Intro to Fraxel: The Best Laser Treatments Available Today
Want to know about the trendiest laser treatments available now? This one laser technology can offer so much that people are raving about all the great results. Even better is that the intensity can be customized to your specific needs without foregoing your youthful “glow.” I’m talking about the Fraxel lasers. There are a couple of different types, which can be confusing, so in this blog I’ll do an overview of all the different kinds, and then later this month, we’ll go a bit more in depth.
Specialized treatments are great, but I love the flexibility of the Fraxel laser since it can be used for a multitude of quick fixes. Whether you’re looking to rejuvenate your skin by minimizing mild, moderate or deep wrinkles, sun spots or scars, sagging or rough texture, all of that is addressed by the Fraxel lasers.
Solta, the pioneer of fractionated laser treatments, has developed three different laser modalities to address everything from mild concerns to aggressive concerns. All are very precise and based on the same cutting edge technology. So the question isn’t necessarily which laser is better, but the question is what intensity of treatment do you need and how much recovery are you willing to experience to get the results?
Don’t get me wrong, you can’t even begin to compare the down time of a cosmetic surgery and the pain you go through, with the minimal discomfort and minimal downtime experienced with Fraxel laser treatments. Any downtime with these lasers is more of a “social” downtime, where your skin may look a little red and irritated, which is easily healed with extra moisturizer and covered with mineral makeup. Even the most intense of these laser treatments (Fraxel Repair) can have less of a recovery than a strong chemical peel.
So how do these fractionated lasers work?
You’ll need to arrive about an hour before treatment time in order to prep, which usually includes topically numbing the area to be treated. The treatment itself only takes 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the area. The hand held Fraxel laser beams tiny columns of light into the deeper layers of skin on the specific area to be treated. It is extremely precise so it will not damage any of the surrounding areas. You’ll probably experience a prickling sensation, although it’s relatively pain free depending on which intensity laser you need. What’s really neat is that this stimulates the skin’s ability to repair itself and create more collagen.
What are the main differences between them?
I’ll go more in depth on each laser in the following weeks, so this is a brief overview.
Fraxel Repair is the most intense of the lasers and may be good if you are looking for significant repair from many years of damage. Fraxel DUAL is the medium level laser that uses 2 wavelengths to treat multiple skin conditions and multiple skin colors. Clear + Brilliant is the most gentle and a great laser for those who want to “ease in” to laser treatments while still receiving visible results.
Stay tuned to learn more about how Fraxel lasers restore a more youthful face and body. Until my next blog, you can visit www.DrCovey.com.
Sincerely,
Dr Covey
