Scarring and African American Skin

Dr. Irwin
October 13, 2009
Hi Dr. Irwin i have superficial scarring from childhood on my face, i also have african american skin type, is it true that laser resurfacing is not that successful at treating my skin issue due to my skin type?

If your scarring is truly superficial, than the Fraxel laser, done in a top notch center, may be a good choice for you.  Without seeing you, it’s not possible to say for sure.   Find a center and a Dermatologist with a lot of experience, and one that treats african american skin frequently.  Make sure the doctor is on site full time. Don’t  use a carbon dioxide laser even if it’s fractionated because, even with the newer technology, there isn’t  enough safety data yet on african american skin.  Good luck!  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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