Up to now, there have been two kinds of laser technologies that have been available for cosmetic medical skin treatments: ablative and non-ablative.
Ablative Lasers
Most ablative lasers work at a high temperature to vaporize problem tissue. This can be very effective, but unfortunately the procedure is related with several concerning side effects and a lengthy recovery time that can last for several weeks.
Non-Ablative Lasers
Non-ablative lasers do not vaporize problem tissue. While they heat tissues up, they do so to the point that the tissues do not vaporize. This encourages cell turnover, boosting collagen and elastin production. Very few side effects result and patients enjoy a shorter and less intense recovery. The downfall is that the results aren’t as dramatic.
Fraxel Laser Technology: the Pioneer of “Fractional Photothermolysis”
Fraxel laser technology is different. It delivers the potency of ablative lasers for dramatic results but without the extensive downtime and intense side effects. You get the best of both ablative and non-ablative laser technologies!
Fraxel is known as the pioneer of “fractional photothermolysis” because of its unique technology. Thousands of microscopic laser columns, each measuring just one-tenth the diameter of a hair follicle, target fractions of your problem skin at a time, leaving surrounding tissue unaffected. This allows you to see great results with pretty much the same downtime as a non-ablative laser treatment.