Fraxel laser rejuvenation can solve many skin problems. The technology has already spread, almost replacing other laser equipment for anti-aging procedures from the market. The secret of this popularity is that the fractional laser is safer than the conventional one.
What is Fraxel laser rejuvenation
Fraxel technology was developed in the USA in 2004. At that time, the possibility of rejuvenation with laser light was already known. But the developers of the new method went further: they changed the structure of the laser beam. Instead of a narrowly directed beam of light, several hundred micro-beams of different lengths were applied to the skin at once.A conventional laser heats the entire illuminated area, the fractional laser acts on time, burning the skin channels no more than 0. 1 mm wide and 0. 4 to 1. 9 mm deep.For 1 cm2of skin, there can be up to several thousand of these fractions - damaged areas alternate with intact areas. In the language of cosmetologists, the areas that have been exposed to radiation are called microthermal treatment zones.
Unlike other stump technology lasers, Fraxel shines evenly on all micro areas of the skin at a distance of hundredths of a millimeter.
There are several fractional rejuvenation techniques, because manufacturers take into account that people age differently - each type of aging has its own specific age-related changes. As a source, technology developers took two types of lasers - erbium and thulium.
The Erbium laser acts on the upper layers of the epidermis, more precisely, on its lipid layer, in which water molecules accumulate and are retained - they absorb light energy. Under the influence of high temperature, the water evaporates and the dead cells that make up the top layer of the skin are burned by a laser. This aggressive effect immediately causes a protective reaction in the body - increased metabolism, so that damaged areas of the skin are restored as quickly as possible. On average, it takes 1 to 2 weeks to heal the microtrauma and up to 3 to 4 months to fully recover. The procedure is called ablation or ablative resurfacing. The skin after getting cleaner and clearer, pigment spots and keratomas disappear, fine wrinkles are erased. The first generation apparatus with a wavelength of 1550 nm (penetrated superficially, up to 20-50 microns or 0. 02-0. 05 mm) operated with an erbium laser. Then it became clear that even smoother technology was needed - for the treatment of thin and sensitive skin in the eye / lip area. The wavelength has been reduced to 1420 nm.
The thulium laser with a wavelength of 1927 nm was designed to heat the upper layers of the dermis, where the collagen-elastin mesh is located. Protein fibers, which make it up, change their structure by thermal action - they bend and condense. If you visualize them: they look like springs - but with age, due to active facial expressions and under the influence of gravity, they lose their elasticity and straighten up. As the collagen structure weakens, the dermis first loses its tone, then folds and accumulates in folds and the top layer of skin and wrinkles appear. Then, with the high temperature, they again, so to speak, fold into springs and, in time, pull the flabby tissue behind them. Some wrinkles, including deep ones, are thus eliminated. The thulium laser is not used separately for fractional rejuvenation. But its energy is effectively combined with that of an erbium laser.
By combining two types of exposure, laser equipment manufacturers received the device - the gold standard of anti-aging cosmetology.
Fraxel laser irradiation works on all layers of the skin, so it helps to solve a variety of age-related problems.
With the advent of high-powered CO2 lasers, rejuvenation treatments have become even more effective. The pulses of light in them are amplified due to the fact that they are passed through the carbon dioxide molecules. This technology is used by a laser, in which, as in erbium, ablative resurfacing is performed. But the energy of the CO2laser penetrates much more deeply - up to 300 microns or 0. 3 mm. The technology allows to obtain a visible improvement in the quality and texture of the skin: improves the complexion, reduces the pores, removes scars and stretch marks, reduces wrinkles. A dermal optical thermolysis procedure is also performed with a carbon dioxide laser, when the radiation reaches even deeper layers of the skin.
For fractional laser rejuvenation
Fractional laser rejuvenation is more common among women, although sometimes men also use it. The average age of patients is 30-50 years, more or less five years in the lower and upper limits. In fact, there are no strict age restrictions, if it is worth doing rejuvenation with a fractional laser, a dermatologist-cosmetologist determines in a preliminary exam. It is that, at a younger age, the metabolism is already quite active, there are still no visible changes related to age and you can work with problematic skin with other, smoother methods. After 50 years, fractional rejuvenation, on the contrary, may no longer give a noticeable result, because the tissues are strongly deformed, the superficial correction will give a short-term result and, perhaps, it will not at all.
When laser resurfacing is applied:
- with enlarged pores and post-acne features;
- with unhealthy pallor, poor complexion;
- for fine surface wrinkles;
- for hyperpigmentation and freckles;
- for scars and stretch marks.
Fractional thermolysis is indicated for wrinkles, folds and creases on the face, neck, décolleté, loss of tone and sagging skin.
Women say that after Fraxel the skin looks younger than its age by 3-5 years, although this is not the case for everyone.
Contraindications to the procedure
Any procedures using a fractional laser are contraindicated:
- patients under 18 years old;
- pregnant and lactating women;
- cancer patients;
- people with heart and vascular diseases;
- diabetics;
- people who suffer from allergies (the doctor should be warned about allergies to the laser itself or to anesthetic drugs).
It is not recommended to expose yourself to the action of the laser if the skin around the procedure is sore, inflamed or covered by skin rashes, with herpes, dermatitis, psoriasis. The procedure can only aggravate existing problems, so the skin must be healthy.Relative contraindications for laser resurfacing / thermolysis - chemical peeling or lifting procedures done in the previous month. The possibility of fractional rejuvenation in such cases should be checked with a doctor.
Differences in fractional laser procedure from other types
The possibility of rejuvenation in a fractional laser was discovered when similar procedures were performed on other lasers - thermolysis was performed on diode and neodymium, the deep layers of the skin were heated, in erbium and carbon dioxide with a long length ofwave, total laser resurfacing was performed. The result was both from one procedure and the other, but he had to wait a long time. After grinding, surface treatment, the skin recovered for a month and a half - not all patients were satisfied with this period. In addition, the risk of side effects remained high. When the possibility of a metered supply of light energy arose, the salons began to shift massively to new technologies - the fractional laser began to be used everywhere.
Even after a procedure, there are significant changes in the tissues, but to consolidate the result, it is necessary to go to the beautician 3 to 4 times.
There are also new procedures:
- carbon peeling. The top layer of the skin is treated with a carbon gel (carbon) and then laser irradiation is applied to it - to warm the deep layers of the dermis. The mechanism of action, in general, is standard - regeneration occurs more intensely from high temperatures. But, thanks to the laser, the gel also penetrates a lot: so that even after a session, the pores are unobstructed, the work of the sebaceous glands is normalized, the face is cleaner and smoother. The procedure is recommended for patients with oily skin; Laser biorevitalization
- is a procedure that has replaced the injection technique. Hyaluronic acid gel is applied to the problem area and then the skin is treated with a laser - usually a diode. With the discovery of the laser, it became clear that even external agents can penetrate deeper and, therefore, work more effectively if, after application, the desired area is treated with laser light. This also happens with the hyaluronic acid molecules - if in a regular cream or gel they are only superficially absorbed and washed after the first cleansing of the face, after the laser falls into the deep layers of the epidermis, where all the moisture needed for the skin accumulates.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the laser procedure - table
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How to prepare for the procedure
Preparation for fractional rejuvenation begins with a consultation with a dermatologist. After the exam, he should give the go-ahead for the procedure and personal recommendations. The restrictions generally concern:
- lifestyle. 3-4 weeks before the procedure, you must refuse to go to the solarium, and before leaving, use an SPF filter cream;
- taking certain medications - antibiotics, blood thinners that almost all women over 30 take. But taking herpes medicine, on the contrary, it's worth it;
- cosmetic procedures. 2 weeks before the procedure, it is recommended not to carry out any other cleaning and rejuvenation procedure for the face, it is better to refuse even the homemade peeling, so as not to hurt the skin again, and move on to delicate care.
You need to come to the salon without makeup.
On the day before and on the day of the session, it is advisable not to drink a lot - so that there is no swelling of the tissues.
If there is a tendency to herpes, it is recommended to drink antiviral drugs while preparing for the procedure.
How is the procedure performed in the salon
Procedure for the procedure:
- The first thing the doctor does is to disinfect the skin and apply anesthetic. Application anesthesia is usually sufficient.
- Then, a contact gel is applied, necessary to facilitate the sliding of the laser cable over the skin.
- The nozzles have different diameters: 7x7 mm or 15x15 mm. During an activation, 1–2 cm2of the skin is illuminated, so the session takes a short time. It takes about half an hour to treat the face and neck and about 10 minutes in the hands.
- Unpleasant sensations usually arise not during the procedure, but after it, when the anesthesia starts to subside. When the skin is lit with a laser, it looks hot, burning and tingling, but it is tolerable; because the burning of micro-areas is easier to perceive than if a directed beam burns the top layer of the skin, inch by inch.
What will be the effect after the procedure and when will it appear
On the second or third day after the procedure, when the edema subsides, a light matte tan will appear on the skin, the tone will be smoother, the complexion will be fresher. Skin recovery takes about a month. After that time, a lifting effect will be noticeable, an improvement in the quality of the skin - that is, an increase in its density, elasticity, a reduction of the pores, a lightening of age spots.To consolidate the result, you need to perform 3-4 procedures at intervals of one month.After another 3-4 months, when the collagen-elastin structure is restored, the face will become even more tense, the wrinkles will disappear, the face will look 5 years younger or even younger. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, this condition can be maintained for several years. In beauty salons, they avoid making accurate predictions, because no anti-aging procedure cancels the laws of aging.
Judging by the evaluations, the result can last up to 3-5 years. More time is unlikely: irreversible age-related changes can only be delayed, but then they will appear again and the course of treatment will need to be repeated.
Patient before and after fractional rejuvenation - photo
What complications can be and how to avoid them
Complications are possible even if the doctor fully observes the procedure. Whether they are or not depends on the patient's health and individual reaction to the procedure. The responsibility for performing fractional rejuvenation in the presence of contraindications rests with the patient - if he knew, but did not inform the doctor or withheld important information about the diseases suffered, the procedures performed and the allergy to medications.
Almost 15 years of practice have shown that after fractional rejuvenation, there may be side effects such as:
- acne; herpes; age spots
- ;
- persistent redness of the skin (erythema);
- persistent tissue edema.
No cases of keloids and tumors have been reported.
Rehabilitation period
Immediately after the procedure, patients experience pain and severe tissue edema. It will be easier if you regularly, every 3-4 hours, apply an ice pack (ice cubes wrapped in a napkin or towel or a bottle of frozen water) to the treated skin area. You can go out / work the next day, but it is better to wait 2 to 3 days at home, making compresses and lubricating the skin with a tissue regeneration stimulator. No physical activity, sunbathing or even a hot bath. Rest, hot bath, cream and compresses - at least 2 days.
Then the skin will heal - dry scabs first form, then begin to peel and fall off.You don't have to touch, let alone rip them out.Alcohol-based cosmetics (lotions, tonics) for the recovery period should be discarded. Decorative cosmetics are allowed 2-3 days after the procedure.
Fractional laser facial skin rejuvenation reviews
"Before the procedure itself, an anesthetic ointment is applied. The ointments are also different. I had the pain relief effect in 15 minutes. The procedure itself follows. The doctor showed me the effect of thelaser first on a sheet of paper. The holes are burned at a distance of 1 mm from each other. Then they burned me. The procedure took 15 minutes: face and neck. It is unpleasant, but quite tolerable. The problems start when theeffect of the anesthetic ointment ends. This is an elementary burn and the consequences are the same as a burn. The whole face was red, swollen, burned. Therefore, the procedure is recommended to be done on Friday night. the following instructions: thoroughly and often rub with ointment for burns. First, it is best to use an ointment that contains a cooling component. In addition, more often moisten your face with cold water. it appeared somewhere on Saturday night (in one day, many brown crusts were formed at the burning sites, but the procedure is good because on the second day you can use decorative cosmetics oh and cover everything. On the third day at night you need to bathe or go to the spa. Massage the steamed face with your fingertips so that the scabs fall off. Do not use a scrub! The effect gradually grows. After the first procedure, the oval shape of the face was tightened, the vessels around the nose disappeared. For the total effect, the doctor prescribed 4 procedures with an interval per month. Remember that Fraxel is easier for brunettes as it is similar to sunburn. "
"I did DOT laser rejuvenation. Day 1. The procedure is painful. I was anesthetized for an hour. But it still hurts. It smells like burnt flesh. Immediately after the procedure, the appearance is normal, only swollen eyes. The face hurtsfor 2 to 3 hours at night it starts, to put it mildly, swelling . . . The appearance of a three-season homeless person Day 2. In the morning, horror! No pain . . . But the appearance of a Tajik anda man. The skin darkens. The eyes narrow. The face is very swollen. At night, the eyes gradually open. Herpes 2 crawled over the lower lip. The doctor warned me that if the herpes lives in the body, it will surely come out. "It is impossible. Beauty is impossible . . . Day 3. No pain. The swelling decreases slowly. Crust on the face. It looks frightening. Day 4. The crust begins to gradually disappear. There is no pain. The face is strange, but not terrible. Day 5. The crust is coming out, the face is pink, as after a strong sunburn. The skin is like a baby's. Eat everything that cannot be offered in large quantitiesAll creams, all masks under the broom Healed lips On the 9th day - feast for the eyes! experiment in the mirror, I can't see enough. The turgor is completely different. Under the eyes (my most painful point) everything is smooth. Not a single wrinkle. I don't know what will happen next. But for today, the 10th, I am VERY happy. "
"I was lucky to become the owner of the most difficult scars to treat on my face. That is, chipped and boxes. If anyone doesn't know, these scars are characterized by sharp and irregular edges. 4 years ago I started this epic withI knew about the variety of different methods and I succumbed to the doctor's persuasion to do fractional laser resurfacing on the Dot device. By the way, the doctor promised to make me a perfectly smooth face in 3 procedures. Intellectually, I understood that this was"Impossible. After all, I have complex scars. But hope burned in me. The day of the first procedure came. Oh, my God! It was terribly painful! The smell of burning skin was still ending. At home, I had to sit without going out. "about a week, spend a week on the face rubbing the face with a tissue regeneration stimulator and being afraid of my reflection in the mirror, because there they showed Kruegger in female formAfter 6 to 7 dayss, I risked attacking people. The redness subsided, but the scars were in place. To my surprise, my entire face became a small stitch hole. They were brand names. This is what I didn't expect! They promised perfect smoothness. And in the end, they added irregularities. “Okay, ” I thought, and went on to the second procedure. And then on the third. Personally, my eyes shine with such softness. In my opinion, nothing has changed! Traces in the form of a laser grid, incidentally, are still with me. They are not impressive, but if you look closely, you can see them. I bring them on the sly with ultrasonic massage, mesoscooter and peels. And in Dot, I'm not a foot anymore! It's absolutely stupid for my type of scar! "
Fractional rejuvenation certainly has many advantages. But there are negative comments from patients, there are cases where even a procedure has caused health problems in people. This happened for several reasons, often because of the contraindications to laser rejuvenation, in principle. To protect yourself from possible negativity after the procedure, play it safe first - go to the doctor, get tested, listen to not just one, but several cosmetologists. Still, safety and health are two inseparable things.