Fraxel™ - Related FAQ's

Q: I had reconstruction on my nose 10 months ago and I am wondering what is a better laser for me, Fraxel™ Restore or Fraxel™ Repair?

A: Depending on the depth of the scar and the texture of the normal adjacent scar, there could be remarkable improvement with either a series of Fraxel™ Restore treatments or one or two Fraxel™ Repair treatments. The healing requires less downtime with Fraxel™ Restore compared with Fraxel™ Repair.

Q: Can Fraxel™ help reduce the appearance of my facial pores?

A: I have had many patients over the last ten years notice improvement in the size of the facial pores, but also have had a few patients whose pores didn't change and some whose pores looked more noticeable. Pores can look more noticeable after facials and chemical peels as the skin debris and sebum is "cleaned" out temporarily from the orifice of the pore. When the microscopic dead skin cells and sebum line the depression of the pore it is filling in these little indentations in the skin and make the skin look smoother. This is the way waxing a car's surface works. When the filling particles are removed via Fraxel™ and before new collagen develops below in the dermis pushing up the depression of the pore, the pore can look more obvious in some. If a patient has bad acne scars and we treat the whole face, the size of the pores is often meaningless to the person who has bad acne scarring and so they don't mind treating their pores with Fraxel™ laser, knowing their acne scars may improve. In these patients, we have found significant pore reduction in many, but not, all patients. Test spots are often done to determine how that individual's response is before a full treatment is rendered.

Q: I have had Melasma for much of my adult life. Is it too late to treat it with a chemical peel or Fraxel™ laser?

A: If the pigment has become too deep, then creams and peels won't improve it. Fraxel™ dual, the 1927nm. Wavelength was the newest addition to the Fraxel™ Restore 1550nm. Laser. Many patients have received wonderful results with this laser, but there is considerable risk of developing post inflammatory hyperpigmentation to any treatment. Sunscreen and lightening creams must be used often, to suppress the return of pigment. Followup with your doctor is very important to ensure that there isn't a complication of using lightening creams called acquired ochronosis, if you notice a darker grey color forming.

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