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One of the most popular treatments today, fractional resurfacing is a safe and minimally-invasive procedure that strives to offer the effectiveness of deeper resurfacing with faster healing times. Fractional resurfacing is different from other types of laser resurfacing because there is very little downtime. Significant changes are seen after the first treatment but multiple sessions are recommended. For best results.
Patient received multiple Pro Fractional treatments.
What Fractional Resurfacing Treats:
- Sun damage (Photoaging)
- Mild to moderate wrinkles
- Acne scars
- Pigment disorders
- Skin laxity
How it Works
The term fractional pertains to the method in which the laser light is transferred. Tiny pinpoints of laser light are used to deliver the laser to the surface of the skin in only a "fraction" of the area. Several hundred or thousands of pinpoints may be used per square inch, leaving healthy skin in between the ablated areas. This is intended to allow more rapid healing and less risk.
There are both ablative and non-ablative types of fractional lasers. They differ in that non-ablative laser cause a column of treated tissue while the ablative fractional lasers cause a column of ablative or removed tissue.
Photo above is comparison of skin biopsy of non-ablative fractional on the left and ablative fractional on the right. The dark shadow in the middle of the non-ablative fractional slide is coagulated tissue which the body extrudes. The ablation channel on the right is caused by vaporized tissue by the laser. It fills in and conracts within a few days.
There are a few types of non-ablative fractional lasers including the original Fraxel device and a a few types of ablative fractional lasers. At SMAC we have both ablative and non-ablative fractional lasers and use different technologies depending upon area of the body treated and downtime. Most of the time we combine very light full laser peels (Microlaserpeel) with the fractional devices for best results and no increased downtime.
Each treatment will last 20-30 minutes. One to three sessions is usually recommended about two to four months apart.
Case reports:
Case 1 - 38 year old before and after 1 very light fractional treatment and microlaserpeel. There was no downtime with this level peel.
Case 2 - 45 year old female before and after blepharoplasty and combined fractional and microlaserpeel. Her downtime from the laserpeel was about 4 days.
Case 3 - 55 year old female before and after 1 fractional treatment of the forehead. Downtime was about 2 days.
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