Fraxel Laser Resurfacing

What is Fraxel® Laser Resurfacing? Fraxel® SR Laser is a revolutionary approach to all laser resurfacing procedures. It is used to treat wrinkles, age spots, and melasma from years of accumulated sun-damaged skin. It can treat areas on the face , including around the lips and eyes, and body parts including neck, arms , and hands. It can also be used for acne scars. There is no cutting of the skin, so patients can achieve the same positive effects of ablative laser procedures (CO2 and Erbium lasers) and deep chemical peels without the associated “downtime” or potential side effects.

How does Fraxel® work? Think of pixels in a photo when you think of Fraxel® Laser Treatment (FLT). If you look at a newsprint photo up close, you'll see that the image is actually comprised of thousands of tiny spots of ink. Similarly, FLT produces thousands of tiny treatment zones on skin, known as MicroThermal Zones (MTZs), in the emerging science of Fractional Photothermolysis. The spared healthy tissue between treatment zones contains viable cells that promote rapid healing of the outer skin layers. Thus, FLT strives to achieve the skin improvements obtained with conventional CO2 laser resurfacing but without the associated side effects or downtime.

When Can I return to my Daily Activities? FLT offers the benefits of speedy healing and minimal to no downtime. Side effects are minimal and typically involve swelling and redness. Mild swelling should subside within a day or so, and redness usually fades over several days. Patients can apply make-up immediately after treatment and return to routine activities. There is limited, if any, risk of infection or scarring. No oozing or crusting has occurred as with other ablative technology.

How Many Treatments Do I need? You will see improvements with each treatment session. Clinical studies suggest that 3-5 treatments spaced about 14 to 28 days apart produce a gradual remodeling of dermal matrix components, until complete healing occurs and "good" material that contains collagen and elastin replaces old epidermal and dermal tissue. Over a period of 1-3 months, clinical improvement in photo-aged skin correlates with dermal repair and positive skin changes

Does it Hurt? Treatment is well tolerated and feels like a prickling sensation. A topical anesthetic ointment is applied prior to treatment to allay any discomfort.

When will I see results? After your very first Fraxel®Laser Treatment, you will begin to feel the difference in your skin, as it gradually becomes softer, smoother and fresher. Fine lines around your eyes and mouth will noticeably fade. So will uneven coloring and the brown spots caused by aging and sun exposure.

Fractional CO2 Laser Resurfacing. CO2 laser has been the "Gold Standard" for years in terms of laser resurfacing, now combined with new Fractional technology, you can achieve the positive effects without the use of general anesthesia and weeks of redness or recovery time as previously indicated. A bit more "aggressive treatment" than Fraxel used to treat deeper wrinkles, acne scars, sun-damaged skin and hyperpigmentation. Achieve the benefits of CO2 laser effects with only 1 or 2 sessions. Downtime 4-6 days.