Fractional
Non-Ablative Skin Resurfacing
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New!
Little to No Downtime Skin Rejuvenation Delivers
Non-Ablative Skin Resurfacing with High Efficacy and
Comfort for a Real "WOW" Result!
Call Our Office at 480.661.6197 Today!
*sold in packages of 3 only and very limited availability
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| Sample Treatment Photos |
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| photos courtesy Palomar Medical |
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Our Fractional Non-Ablative Skin Resurfacing delivers penetrating
uniform microbeams in a simple treatment approach, without the need for time-consuming
and costly preparation and clean-up.
At Dr.
Lille’s practice, we now have the Palomar 1540
Fractional Laser for facial resurfacing. It is FDA approved
for “soft tissue coagulation & skin resurfacing” and,
to my knowledge, is the best available treatment for
skin rejuvenation without significant “down time.” This
is the “next generation” fractional laser,
a new laser delivery process based on the erbium laser
used in the late 1990s for resurfacing. Targeting the
dermis and collagen, a tiny grid of laser beams penetrates
the skin, heating the water of the deeper skin to cause
inflammation and tightening. By shooting laser beams
through very small holes in a grid, a “mesh” of
laser beam skin damage is created, allowing several important
advantages over all previous skin lasers. Most of the
laser energy is delivered to the dermis of the skin,
below the surface epidermis, allowing heating of the
skin without removing its protective layer.
Patients rightly ask, “So what, how does that help
me?” The advantages are significant. First, the discomfort
is mild, and requires no anesthesia. Those of us who have
had both the IPL and the fractional treatments usually
think that the IPL is more uncomfortable. The laser tip
is water cooled, and an entire face is usually treated
in one session. The skin changes are not as dramatic as
those following CO2 laser treatment, but most of the possible
complications of CO2 laser use are also minimized or eliminated.
Second, the “downtime” is very minimal, with
3-4 hours of initial redness, then pink skin for 36-48
hours, as if you were at the beach a little too long. This
pinkness is easily covered with make-up. Many patients
can, and do, return to work the same day, or the next.
Some will wait for 1-2 days before returning to work. I
(Dr. Ehrlich) have worked the day after my first three
treatments, with very few comments from patients. Most
of them don’t even notice.
Although the post-operative changes are much less than
those after CO2 laser resurfacing, the healing process
must still occur. While the CO2 laser causes a 2nd degree
burn which must heal from the outside in, the fractional
laser causes heating below the skin, which must heal from
the inside out. Therefore, instead of occluding the skin
as with the CO2, the pores should be kept open, so that
the damaged portions can “work their way out” to
the skin’s surface. This is why it is important to
use only water based cream, lotions, and cleansers after
your treatment.
After 3-5 treatments, wonderful changes in the skin are
possible, including smoothing of wrinkles, decreased discoloration,
and improvement of acne scarring and pore size. We usually
recommend 3 to 5 treatments spaced 3-4 weeks apart for
maximal improvement. The final skin improvements will not
be visible until at least 6-8 months after the last treatment
is completed, a very subtle, but very significant change
in the skin texture.
We are delighted to offer Fractional Laser resurfacing
to our patients, and our initial results have been wonderful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the treatment painful?
There may be some mild discomfort during the procedure
in some areas of the face, the lips, near the nose, and
the lower eyelids. Applying numbing cream and cold to
the skin minimizes discomfort. You may also take either
600 mg. of ibuprofen (Motrin) or 1000 mg. of acetaminophen
(Tylenol) one hour before your treatment. Most patients
who have had an IPL treatment believe that the fractional
laser is more comfortable.
Will I need more than one treatment?
Yes, if you want to be happy with the results. For maximal
effect, 4-5 treatments spaced at least 3 to 4 weeks apart
are recommended. A mild change of the lip line and eyelids
may be present after 1-2 treatments, but this is unpredictable.
The final changes in skin collagen will take 6 months
to develop. In other words, your results are not instantaneous,
the skin will continue to improve for at least 6 months,
slowly and subtlety.
What is the “down time” involved?
As outlined above, you will be mildly swollen and red
for 4-6 hours, then pink for the next 36-48 hours. You
may apply make-up after 18-24 hours. Unless you cannot
or will not allow other people to see your mildly pink
skin, you should be able to do almost everything that
you normally do.
Are there any “long term” side
effects?
Almost always, the only long-term effects are those that
we all want, an improvement in the skin. Rarely, there
may be some increased pigmentation in a treated area.
This can be treated with creams and IPL.
How do I care for my skin after the procedure?
You may apply cool, moist washcloths when you get home,
use cool packs, frozen peas, or frozen corn in a baggie.
There is aloe cream with lidocaine (sunburn cream) available
in many stores. After 4-6 hours, you may wish to apply
a water- soluble moisturizer every 1-2 hours while awake.
Gently cleansing once or twice per day with a water-soluble
cleanser will also help the inflamed areas and pores
clean themselves.
The FRAXEL laser is very painful. Is this the same thing?
No, it is not at all the same. The discomfort is minimal,
the heat is decreased, no markings are needed, and the
results should be as good or better.
How is this different from the IPL machine that you use
to treat blood vessels and pigment?
This laser will not improve facial vessels, but the IPL
does. This is a laser, not intense pulsed light, and
will tighten the skin and wrinkles much more than the
IPL, especially after 4-5 treatments. If the facial pigment
is significant, we may recommend IPL prior to the fractional
treatment. By itself, the fractional laser will also
lessen pigment.
Will the fractional laser treat acne scars?
Yes. In fact, it may be the best available treatment
for acne scarring. It is better than the CO2 laser, because
it can get the deep portions of the pits and scars without
causing a 2nd degree burn and changing the skin pigment.
By causing the acne scars to heal from the inside out
(instead of the outside in, which causes very little
improvement), a much better skin appearance is created.
I don’t want anyone to know
that I had this done. Is that possible?
The initial redness and swelling is moderately noticeable
up close for the first 24-48 hours, resembling sunburn,
or after a mild skin peel. Without cover-up make-up,
people will know that your skin is pinkish red for some
reason, but it is not horribly messy.
Do different areas of the face respond differently to
the laser?
With almost any superficial skin treatment, the thinner
the skin, the more the wrinkles will improve. The lower
eyelid skin respond the fastest, and have the most noticeable
changes.
If I have one or two treatments, will I still see changes?
You may notice some improvement, particularly in the
eyelid and lip area. It should be obvious that 3-5 treatments
will cause much greater changes. We suggest that you
consider 3-5 treatments to achieve the full benefit of
the fractional laser.
How much skin improvement can I expect?
The improvements are subtle, but very nice. Fine lines
and wrinkles may improve 30-50%, while larger creases
and deeper wrinkles may improve 10-25%. This depends
upon your skin type, where the wrinkles are on your face,
and whether or not you are willing to change how you
care for your skin. If you smoke, drink, sunbathe, eat
poorly (or all of these), do not expect as much improvement
as you might have if you cared for your body and skin.
For a treatment with virtually no “down time,” the
results are usually very gratifying. Please do not expect
significant improvements with 1-2 treatments. Even CO2
resurfacing or very deep peels cannot “erase” facial
lines. |
