Do painkillers help to relieve discomfort during acne scar treatment?

Yes, you are right in that acne scar treatments should be commenced once acne has resolved and become quiescent. Acne scar treatments such as fractional CO2 laser can also cause scarring if there is active ace and secondly; ongoing acne can cause new scars to form. PCOS is a condition that troubles many when it comes together with acne as the local skin factors are also affected by systemic hormonal issues. Besides oral contraceptives, anti-adrogenic medications like Spironolactone can be helpful.

Isotretinoin intake while on acne scar treatment is considered generally safe based on the latest research studies published from 2014 onwards. Because acne scarring is associated with substantially reduced quality of life, early initiation of effective treatment is desirable. Ablative CO2 fractional laser treatment for acne scarring seems to be safe regardless of isotretinoin use (10-60 mg/d) [1]. Follow-up was for at least 6 months post-treatment to evaluate side effects. No major and permanent side-effects were seen.