Fractional resurfacing is a breakthrough in improving the quality of the skin. This revolutionary treatment can be helpful in addressing many bothersome skin problems such as fine lines, acne scars, scars, sun damage, brown spots and other skin problems. The true advantage of the technology is the ability to achieve great results with minimal downtime.
About the Technology
Made possible by the advances in laser communication technology, 125 to 250 microscopic laser beams are delivered into the skin. Each beam heats both the epidermis and dermis, allowing both superficial and deep treatment. Although 1,000 to 2,000 pulses are delivered in each square centimeter, skin cells between the beams are not affected thereby allowing for incredibly quick healing. By treating a whole area such as the face with 3-6 sessions, the whole zone eventually is fully treated.
Side Effects
With numbing cream and the use of a cooling device, most patients rate the pain of the treatment as a 3-5 on a scale of 1-10. Most patients experience 1-2 days of swelling, 2-4 days of redness and 4-7 days of flaking. There is minimal discomfort after treatment and patients may apply cosmetics immediately. The risks of scarring or skin discoloration are extremely low as this technology is very gentle on the skin.
Alternatives
Fraxel compares very favorably to other treatments in terms of effectiveness, tolerability and side effects. Alternative treatments exist, however, and are good options for some patients, especially given the patient cost of a Fraxel treatment ($1,000/session for the full face, smaller areas are less expensive):
Intense Pulsed Light / Fotofacial
Pros: Great option to remove most redness and brown spots with minimal downtime. Lower cost of treatment.
Cons: Much less wrinkle improvement than Fraxel.
Laser Resurfacing / Chemical Peels / Dermabrasion
Pros: Deep peels are of comparable effectiveness to Fraxel.
Cons: Effectiveness related to depth of peeling. Deep peels are like deep skin burns and require 1-2 weeks of healing as the skin is raw and oozes. Increased risk of scars and infection.
Ablative Fractional Resurfacing
Pros: Better results for skin tightening and wrinkles. Less treatments to obtain similar improvement in skin color.
Cons: More downtime than Fraxel Re:store (3-7 days of downtime depending on intensity) and slightly increased risk of complications (scar, infection).
Microdermabrasion
Pros: No downtime.
Cons: Minimal improvement. Minimal to zero long term results.
Before and After Examples
The before and after photos below show example results from the fraxel laser resurfacing treatment.
Above is a Baylor Medicine Dermatology patient who allowed treatment of one part of her surgical scar with three Fraxel sessions. The treated part of the scar has partially faded into the skin improving the appearance.
Above is a Baylor Medicine Dermatology patient before and after three Fraxel treatments for her acne scars.
Above are pictures of a Baylor Medicine Dermatology patient before and after two Fraxel treatments in addition to Botox. Both wrinkles and uneven skin color are improved.
Above is a patient with acne scars and the effects of sun damage (brown spots and textural changes) after three Fraxel treatments
Above is a patient before and six months after five Fraxel treatments. Collagen remodeling is a slow process and the final result after Fraxel is best appreciated 6-12 months after the completion of the series. Although the lighting is slightly different (despite our best efforts), the pictures demonstrate improvement of the scars and pore size.
