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Fraxel

Fraxel

Fraxel® Treatments

What if you could take all of your skin concerns — from hyperpigmentation and acne scars to dullness and fine lines — and peel them away to reveal a brand-new layer of healthy, glowing skin? With Fraxel® skin resurfacing, you can. Fraxel® is a revolutionary laser skin resurfacing treatment that permanently blasts away skin imperfections without the side effects or significant downtime that commonly results from more invasive laser procedures.

Reveal your youthful glow — contact our Gainesville dermatologists at Gainesville Dermatology Aesthetic Center to schedule laser skin treatment or get more information about our available skin care services.

What Is Fraxel®?

The original fractional skin resurfacing treatment, Fraxel® is the ultimate laser system for correcting common skin issues, such as pigmentation, laxity, fine lines, wrinkles, melasma, and acne scarring. Fraxel® uses two lasers with different wavelengths (1550 and 1927) to address skin concerns on the face, neck, chest, hands, and legs, although it may be used in other areas of the body as well. One laser targets surface-level pigmentation and photodamage. The other penetrates the skin deeper to target wrinkles, texture issues, and acne scarring.

What Do Fraxel® Lasers Treat?

This non-invasive, microscopic laser penetrates the skin to smooth fine lines and wrinkles, fade brown spots and scarring, and resurfaces the skin tone. Contact our Gainesville dermatology office to find out how Fraxel® can help your skin feel like new.

Fine Lines & Wrinkles

The Fraxel® laser uses fractionated laser beams to help improve the texture, tone, and firmness of the skin, from the inside out. This skin resurfacing tool can address deep layers of wrinkled, damaged skin by leaving microscopic columns of treated skin next to untreated skin, which results in collagen production and natural skin repair. This treatment addresses visible signs of aging with minimal downtime and substantial results.

Acne Scarring

Fraxel® is the first FDA-approved procedure ever for acne scarring. Previously, your only choice for significant results was CO2 laser resurfacing, which is very painful, must be performed under general anesthesia, requires weeks of recovery, and comes with numerous side effects, including infection and worsening of the scars. Fraxel® laser acne scars treatment can significantly improve the look of scars resulting from surgical procedures, acne, or any other type of scarring.

Pigmentation

Fraxel® is FDA approved for treating pigmentation issues and disorders of the skin. Fraxel® targets and destroys abnormal pigmentation in the skin and is more effective than any topical cream, chemical peels, or microdermabrasion for pigmentation-related conditions. This treatment is likewise ideal for patients with deep skin tones and significant amounts of melanin, as it is gentle enough to treat abnormal areas without damaging the skin.

Sun Damage

Fraxel® is ideal for treating damaged skin caused by prolonged sun exposure (photodamage) on the face, neck, chest, and hands. The procedure works by removing sun spots (hyperpigmentation), wrinkles (especially around the lips and eyes), and texture and tone issues. Aside from staying out of the sun and applying sun protection daily, one of the best forms of prevention and remediation of sun-related skin damage is Fraxel®.

Actinic Keratosis

Fraxel® is approved by the FDA for treating actinic keratosis (AK) — one of the most common conditions treated by dermatologists. Fraxel® works by creating thermal zones that target AK lesions in the skin’s uppermost layers. While there are several different therapeutic options for AK, including topical agents and cryosurgery, laser skin resurfacing with Fraxel® offers a promising, non-invasive, and cosmetically beneficial option for patients.

How To Prepare For Laser Skin Treatments

Due to some degree of anticipated swelling following the procedure, most patients choose to undergo this procedure when they don’t have to return to work for a day or more. To minimize bruising, we also advise patients to avoid products that contain Aspirin and Ibuprofen for a week before and after treatment. Patients should also avoid sun exposure to the treatment areas for at least two weeks before and a month after treatment. Patients who receive skin laser resurfacing treatment should discontinue any topical retinoid or retinol two weeks before treatment. For additional preparation instructions for Fraxel® treatment, contact us.

Fraxel® Laser Cost

The cost for Fraxel® laser varies depending on several factors, such as the type of treatment, the number of sessions needed, and the overall desired outcome. For a better estimate, review the following laser treatment costs for the face, face and neck, hands, scars, and chest. Other areas of the body are priced during your consultation. For additional information or inquiries regarding pricing for treatment, please contact our office.

  • Face: $1000
  • Face & Neck: $1200
  • Hands: $400
  • Scars: $300 – $500 (depending on size of the scar)
  • Chest: $800

Fraxel® Results

Patients who receive treatment with Fraxel® dual laser experience smoother, fresher, and younger-looking skin with improved tone and texture, a marked reduction of unwanted brown spots, reduced fine lines and wrinkles, and an improved appearance of acne and surgical scars. Following the recovery period, some patients report noticeable improvements after their first treatment. Optimal improvement is usually visible in about 2-3 months after treatment, once the patient’s deep skin levels respond to the procedure with the production of collagen and new healthy skin cells.

Check out some Fraxel® before and after results on real patients — the images shown are actual results. However, individual results may vary.

Fraxel® Side Effects

There is some discomfort associated with laser skin treatment, which most people describe as a mild stinging sensation. The topical anesthetic and cooling device used during the procedure can help alleviate this discomfort. Patients will experience a slight sunburn sensation for about an hour and then minimal discomfort. The skin will have a pinkish tone for a week or more with some possible mild swelling. This is a normal sign that the skin is deeply healing. Swelling is minimal and generally resolves within 2-3 days. Some people choose to take Tylenol or Benadryl to minimize these side effects. Aside from redness, patients prone to acne or those with reactive skin may experience a breakout of whiteheads due to rapid skin cell turnover.

What To Do After Fraxel® Laser Treatment

Immediately following treatment, patients may experience a hot or inflamed sensation on the treated areas of skin. We recommend that patients avoid trying to cool their skin with an ice pack to avoid damaging the skin. Our dermatologists recommend that patients wash their face twice each day during recovery to keep the area clean — patients will receive specific instructions for post-treatment care before the procedure.

Click here for post-Fraxel® treatment instructions. 

Some patients can return to routine activities, including work and social obligations, the day after treatment. Others require a little more time, depending on their skin's reaction to the procedure. As your skin goes through the healing process, you can anticipate the following changes.

  • Your skin will have a bronze appearance that can last anywhere from 3-14 days, depending on your treatment level.
  • Your skin will naturally exfoliate as new skin replaces dead tissue. Flaking is similar to that of a minor sunburn but without the associated pain. Using a moisturizer can mask the appearance of flaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fraxel® laser is a revolutionary laser system that can give you the same results as more invasive lasers but without any severe side effects or significant downtime for healing. It can be used on any skin surface and any skin type. Unlike other effective laser systems, Fraxel® works by targeting only a fraction of damaged skin cells at a time, including those involved in acne scarring, sun damage, and abnormal pigmentation. Fraxel® causes micro-injuries to deep layers of the skin to stimulate the natural healing process and accelerate the skin’s natural ability to produce collagen with brand new, healthy skin. This treatment works from the inside out by boosting collagen production and drastically increasing the turnover rate of skin cells.

  • Before the procedure, a powerful topical anesthetic is placed on the skin.
  • Patients must then wait for approximately one hour while the anesthetic takes effect.
  • After a thorough cleansing, a thin coat of gel will be applied to help the laser glide over the skin.
  • The laser is then directed at the skin through a handpiece while the patient is comfortably reclined.
  • The laser treatment itself takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • After the procedure, the patient’s skin is thoroughly cleansed and moisturized, followed by sun protection.

Fraxel® laser treatment is both safe and effective on the vast majority of skin types and tones. Patients with highly sensitive skin or those with active skin issues such as eczema, acne, or moderate-to-severe rosacea may not be good candidates for laser skin resurfacing treatment. Contact our office to learn more about laser treatments and find out whether Fraxel® is the right treatment for your aesthetic skin goals.

The number of sessions required for patients to see significant results depends on the degree, type, and severity of the skin concern under question. To remove pigmentation or sun spots from the skin, patients may see results in one or two sessions. To remove acne scarring and wrinkles, 3-5 sessions may be required. For both acne scarring and wrinkles, we recommend spacing out sessions a month apart. For sun damage and hyperpigmentation, we recommend spacing out sessions 6-8 weeks apart. Your physician can help tailor your treatment plan during your initial appointment to meet your schedule and preferences best.

How long Fraxel® laser results last following treatment depends on a wide range of unique factors, such as the patient’s eye color, hair color, and complexion. For example, discoloration tends to return sooner on patients with red or blonde hair than those with darker hair. On average, the results of Fraxel® treatment last at least a year, but this varies widely from patient to patient. To find out how long results may last on you, contact us today.

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