Fraxel for Stretch Marks

Yes. Immediately after treatment with the 1927 wavelength, you skin can look red and sun burned. By day three the skin becomes bronzed (especially where the darkest spots on your face are), then over the following 3 to 4 days these spots dry up and peel off, leaving your skin smooth, clear, slightly pink, healthy looking.

A topical anesthetic ointment is applied to the treatment areas approximately 60 minutes prior to treatment in order for the anesthetic to take full effect. For Fraxel Restore Dual® treatments topical anesthesia alone is usually sufficient. The procedure take between 20-25 minutes for the full face.

The Fraxel laser utilizes a new technology called Fractional Resurfacing. With Fractional Resurfacing Technology, only a fraction of the skin receives the laser light at one time. The Fraxel Laser delivers a series of microscopic closely spaced laser spots to the skin while simultaneously preserving normal healthy skin between the laser spots. The preservation of the healthy spots results in rapid healing of the treated area following the laser treatment. The entire face can be treated with the Fraxel Laser in approximately 45 minutes.

Until Fraxel®, there were two types of available laser treatments. Purely ablative laser treatment (CO2 and Erbium) which was very effective but had significant side effects and lengthy healing period (weeks). The other being non-ablative had zero downtime but had very little clinical effect. Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing treatment offers the effectiveness of older ablative treatments with the benefits of the gentler, fractionated laser technologies.

The Dual-Restore is the latest partially ablative laser in the Fraxel Family. It combines two wavelength options allowing for targeted treatment of different tissue depths. The 1927 wavelength is indicated for the treatment of hyperpigmented lesions such as melasma, sun-spots and freckles. 

It typically removes 85 to 100% of pigmented lesions and requires 1 treatment; however resistant hyperpigmentation as well as melasma may require additional treatments.

Clinical studies suggest that on average, an effective treatment regimen is 3 to 5 sessions, spaced about 2 to 4 weeks apart for Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing. Optimal improvement occurs for 6 months after the series of treatments is complete. This time frame and treatment structure allows for complete healing and replacement of damaged tissue with new collagen and elastin, and viable healthy skin cell growth.

Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing treatments can range between $400-$1400 per treatment. The range of prices depends on partial or full-face treatments, severity of condition, and the relative inclusion of other body parts such as neck and chest.

Most patients describe the treatment as having an intense “prickling” sensation. The anesthetic protocol that our Aesthetic Nurses use and Cryo-air cooling alleviates most discomfort. For those that are sensitive, we suggest ibuprofen or a stronger form of pain killer, which of course we will prescribe to you.

Yes. The Fraxel Laser is FDA approved for use in skin resurfacing. It is also FDA approved for use in the correction of pigmented lesions, such as age spots, sun spots, discolored skin, the treatment of wrinkles around the eyes and melasma.

Fraxel® Laser Treatment is the original “fractional” treatment that produces thousands of deep, tiny columns of trauma in your skin, called microthermal treatment zones. FLT is “fractional” in that it intensively treats thin columns of the skin without affecting the surrounding tissue, which reduces healing time and promotes the skin’s natural process for creating new, healthier tissue. Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing is the non-ablative, low downtime technology.

With fractionated lasers healing time is significantly accelerated so there is minimal downtime and risk. With Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing, at no time after treatment is the skin left raw, therefore, make-up can be worn immediately following the procedure. Some patients are able to return to routine activities, including work and social obligations, the same day of treatment. Generally there is redness and minor puffiness for 1-3 days.

Swelling and redness are the most common side effects of treatment. If swelling and redness does occur, it is minimal and will subside within two to three days for Fraxel Dual Skin Resurfacing. There is minimal pain during recovery with the Dual; it can be likened to a bad sun burn for several hours. We have never seen any significant complications with either wavelength.

Fraxel Laser treatments offer rapid healing and minimal downtime. Patients typically have some swelling and redness. The swelling generally subsides in a day or so, and the redness usually fades over a few days. Patients can apply make-up shortly after their treatment and generally return to normal activity the following day.

Upon consultation, we will assess the quality and severity of your skin’s problem. After a thorough history and interview, we will help you make a decision that will suite your skin type and your lifestyle issues regarding downtime and risk as well as results.