[Before&After] Cat scar scratch on my leg. 2 years of progress
Wanted to share this cuz it was honestly a long ride. I tried different scar creams and topicals, including hydroquinone, azelaic acid and tretinoin.
I spent months contacting dermatologists and clinics across North America. Everyone seemed to suggest something different, some options were ridiculously expensive and others said they couldn’t help. I literally made a spreadsheet comparing everything lol.
I assessed several laser treatments from Aerolase (which I tried for 3 sessions and stopped). BBL (Broad Band Light) laser. After weighing topicals, microneedling and laser, fractional laser (Fraxel) felt like the best option for me. I wanted to give microneedling a chance, but with my Fitzpatrick IV skin, I was worried about potentially making the hyperpigmentation worse and didn’t feel comfortable taking that chance. Laser has pigmentation risks too, so it wasn’t an easy decision.
I did Fraxel with settings as my clinic set as "Fraxie (Mini fraxel) settings". First session was October 2025, second was February 2026. Things looked worse initially before they got better. It took roughly 2 years to get to a point where I’m happy with how they look. Last photo this month in October 2026.
They’re still there (hypnopigmented lines) but much less noticeable. Wanted to share for anyone dealing with similar scars. Lighting varies between photos. If you can afford Laser go for it. Maybe microneedling next. Don't waste your time on topicals. You can use that as post produce care.
Will be monitoring the comments section if you have any questions about my scar healing journey! I am so happy about my results. I am still debating if I should go for a 3rd final session or not.