Fraxel Re:Store Dual Laser

Frequently Asked Questions About Fraxel Re:Store Dual Laser

• How does it work?

  Fraxel laser treatment course consists of three to five procedures, spaced two to four weeks apart, producing a gentle remodeling of collagen under your skin’s surface. Improvements in your appearance will continue for six months or more.

• What is treatment like?

  We begin by imaging your skin with the Visia Complexion Analysis System, a computerized digital imaging system that establishes your baseline image and can identify abnormalities in the skin that are not yet apparent to the naked eye.

  The face is then cleansed and a topical anesthetic is applied for 45-60 minutes. During the treatment, the handpiece of the laser is guided across the skin’s surface in a precise and predetermined fashion, based on the specific goals of the treatment. A special cooling device will blow chilled air across the skin as it is being treated. There may be some slight discomfort at times, which patients describe as a prickling sensation but the treatment is generally well tolerated. This portion of the procedure takes approximately 30 minutes. The skin is cleansed before you leave and a sunscreen/moisturizer is applied.

• What are the benefits one can expect from Fraxel?

  The benefits include smoother, fresher, younger appearing skin with fewer lines and wrinkles. The skin will become tighter and those brown spots will be less noticeable. The benefits will continue to improve for several months after the treatment.

• What areas of the body can be treated with Fraxel Re:Store?

  Fraxel Re:Store can be used on the face, neck, chest, hands, hips, legs, buttocks and arms – pretty much any area of the face or body can be treated with the Fraxel Re:Store. The most commonly treated areas are the face and neck, chest, and hips/buttocks.

• Are Fraxel laser results permanent?

  Fraxel permanently improves skin tone and texture, as well as permanently removing sun damage, acne scars, and discoloration. However, nothing we do at our practice can prevent you from re-damaging your skin with sun damage or experiencing a relapse in skin conditions like acne, melasma, etc. Obviously, no treatment can prevent future damage from occurring, but we will discuss with you how you can protect your investment with proper skincare and sun protection.

• Are there different types of Fraxel?

  Yes. The Fraxel Dual Restore is 1 device and the Fraxel Repair is a different CO2 laser device. Each of these devices has a few different settings that allow it to use the laser at various strengths. The Fraxel Dual Restore has 2 wavelengths of laser that can be used separately or together, for a total of 3 different treatments this particular Fraxel device can create.

• Can Fraxel cause skin cancer?

  No, lasers do not cause skin cancer, and in fact, lasers that help remove sun-damaged skin cells can help reduce your risk of those abnormal cells developing into cancer in the future. However, what can increase your skin cancer risk is not protecting the fresh skin cells you grow after treatment with Fraxel from the sun. We will discuss sun protection with you at your appointment. Preventing sun damage is one of the best ways to reduce skin cancer risk, but it cannot prevent all skin cancer.

• Does Fraxel cause cold sores?

  Yes, if you have a history of cold sores, Fraxel can trigger an outbreak. We suggest preventative used of Valtrex prior to your appointment to reduce this risk. We discuss this risk and prevention techniques during the free consultation with our doctors.

• Does Fraxel help hyperpigmentation

  Yes, for fair to medium skin tones, Fraxel is the best choice for removing hyperpigmentation (dark spots), brown spots, and sun damage. It may not be the right choice for those who have melasma, which tends to have a greyish-brown tint to it. Our doctors will examine you and determine the underlying cause of your dark spots and discoloration during the free consultation, and then help you select the right treatment based on the cause, your skin type, and your preferences around budget, downtime, goals, etc.

• Does Fraxel laser tighten skin?

  It does – and the CO2 repair by Fraxel provides a much more profound skin tightening result than the Fraxel Dual Restore Laser, and neither of these works nearly as well for skin tightening as the treatments that are specifically built for skin tightening, like Ulthera, Sofwave, Thermage, Exillis Ultra, etc.

• Can you exfoliate after Fraxel laser?

  You should not exfoliate for at least 2 weeks post-Fraxel treatment, and until all rough skin has finished sloughing off. When you do return to exfoliation, we always recommend chemical over physical, so something like an AHA, BHA, glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, or retinol not a scrub or scrubbing device. You should also go gentler than usual the first time, as your skin may be more sensitive than usual.