Your face is the first thing you put forward, and acne scars can leave you feeling insecure and less confident. You’ll be happy to know board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon Dr. Adibfar at Toronto’s Elements Spa has a solution to your problem. Years of mild to severe acne can take a toll on your skin, and over time you may see subtle or more obvious scarring leaving your skin looking uneven and pigmented. In recent decades, laser technology has advanced incredibly far to be able to provide safe treatments that effectively address textural skin concerns. Regarding acne scarring, Fraxel laser technology has proven itself the optimal choice in lessening obvious signs of scarring, fine lines and enlarged pores for skin that’s brighter, smoother and naturally younger looking.

Fraxel is a very versatile system that works safely by puncturing the skin with tiny microscopic holes, leaving patches of skin between these holes untouched. The intact skin then works quickly and efficiently to rebuild the skin affected by the laser and encourages it to resurface smoother than before. Depending on the skin’s type, condition and concerns, each treatment is customized in strength and severity. Those with more apparent or deeper scarring may need more aggressive sessions which in turn require more downtime. 

Dr. Adibfar begins preparing his patients by covering the treated area with a numbing aesthetic cream for approximately one hour to make the procedure more comfortable. Although the facial treatment is tolerable, some patients may feel mildly uncomfortable and require added medication to make their experience more endurable. Dr. Adibfar will also blow cool air over the treatment area during the procedure for added comfort. 

Once the skin is thoroughly prepared and the numbing cream is gently removed, Dr. Adibfar will begin by using the laser’s hand piece to gently roll over the skin. The laser then lays hundreds of minuscule or microscopic holes with each pass, leaving skin between each hole intact for efficient healing and faster recovery. Patients often report that they feel a lot of heat and prickling over their skin at this time. At the end of the Fraxel treatment, Dr. Adibfar applies a soothing cooling gel to the face to offset any heat felt on the skin’s surface. Depending on the intensity of the laser, any swelling or redness of the skin will last between 2-7 days with the skin feeling mildly rough and flaky. This is all a normal part of the healing process which should not be interfered with. 

The laser penetrates deeply to create these tiny holes which in turn encourage the body’s own natural ability to create more collagen to remodel the skin and cause scars to tighten and soften, pigmentation to fade, and the skin to gain a smoother texture. Most patients do require a series of treatments spaced 4-6 weeks in between each to address more obvious skin concerns. While patients will notice a slight improvement with each session, the body does take approximately between 6-8 weeks to gain sufficient momentum and rebuild collagen at a faster rate. The healing and improvement in texture rely on the body’s natural ability to stimulate this collagen, so patients should be patient as their skin slowly improves and rebuilds with every treatment leaving it more rejuvenated, smoother and softer.

If you’re disappointed with your skin and feeling like you could never be as confident as you’d like putting your face forward, then rest assured that there are treatments at Elements Spa that address many mild to severe skin concerns.
Click here to learn more about Elements Spa’s Fraxel or to book a consultation with one of Toronto’s best board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, Dr. Adibfar.