Fraxel Laser

Fraxel; At A Glance

  • Best Results1- 3 treatments
  • Treatment Recovery3-6 days
  • Procedure Time30-40 min
  • Skin SpecialistDermal Therapist, Nurse, Dermatologist
  • Duration of Results60++ months
  • AnaestheticNumbing, gas, sedation
  • Back to Work3-6 days
  • Cost$$

Fraxel Fractional Laser

Fraxel laser can be used to treat skin pigmentation, wrinkles, acne scars & sun damage. Treatments are tailored according to your skin concern & downtime. We employ a unique method of Fraxel laser resurfacing called ‘High Density’. This means the vast majority of patients require only one treatment. This laser can be combined with other laser wavelengths to give even better results, a term we call hybrid laser resurfacing. Used in combination we have the ability to tighten & lift at the same time.

FactsFacts on Fraxel laser

  • Fraxel is a type of fractional laser
  • This laser treats ‘fractions’ of skin, this means increased safety with all skin types and quicker healing times
  • Fraxel can be used to treat skin aging, improving skin texture & tone
  • It also addresses acne scars, pigmentation, & age spots,
  • Recovery can be tailored from 3 to 6 days
  • Fraxel resurfacing is bespoke, tailored to your skin condition, downtime & skin type
  • Contrary to reports, the majority of patients will require one high density treatment
  • Application of other laser wavelengths can provide collagen contraction & in most cases lifting

What conditions can Fraxel treat?

Fraxel Laser

There are 3 types of Fraxel lasers that I use, the 1927, CO2 & the 1550. Depending on what you would like to improve or treat, a custom prescription of the power, density and mix of lasers will be provided by either by me or our laser nurses.

Skin rejuvenation– Fraxel 1927 is one of the best lasers for skin rejuvenation in patients aged 20-55. This laser can improve wrinkles, pigmentation, sun damage, sunspots & enlarged pores. It will give an excellent improvement in skin quality with just one treatment. We use this laser in a unique way, delivering high density fractional beams.

Age spots- Again Fraxel 1927 is my favored laser. I combine this with other lasers including erbium & CO2 wavelengths. Flat age spots can be treated with both IPL and Fraxel. Again, the majority of patients require one treatment.

 Sun damage- High density 1927 is my treatment of choice. This laser out performs PDT and creams such as Efudix and Picato. Healing time is only 5 days with this treatment. Expect up to 90% improvement of solar keratosis & sun damage.

 Chest and neck rejuvenation – This is where combination Fraxel 1550 & 1927 works best. 1550 Fraxel stimulates collagen and provides tightening of the skin on the neck, whilst 1927 treats superficial pigment. Another wavelength that I use is CO2, often with 1927 Fraxel. 3-5 treatments are recommend, as the neck skin is thinner than the face.

Melasma- low power high density Fraxel has been shown to be help reduce pigment by up to 50%. 3-5 treatments are needed. Fraxel is not my first choice for melasma, as nano & pico lasers are more effective (& more cost effective). I do employ this laser for resistant cases of melasma.

Acne scarring– mild rolling and atrophic acne scars do best with Fraxel laser. In this setting I like to use the 1550 wavelength of this laser. The results are underwhelming, even with high energy levels. I tend not to employ this laser for scar revision as there are many other devices that deliver better results. If your research has shown that Fraxel is the right choice for you, by all means book a session with my clinical team. 3-5 Fraxel treatments are recommended.

Asian and ethnic skin rejuvenation –This laser is gentle enough not to cause unwanted side effects, but strong enough to provide consistent results. Darker skin patients will require 2-3 sessions for best results. Pico lasers have replaced Fraxel laser in the context of ethnic skin rejuvenation.

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Fraxel is great laser for wrinkles & pigmentation. Notice the wrinkles under the eyes are improved. Only one session is required.

How does Fraxel laser resurfacing work?

Fraxel laser works by treating a ‘fraction’ or portion of skin, allowing healthy tissue to regenerate. The untreated fraction of skin allows for faster healing times.

Fraxel is a form of fractional laser resurfacing. There are numerous fractional devices that I use, including Fraxel 1927, Fraxel 1550, Fraxel CO2,Erbium Sciton, CO2 CORE fractional laser, Mixto laser, Juliet erbium laser, eCO2, Ultrapulse lasers, Genius RF, Infini RF, Tixel, ematrix RF, ePrime fractional needling, and fractional skin needling with Dermapen. All these devices work in a very similar way- they only treat a fraction of the skin’s surface. This means faster healing times, lower side effect profile, but consistent results, provided treatments are performed correctly.

Fraxel laser delivers columns of laser light. We control variables such as the density, power and wavelength. This gives us the ability to perform bespoke treatments.

Is Fraxel the best treatment for acne scars?

Fraxel can be a great ‘overall treatment’ or generic prescription for acne scars, however as a Specialist I always ‘map out’ scars. Each type of acne scar will have a particular solution that is best for that type of scar.

Fraxel is a treatment option for mild rolling, atrophic and mixed acne scars. Scars such as depressed and tethered- anchored scars do well with subscision and do not respond to Fraxel. Deep ice pick scars do best with TCA chemical peels. Shallow box cars scars are best treated with one single session of erbium plus CO2 Fractional lasers compared to multiple Fraxel laser treatments.

It is not that Fraxel does not work for acne scars, the fact remains that there are many better treatments for scars. Do not use one device to treat many skin conditions. For example, short pulse duration CO2 lasers, will give much better results compared to Fraxel Dual or even Fraxel RE:Pair.

acne scar types 2
Scars should be treated based on their merits & not the other way around.

Can Fraxel remove wrinkles?

Yes. Fraxel is one of the best wrinkle removing lasers at Cutis. Laser resurfacing can remove shallow to moderate wrinkles. For deeper wrinkles & lifting, we combine low density CO2 laser with Fraxel. This combination stimulates more collagen & provides contraction. This result in lifting. This form of laser resurfacing is called ‘Hybrid Laser Resurfacing’, meaning we combine different wavelengths.

 

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We stay ahead of the game- Cutis Dermatology is both a clinic & a research centre for lasers, fillers & devices.

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For marked sun damage with deep wrinkles, my combination of Erbium and CO2 works best. This is called fully ablative laser resurfacing and is reserved for marked sun damage, wrinkles, pigmentation, skin ageing & severe acne scars.

Davin’s Viewpoint on Fraxel laser

Fraxel International Advisory Board

Inventor of High Density Fraxel

Fraxel has a heap of marketing behind it. Granted, it is a very good laser especially in the Fraxel Dual 1927 wavelength. Did you know that Fraxel itself comes in 3 wavelengths, namely the 1927 (best), the 1550 (not great but OK) and the Fraxel CO2 Re:Pair (far better & more cost effective CO2 lasers out there).

Fraxel outperforms IPL and even fractional RF treatments because this laser improves texture & wrinkles- even with one treatment! Sun damage can be markedly improved, and even deep wrinkles can be effaced. With the high density setting, the vast majority of patients require only one session.

Recovery can be tailored from 3 to 6 days. The higher the laser density the longer the recovery, the better the results. Most patients have this done on a Friday afternoon, and they are back to work on a Tuesday. The big plus with this laser is that treatments are well tolerated.

Over the past few years, we have been adding different wavelengths to this laser, namely carbon dioxide fractional laser. This term is called ‘Hybrid Laser Resurfacing’. This fusion of lasers is now mainstream, practiced in the majority of dermatology practices in Australia & overseas.

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