Acne.org Products
Reviews
Good or Excellent Response
80%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Moderate Response
98%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Side Effects
High
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist or plastic surgeon? Make an appointment to get this procedure done. Don't have a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find a dermatologist or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to find a plastic surgeon.
Used Dermabrasion? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
September 1, 2012
Cons:
Down time (you won't be able to be seen in public for awhile)
It's disappointing to read the reviews here on dermabrasion. Dermabrasion is actually one of the best ways to deal with acne scars, but it depends on the surgeon's SKILL. The doctor can't go too deep, or it will not look right, or not deep enough, or there will not be much difference. A huge part of how a dermabrasion turns out is the way the patient takes care of skin immediately after the dermabrasion. I keep reading about the skin scabbing afterward, the skin is not supposed to scab! It won't scab if it is kept bandaged for around 5 days with a thin layer of a vaseline-type product like Aquaphor or Etna Cream, HYDROGEL bandages, not regular ones, Tefla on top of that, and hold it all together with surgical tape. This dressing should be changed daily for 5 days. The hydrogel bandages are expensive, but they will keep your skin moist, and it has to stay moist at all times or it will scab and sometimes scar! After the first 24 hours, remove the badages and spray some wound cleanser on it, and do a vinegar soak. Google how to do this. It's soothing and will help the skin not scab or scar. Replace the dressings after the vinegar soak. After five days, you no longer need to use the dressing, but still, KEEP YOUR SKIN MOIST AT ALL TIMES with Aquaphor or Etna Cream. You will need alot of it. Once your skin heals, you can stop and just go back to regular moisturizer. Some people think they will just need one dermabrasion and their faces will be fixed. If your scarring is severe, this is WRONG. Ice picks scars won't improve much if at all, and deeper scars will only show some improvement. You will need other treatments, either more dermabrasions, subcison, punches, fat transfer, or filler of some sort to fill in your scars. I personally suggest subcision or punches first, THEN dermabarsion, then fillers. This seems to get the best results. Of course, there will always be people who are never satisfied. Deeply scarred skin will never be perfect, it can only be improve
April 7, 2017
Who was your Dermabrasion Doctor?
August 21, 2009
Pros:
None
Cons:
I have 1000x worse scarring than I began with. I am not exaggerating one bit either! I have loss of pigment on both sides of my face, especially in the jawline. Folks, I am as white as you can get, very fair skinned. IVORY.
Please don't do this, there is a reason many dr.s no longer do this surgery. I use to believe it was because they were un fit or something, not good at it. THAT ISN"T TRUE, the surgery itself just stinks. The pigmentation loss has left me with so many fewer options to fix my scars. Which mulitiplied, yes, multiplied, there are many more lines now too from the dermabrasion diamond thing. And folks you figure it out, I went to one of the most lifted up derma's on here. Although, I know that derma can get rid of acne in a FLASH, I mean severe cystic acne. But, the dermabrasion is life altering and not for the good. The surgery is just not worth it, and I have heard and experienced so much negative from this surgery, I have only ever heard of one or maybe two people who say it was good for them.
May 11, 2008
Pros:
I honestly have to say - none
Cons:
I decided on dermabrasion because of some slight acne scarring and ended up with severe indentations in my cheek- I am VERY unhappy - I am willing to share pictures with whomever would like to see them.
Though I am sure dermabrasion works for some - had I known the negative impact it would have on me - I would have NEVER done it - beware.
August 5, 2008
Pros:
Scar healed
Cons:
Lasting redness
I'm having the redness problem from dermabrasion. Does anyone know how to heal lasting redness from Dermabrasion? Do you have any idea how long it will be persist?
February 17, 2010
Pros:
It makes your face smoother
Cons:
A LOT OF DOWNTIME!, extreme redness for at least 3 months, didn't help w/scars, not worth it
I had this procedure done on Nov. 10, 2009. My facial redness finally went away after 3.5 months. I believe my diet change (eating healthy- leafy greens, spinach, veggies high in vVtamin A- no fast food, lots of water, etc) & taking Borage oil + Lecithin helped the redness heal much quicker. I would def. suggest taking those supplements if you decide to get this done. I would also suggest taking Vitamin C & Chlorophyll too. You will be amazed at the results (how fast the redness goes away.) In the end, I would not recommend this. It was more trouble than it was worth. It did nothing for my scars & they aren't even that deep. Save your money! I wish I would have read these reviews before I got mine done b/c I don't think I would have gone through w/it. Way too risky. The only thing it did do was make my face smoother.
**If anyone knows any good home remedies that help w/indented scars please let me know** Thanks:)
October 31, 2010
Pros:
Slightly tighter skin, scars are less deep. minimal pain. i hv asian skin, and did not ecperience hyper/hypo pigmentation.
Cons:
2 weeks of downtime. Face looked disgusting afterward. Once the swelling went down, ALL scars-even shallow ones-were still visible. Procedure caused a major break out. Skin is very sensitive. Procedure was expensive.
I did see slight improvement and am told that w/ more treatments i can get to a satisfactory point, but at what expense-I don't know. I expected my shallow scars to be gone, and the deeper ones to look better-instead...all the scars are still visible, with slight improvement...needless to say, i'm very dissappointed. dr says after time, my scars will improve. he also says more treatments may be necessary. i'm jus over 2 months post op.
April 29, 2007
Pros:
None
Cons:
clearly visible demarcation line. Persistent redness. Skin tone is totally destroyed.
My skin is type IV. I had dermabrasion 2.5 years ago. Demarcation line is still visible currently from far away. Redness persists all the time. It's the worst decision I have took in my life. Having scars on my face is hard to deal me, but, having dermabrasion almost makes me kill myself (seriously). I have passed the extremely difficult time and on the way of recover (mostly psychologically). By the way, I went for so called most experienced doctor (Dr. Y.). One more victim like me is too much.
July 30, 2011
Pros:
NONE!!!
Cons:
Scarred my face even worse and caused me to now have "Melasma" or hyperpigmentation!
If your doctor has recommended dermabrasion for acne scarring or as in my case, scarring from auto accident/acne please don't do it!! I only wish that I could go back in time and I would have ran away from his office! I have since had to pay another $2,000 to have laser resurfacing just to try to undo the damage from the dermabrasion! I now look like I have dark brown dirt on my face which is highlighting the scars! This was caused by the procedure as well! I do however recommend the laser resurfacing, it has made a remarkable difference in my scarring and had I originally went with the laser, as I wanted to, I probably would have nice skin right now!! However, I allowed the doctor to talk me in to the dermabrasion instead. Please don't ruin your face too!!! Because you can never go back!!
July 17, 2007
Pros:
None.
Cons:
Made my scars look more deeper and embeded in my skin. Dermabrassion type was sand paper and rotating wheel. Before and after software was way off.
This doctor makes you fell worse about yourself - not better
September 19, 2007
Pros:
Dermabrasion process removed a mole and sun spots / lightened scars on nose from dog bite.
Cons:
Healing has been humiliating, slow and mentally draining !!!
I'm 9 weeks post-op Dermabrasion and feel like I've been through hell. Most peoples healing seems to take about 2 weeks, maybe 3 weeks but I've been told I'm a slow healer. I believe and trust in my doctor but have had serious issues with the healing process. I have dealt with prolonged redness and severe acne all over face and neck. It's been quite embarassing! Today I was told I could start wearing make-up again so for a single girl who had this procedure because she was not confident in scars/sun spots, it has been so very difficult walking around red-faced with acne and no make-up to cover it up for the last 9 weeks. It's not really something you can explain to the general public because the redness IS NOT like a little sunburn (as so many people tried to tell me to make me feel better). I hope for better results in the future weeks but this has been tough. I am now also starting a bleaching cream to be used at night to hopefully take away the redness completely!
Pros:
Major improvement on shallow scars, some improvement on deeper scars, removes discoloration from acne scars, evens out skin tone.