
This wonderful nugget of beauty wisdom comes courtesy of Mamamia’s beauty podcast, You Beauty.To ensure you never miss an episode, listen to You Beauty here for free. It’s a blast.
Anyone who’s ever had acne will tell you it’s really not fun.
But for some, the physical and emotion pain of having acne doesn’t end when the pimples heal, because they can leave behind acne scaring.
Acne scars typically look like little divets or dents in the skin where there’s been a loss of skin tissue, and having them on your face can dent your self confidence too.
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to reduce the appearance of acne scars,Mamamia’sexecutive editor and beauty journalist of 15 years Leigh Campbell said on the latest episode of the You Beauty podcast(get it in your ears below, post continues after audio).
One of those is Fraxel.
Here’s what you need to know about the laser treatment that can help get rid of acne scars.
What is Fraxel laser?
“Fractional laser, brand name Fraxel, is one of the most effective treatments for acne scaring,” Leigh said.
“Fraxel laser basically resurfaces the skin… there’s also baby Fraxel, the technical term is Clear and Brilliant, it’s not as hard core as Fraxel and the results don’t go as deep.”
How does Fraxel work?
Fraxel laser works to resurface the skin by using the laser’s energy to remove old or damaged skin cells (i.e. acne scaring or pigmentation) and stimulate new collagen and elastin production.
“Underneath, you’re left with this beautiful baby soft skin. I did Fraxel for pigmentation, I didn’t have scarring. You might need repeated sessions to treat scaring depending on how deep your scars are, but it’s really great for acne scaring.”
Does Fraxel hurt?
“It hurts like a MOFO, but it only goes for a few minutes,” Leigh, who has tried Fraxel before, said.
“They’ll put numbing cream on around 30 minutes to an hour beforehand, but it still really, bloody hurts. The treatment goes for about four minutes. I hold my arms and just squeeze. There’s no pain afterwards, it’s just a bit stingy. It doesn’t hurt for days.”
Is there down time for Fraxel?
Because Fraxel is resurfacing the skin (taking off old skin to let new skin come through), Leigh said you can expect at least four to seven days of downtime.
“If you work at a really conservative place, you might need a time off work. The next day, you’re a tiny bit swollen and red, there are certain foundations you can get to wear on top of the resurfaced layers on skin that are completely safe,” she said.
“On day three or four, I felt very dry and you could almost see tiny little dot marks where the laser had been. On day five or six, I started to flake.”
Leigh also added that you can’t exfoliate your skin to speed this process up, but most places with give you a cream to apply for hydration. Sun protection is key, too.
“Keep in mind, if you have any sort of fractional laser, your skin is a billion times more susceptible to the sun. You really do need to be beyond careful.”
If acne scaring is something that really bothers you, Leigh said looking into Fraxel is worth it.
“It’s worth it, but Google before and afters and see what you’re getting yourself in for.”
Check out this YouTube Fraxel review for more context, post continues after video.
You Beauty Cheat Sheet
Other questions Leigh and Kelly answered, as well as their ‘spendys’ and ‘saveys’ (and where you can buy them).
‘What’s your beauty routine for air travel?’
Kelly’s long-haul flight routine:
Leigh’s long-haul flight routine:
Leigh’s Spendy: Kryolan Shimmering Event Foundation, $69.

Image: Kryolan.
Why she loves it:
Kelly's Spendy: Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick, $78.50.

Image: Chanel.
Why she loves it:
Leigh's Savey: Australis Bronzing Powder in Golden Tan, $14.95.

Image: Australis.
Why she loves it:
Kelly's Savey: Milani Baked Blush in Corallina, $16.

Why she loves it:
Until next time, stay lovely.
Love all things beauty? Come join our You Beauty Facebook group for more chit chat about things to put on your face. And body. And hair.
Want more from Leigh Campbell? Visit our newsletter page and sign up to "You Beauty" to get her best tips and products every week in your inbox (see one of her newsletters here).
Amy Clark
Lifestyle Editor
No Comments
Be the first to leave a comment