What is fractional laser skin resurfacing?
Fractional laser skin resurfacing is a cosmetic procedure designed to rejuvenate skin appearance by targeting specific areas of concern through controlled laser energy. The treatment works by delivering precise laser pulses into the skin’s deeper layers, creating thousands of microscopic columns of controlled injury surrounded by healthy skin. This stimulates your skin’s natural healing processes and encourages new collagen production, aiming to improve skin texture, tone, and firmness. Fractional laser resurfacing is commonly used to address fine lines, wrinkles, scarring, pigmentation irregularities, sun damage, and mild skin laxity.
What does laser skin resurfacing do?
Laser skin resurfacing creates a controlled micro damage to the deeper layers of the skin. This aims to stimulate an intensive collagen production process, which may then result in renewal and resurfacing in a variety of skin complaints.
How many sessions of laser skin resurfacing will I need for optimal results?
This depends on the treatment modality selected and condition requiring improvement. As an approximate guide:
- Fraxel laser: 3-5 sessions spaced 1 month apart
- Icon 1540 fractional non-ablative laser: 5 sessions spaced 1 month apart
- Nd:YAG 1064 laser facial: 5 sessions spaced 1 month apart
- Revlite SI Q-Switch laser: 5 sessions spaced 1 month apart
This is an approximate guide. You will start to notice difference after the very first session. Some patients, especially those interested only in rejuvenation may be satisfied after 1 session, some with more severe forms of acne scarring, sun damage, enlarged pores and skin laxity may pursue more than the above recommended guide for full results.
What are the main advantages of fractional lasers?
Fractional lasers treat only a fraction of the skin. Laser handpieces fire thousands of laser micro columns into the deeper layers of the skin. This creates channels of micro damage, sparing normal healthy skin around it.
The advantage of these fractional treatments includes a quicker healing time, with less risk of side effects including burns/worsening of scars/oozing/infection.
Laser in general has advantages over other forms of energy based devices in that it creates both superficial and deep skin lasers for a full scar remodelling/resurfacing treatment.
What conditions can be treated with skin resurfacing laser?
Fractional skin resurfacing laser can be used to treat a number of skin conditions including:
- Acne scarring
- Surgical and Traumatic scars
- Facial skin rejuvenation
- Fine line and wrinkle reduction
- Stretch marks
- Epidermal melasma
- Sun damage- this includes rough uneven skin
- Pigmentation such as freckles, age spots, dyschromia, uneven skin tone, liver spots
- Enlarged pores
Does laser skin resurfacing remove hair?
No. Hair will not be removed with fractional laser skin resurfacing. If hair removal is desired, different modalities will need to be employed in addition to skin resurfacing.
Does laser skin resurfacing help acne?
Some patients who have undergone fractional non-ablative laser skin resurfacing report a reduction in the number of acne outbreaks they experience.
Does laser skin resurfacing reduce pore size?
Laser skin resurfacing treatments aim to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores by stimulating collagen production and promoting skin renewal. By improving overall skin texture and firmness, these treatments can help pores appear less visible, smoother, and more refined. However, individual responses can vary, and complete pore removal is not achievable.
