Fraxel Facts
Manufactured by Solta Medical, Fraxel is one of the most advanced laser treatments for skin available today. Fraxel is used to treat sun damaged skin, uneven pigmentation, and fine lines in just a few painless treatments. The FraxelŽ family of products includes the Fraxel re:store laser system, the Fraxel re:pair laser system, the Fraxel re:fine laser system, and the Fraxel re:store Dual. The line has quickly become the industry standard for fractional aesthetic skin treatments. Unlike traditional laser devices, Fraxel brand fractional laser systems treat only a fraction of skin at a time, leaving the surrounding area intact for fast healing.
Fraxel lasers have received multiple FDA clearances and have been found safe and effective in treating many areas of the face and body. The versatility of the product line ensures that patients can choose the best treatment for various stages of their lives as their skin care needs evolve.
Fraxel is a laser used to treat damaged and aging skin by harmlessly penetrating the outer layer of skin, but only resurfacing 15-20% of the skin during each session so multiple treatments are needed, often 3-5. This method protects the skin from enduring too much damage at once and eliminates much of the downtime associated with CO2 or erbium laser resurfacing treatment.
The Fraxel line comprises of 4 different treatments and fall into two categories of laser resurfacing: Non-Ablative and Ablative.
Non-Ablative: Non-ablative laser treatments are used to treat mild to severe skin conditions without tissue vaporization and require little to no downtime. Several treatments may be necessary with non-ablative laser treatments to achieve results.
Ablative: Ablative laser treatments, also known as CO2 (carbon dioxide) Fractional Resurfacing, treat the most severe skin conditions by vaporizing the top layers of damaged skin. While ablative treatments yield the most dramatic results in 1 treatment, more downtime is typically needed so skin can heal entirely.
Your physician will help you decide which Fraxel procedure is the best suited for you, depending on the severity and type of skin damage you may have.
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What Will Happen At My Fraxel Treatment?
Before treatment, your skin will be cleansed thoroughly and a topical anesthetic may also be applied to provide more comfort during the procedure. The physician will make passes over the skin with the laser and you may feel a slight pinch or warming sensation with the pulse, but patients rank this as minimally painful.
After treatment, you should expect a sunburn-like redness which disappears in a few days. Within 24 hours, new epidermal skin will develop and your skin will have a bronze appearance which can last from three days up to two weeks depending on what level of treatment you have received. As the new epidermal tissue replaces the damaged tissue, your skin will flake off. Typically patients find they can go back to work soon after treatment or the next day, and you may apply make-up or shave soon after treatment.
To protect your new skin, be sure to wear SPF 30 or higher sunscreen and apply twice a day. You must avoid the sun as much as possible and take extra care to protect your skin from more damage.
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The Fraxel re:pair laser is the breakthrough device in ablative fractional resurfacing, with the most clinical testing of any product in the category. Fraxel re:pair treatment has been clinically proven to improve wrinkles, rhytides, furrows, fine lines, textural irregularities, pigmented lesions and vascular dyschromia in a multi-site, multi-phase study of more than 400 patients.
The Fraxel re:store laser, delivering Non-ablative Fractional Resurfacing (NFRTM) treatment, was introduced in 2004 and has been adopted by more than 1,500 dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aesthetic physicians worldwide. It is the accepted gold standard for treating acne scars and periorbital wrinkles, and for skin resurfacing procedures on the face, neck, chest and hands.
The Fraxel re:fine laser, offering superficial non-invasive skin rejuvenation, combines the unique method of fractional delivery with a lighter treatment. Performed in 20-25 minutes, Fraxel re:fine treatment is excellent for medical spas and family physicians seeking a safe and gentle option.
The Fraxel re:store Dual laser is the latest addition to the Fraxel family and has added a Thulium laser, to the original Fraxel re:store platform. According to the manufacturer's website, this additional wavelength will enable physicians to better address pigmentation and other dyschromia on the entire body with minimal discomfort.
Fraxel has several FDA clearances which include the treatment of wrinkles, fine lines, age/sun spots, laser eyelift, skin resurfacing, fine uneven pigmentation, acne scars, surgical scars, and actinic keratosis.
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Since the Fraxel line contains both non-ablative and ablative laser treatments, there are several alternatives to Fraxel. Fraxel alternatives include:
September of 2007 brought the introduction of the Fraxel Skin Ecology System, a skincare line specifically formulated and dermatologist-tested to enhance the experience of Reliant's Fraxel laser treatment, a skin rejuvenation therapy that provides patients with effective, consistent results without significant downtime and risk of complications.
The Fraxel Skin Ecology System is a physician-dispensed cosmeceutical line that includes deep hydration masks, green tea infusion masks, antioxidant infusion serum, foaming cleanser, daily moisturizer (SPF 30) and hydrating night cream.
All components are formulated to enhance the experience of the Fraxel treatment by moisturizing, cooling and protecting the skin throughout the patient's Fraxel treatment cycle and beyond as part of a healthy skincare regimen. Fraxel Skin Ecology System products will be available at physicians' offices.
Read about Thermage + Fraxel, the combination of Thermage and Fraxel for skin tightening and resurfacing.
These procedure are frequently referred to as Fraxel Repair, Fraxel CO2, Fracsil, and Frazel
