| Perhaps you saw the piece about Fraxel on Good | | | | new collagen production. The benefits of non |
| Morning America today (2/1/08). What is so | | | | ablative Fraxel and Lux1540 laser skin treatments |
| exciting is that the new fractional skin | | | | are dramatically reduced recovery time. After the |
| rejuvenation is a great improvement over older | | | | treatment your skin is pink the first day and the |
| CO2 laser resurfacing. In the past CO2 ablative | | | | second day the skin may have "bronzing" which is |
| laser resurfacing (see photo below) was the "Gold | | | | easily covered by make up. |
| Standard" for wrinkle removal and skin tightening, | | | | The new fractional skin rejuvenation lasers safely |
| however prolonged and difficult recovery time | | | | go deep into the skin (see diagram below) where |
| with peeling skin made this procedure | | | | they can produce more effective new collagen |
| unacceptable for most people. | | | | production than more superficial laser treatments. |
| During the past three years new technology called | | | | This new collagen production replaces collagen that |
| fractional laser skin rejuvenation has been | | | | has been damaged by sun, aging, and acne. The |
| developed which does not require significant | | | | new collagen produced can actually plump the skin |
| recovery or anesthesia. | | | | wrinkles and acne scars and improve skin texture. |
| With Fractional laser skin rejuvenation the laser | | | | This skin plumping effect can significantly improve |
| beam is broken up or fractionated into many | | | | wrinkles and acne scars, reduce enlarged pores, |
| small micro beams which are separated so that | | | | remove pigment and actually improve surgical |
| when they strike the skin surface small areas of | | | | scars. (See below) |
| the skin between the beams are not hit by the | | | | We have the new Palomar Lux1540 fractional non |
| laser and left intact. These small areas of | | | | ablative laser in our practice and I am very |
| untreated skin promote a much more rapid | | | | impressed with the results. |
| recovery and healing with less risk of | | | | The Lux1540 treatment takes about 30 minutes |
| complications. The small areas of the skin treated | | | | and we use a topical numbing cream for your |
| by the fractional micro beams cause sufficient | | | | comfort. Your face will be pink the first day but |
| laser effect to promote new collagen production | | | | your skin is intact, no oozing or open areas. The |
| which plumps the skin improving wrinkles, pigment | | | | second day you may have a "bronze" cast to |
| and acne scars. | | | | your facial skin but make up can be applied. In |
| The first fractional laser Fraxel and a newer | | | | some patients who have more significant scars or |
| technology called the Lux1540 have produced | | | | wrinkles we use higher settings and in these |
| excellent results treating wrinkles, acne scars and | | | | patients there may be peeling and redness for |
| facial pigmentation and have improved skin | | | | 3-4 days after treatment. Patients with thin skin |
| texture. | | | | from prior use of Accutane or previous |
| To ablate means to "surgically remove". The | | | | dermabrasion or laser resurfacing can benefit |
| Fraxel and Lux1540 are non ablative lasers which | | | | from the skin plumping effects but may also have |
| mean that when the laser beam strikes the skin | | | | 3-4 days of redness |
| the skin is not removed as it was with the | | | | The new fractional skin rejuvenation lasers are |
| traditional CO2 ablative lasers, rather the laser | | | | very exciting and a very significant development |
| beam heats the skin to cause inflammation and | | | | in non surgical facial rejuvenation. |