Fraxel and Fractionated Laser Treatments - A Physician's View by Dr Juan Brou

Looking for a safe and effective way to erase sun damage, reduce pore size or wipe away other skin imperfections? A treatment that targets only a fraction of the skin may be your answer, targeting the visible signs of aging point by point.

A fractionated laser treatment, like Fraxel, targets just a portion of the skin using microscopic columns of light, each one much smaller in diameter than a human hair. The treatment triggers the body's own healing process which replaces damaged tissue with younger, healthier skin.

I have seen significant improvement in skin texture and tone in my patients. I've also had the treatment myself and am very pleased with the results.

Fraxel helps improve your look by:

- Erasing unwanted brown spots

- Smoothing wrinkles around the eyes

- Eliminating acne scarring

- Revitalizing the skin on your neck, chest and hands

When considering Fraxel or another fractionated laser treatment, there are some things to keep in mind. First, maximum results require more than one treatment. I have found that the best results are achieved when the patient receives three to five treatments spaced several weeks apart.

Healing time is relatively quick with this treatment because it only treats small areas of your skin at a time. Although the skin may have a pinkish color right after the treatment, the healing process generally takes only a few days. After that, the skin is back to normal – actually nicer than normal.

One of the great benefits to Fraxel is that it is one of the few treatments that is safe to use on the delicate tissues near the eyes, allowing us to target fine lines there and produce fabulous results.

Fraxel has also been proven to drastically reduce melasma, a skin condition where patches of brown or tan discoloration appear on the forehead, cheeks, nose or forearms. This condition is sometimes called the mask of pregnancy, but can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons. It is often triggered during hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy, oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy.