I've heard a lot about Fraxel. Acne has always been a problem for me and I have the scars to prove it - can Fraxel treat acne or acne scarring?

Fraxel is a very good treatment for acne scars. It does make a difference (how much of one really depends on the individual, but the difference is certainly noticeable after a few treatments) and that is more than I can say about any of the older technologies. Currently, Fraxel is probably the standard of care for acne scars.

That being said, I am not sure that it is the best treatment out there for acne scars. Fraxel hurts. Topical numbing cream and oral pain medication help alot, but it is a hassle to get 5 or more monthly treatments that are uncomfortable. There is some downtime with Fraxel - at least 3 days of redness, some swelling and some peeling. Then you look like you have a sunburn for a week. This can be covered with make-up, but its also a hassle. My biggest gripe with Fraxel, however is that I do not think that the results are good enough. Even after 5 or more treatments, I still see the scars. Sure, the skin is smoother, but the scars are still noticeable. I think that we can do better.

I am looking at the Active Fx device for acne scarring. It is already good with fine lines and pores. The Deep Fx head should make this device excellent for acne scars. It is more aggressive than Fraxel, but it hurts a bit less. The downtime is a bit more, but perhaps by 1 day, not more than that. We still do not have a consensus opinion, but physicians outside the US who are using the Deep Fx and the few docs that have it in the US give it rave reviews for acne scars. I think that it is not going to be a one time procedure, but after a couple of treatments, the improvement should be better than Fraxel could ever do.