We spend a lot of time looking into a mirror—and a lot more avoiding them.
If you’ve started to wonder if some sort of facial rejuvenation treatment warrants more than a bit of casual Googling, find your mirror, make sure all the lights in the room are on, and study each of your features. It’s going to be a little uncomfortable, but it’s the only way to truly figure out what bothers you and what you’d like to change.
After you’ve magnified every blemish, now envision peeling away all of your skin concerns—acne scars, hyperpigmentation, dullness, fine lines—and revealing a new layer of healthy, glowing skin. That’s basically what Fraxel lasers do.
They’ve proven to be effective in treating:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Surface scarring
- Hyperpigmentation
- Sun damage
- Actinic Keratosis
For textured acne scars, in particular, Fraxel lasers are more effective than any topical treatment.
Most have them applied to their whole faces, but Fraxel lasers can also treat the neck, décolletage, hands, and arms.
How do Fraxel lasers work?
The Fraxel dual laser—the type you’ll find in most dermatologists’ offices—is a device comprised of two lasers of varying wavelengths. One targets pigmentation and sun damage, the other goes deeper to target wrinkles, texture, and acne scarring.
Microscopic laser columns penetrate deep into the skin, stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin cells to replace the old, damaged ones. Essentially, the lasers are just speeding up the body’s natural healing process. And since they’re only treating a fraction of tissue at a time, the surrounding tissue’s left intact, which promotes very rapid healing.
Yeah, but does it hurt? The sensation’s most commonly described as very slight prickling. But, a topical anesthesia is applied before the procedure and cold air is used on the treated area during the procedure, minimizing the discomfort.
What’s the recovery like?
You’ll want to give yourself about three to five days to recover following the procedure. The treated area is likely to be red and peeling.
Use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer twice a day. You’ll want to avoid any harsh skin products or prescription acne products for about a week. Also: Avoid peeling and picking your skin at all costs.
You’ll also want to be sure to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher and avoid direct sun exposure for at least three months after your last treatment.
How quickly you’ll see results will depend on what you’re targeting. If it’s pigment, you’ll see results within a session or two. If it’s wrinkles or scarring, it’ll be three to five sessions. In each case, though, you’ll notice a difference almost right away. The treated area will then continue to improve over the next two to three months.
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