a wide variety of scars such as hypertrophic, keloid, atrophic, and contracture. The best therapy for scar revision is dependant on the type of scar. Fraxel® is beneficial for small, mild, moderate, large, severe and traumatic scarring. Fraxel® scar revision is an extremely effective procedure for improving a wide range of scars, improving functional aspects, pigmentation and the texture of the skin. If you have certain types of surgical or acne scarring, Fraxel® is effective for decreasing both the vascular effect and pigmentation.
Scars resulting from traumatic injuries and burns are much more complicated. This type of scarring often has a negative impact on the individual’s quality of life. This can be due to disfigurement, bleeding, restrictions of the range of motion, pain, and itching. Fraxel® laser treatment has been shown to treat this type of scarring effectively. The result of scar revision is a significant and consistent improvement in function as well as noticeable cosmetic benefits. The majority of individuals interested in a Fraxel® laser treatment are because of acne or surgical scarring, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation from the sun. In most instances, the treatment is performed on the face. This procedure is also suitable for your decolletage, neck, arms, and hands.
Fraxel® lasers are more effective for acne scars, including rolling, boxcar, and icepick scars, than any topical treatment currently available. The laser has the ability to penetrate deep enough to break apart the scar tissue. This makes a difference in texture not possible with a cream. The most common type of laser you will see in the office of a healthcare professional is a Fraxel Dual® laser. This device contains two different lasers; each with their own wavelength. One laser penetrates deeper for scar revision, skin texture, and wrinkles. The other laser targets sun damage and pigmentation concerns. One of the most powerful lasers is called Fraxel Repair®. This is a carbon dioxide and ablative fractionated laser used for more serious issues. There is a little more downtime necessary with this laser.
The Fraxel Restore® is a non-ablative laser also used for scar revision. Non-ablative simply means this type of laser does not leave any open wounds. The best type of Fraxel® laser for your specific concerns will be determined by the medical skin professional during your initial consultation.
Laser Scar Removal Cost
Since laser treatments for scars are cosmetic and elective procedures, your insurance may not cover the cost.
The cost of treatment depends on:
- the size of the scar
- the number of scars
- the amount of laser treatments you’ll need
Keep in mind that you may need more than one laser treatment to get your desired results. You’ll have to pay each time you see your doctor for treatment.
Because the out-of-pocket cost for laser treatment varies, it’s important that you consult with more than one doctor to compare prices before proceeding. Some offices will charge a consultation fee in addition to what you pay for the actual procedure.
On average, a single laser treatment to improve the appearance of a scar costs between $200 and $3,400, according to the University of Michigan’s Department of Dermatology.
There’s no extended downtime with this treatment, so you don’t have to worry about too much time off work. You may be able to return to work the next day or within a few days.
Fraxel Laser For Melasma Side Effects
Discomfort:
You may have discomfort, a burning sensation, or pain during the first few days of fraxel laser treatment. Some doctors use a topical anesthetic to block pain during the treatment, however some discomfort will occur after the anesthetic effects have worn off. This pain may persist for several days. You can take pain medications, such as Vicodin (if it has been prescribed to you). If your pain persists, call our treating physician.
Redness of Skin:
Redness of the skin (erythema) may occur for 2-6 months and possibly longer.
Swelling:
Temporary swelling or bruising of the tissue of the face, neck and the eyes typically subside in 3–7 days. Keeping your head elevated when sleeping will help reduce this. Also, using cool soaks also helps reduce this. If the swelling persists taking Benadryl (if your doctor has recommended it) can be very helpful.
Wound Healing:
Having oozing, weeping, crusting and flakiness of the treated area is rare but may continue for the first week after treatment. You can gently wash your face with cool soaks, and a mixture of hydrogen peroxide wash.
Hydrogen peroxide wash: Mix two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with 6oz of water and use in spray bottle.
Cysts:
Milia or cysts, especially in the eyelid skin region (if treated) may occur after fraxel laser treatment. This can happen if ointments are used in the post treatment phase for a prolonged period of time. You should stop using healing ointments after 10 days.
Skin Tightness:
A sensation of skin tightness may occur. This peaks at 3–8 weeks post treatment.
Contact Dermatitis:
Contact dermatitis (irritation) may occur due to the post treatment use of ointments.
Herpes Simplex Dermatitis (Fever Blisters):
The occurrence or recurrence of herpes simplex dermatitis is also a possible short-term effect, particularly if it is not pre-, intra-, and post treatment treated with a systemic antiviral medication such as Valtrex. Please inform your doctor of your history before treatment.
Skin Itchiness:
Itching in the early healing phase may occur. Using a healing ointment will help. Or you may take a Benadryl at bed time.
Skin Hyperpigmentation:
Having hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin) is a possibility, especially in darker-skinned people. This can occur 3–8 weeks post fraxel laser treatment. You should avoid sun exposure, heat, and even ultraviolet light to help reduce this risk. You must also follow your doctor’s full post treatment regimen recommended to avoid the occurrence of hyperpigmentation.
Scarring:
The risk of scarring is rare but exist in all cases. It is often related to an individual’s genetic makeup. Scarring can be reduced by carefully following aftercare instructions and notifying your doctor if a problem develops.
Skin Pigment Changes:
Skin color and texture changes can occur. At the site of the treated and untreated areas, there may be a difference in color, texture and/or thickness of the skin.
Infection:
Infection is a risk that occurs in every laser procedure. It is minimized by proper post treatment care.