Laser skin resurfacing is now fractional

Laser skin resurfacing is a more aggressive treatment approach to skin damage or scars. Some parts of the skin will be completely renewed and this requires some downtime or a visible healing process.

This means we resurface a fraction of the skin and not the whole skin. Why would we do this? Because fractional treatment results in a quicker healing process with fewer complications. Although dramatic results could be achieved in the past with full skin resurfacing, there were too many complications to justify its use. Now we can safely achieve those same results with revolutionary new equipment that has become available only in the last 5 years.

Different kinds of laser resurfacing

Fraxel® (non-ablative fractional resurfacing)
Ematrix (sublative fractional resurfacing)
CO2 (carbon dioxide) fractional resurfacing
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The treatment descriptions below will help you determine which procedure is right for you; we invite you to schedule a consultation visit where you will meet with a cosmetic coordinators and a physician or a physician assistant to answer your questions and determine the best treatment plan for you.

Fraxel® (non-ablative fractional resurfacing)

A brand name that has become synonymous with fractional resurfacing (like Kleenex for tissue) Fraxel® allowed us to treat overall skin texture irregularities, scars, and modest wrinkles in a way that had not been available before. After years of groundbreaking results improving textures and scars, the device was upgraded (Fraxel Dual) to include great improvement of surface freckles and superficial wrinkles.

Now we have 3 procedures we can perform: Fraxel® Restore (the original laser), Fraxel® Thulium (the upgraded portion) and Fraxel® Dual (using both in the same procedure). Scars and textural irregularities are treated optimally with Restore, whereas sun freckles and surface wrinkles were addressed with Thulium. For general anti-aging the combination called Dual is extremely effective for mild-moderate aging changes of the skin.

Ematrix (sublative fractional resurfacing)

Known as sublative rejuvenation. It is a combination of a non-ablative (not visible wound) and an ablative (visible wound) treatment. This procedure uses radiofrequency (related to electricity instead of light which is what is used for laser). Only 5% of the skin is ablated, causing very little redness or downtime, but through these tiny wounds the flow of energy is transmitted to the middle part of the skin exciting the cells that make collagen. This treatment is very good for scars and wrinkles.

Radiofrequency is not absorbed differently by different skin colors so it is safe and effective in darker-skinned individuals. Usually 3 treatments are necessary to achieve results and even those are at their peak 3-6 months after the treatment. Combination treatments with non-ablative lasers are very effective as well. E2 is ematrix performed in addition to a skin-tightening device called Sublime (previously called Refirme) which helps increase the collagen and decrease the looseness of the skin. You can also include a photorejuvenation procedure to your skin renewal treatment program to achieve effective and comprehensive skin rejuvenation result with very little downtime.

C02 (carbon dioxide) Laser Resurfacing

One of the most comprehensive ways to reduce aging and or sun damage as it can achieve multiple goals at once: removing brown spots, wrinkles, irregular texture and tone as well tightening with only one procedure. This is an economical approach as it would require multiple different lasers as well as fillers and botulinum toxin to achieve the results from this technology. People willing to have some downtime (usually one week of visible wounds and healing) but who only want to have one treatment are benefitted by this approach.

Laser Skin Resurfacing