Laser skin resurfacing has taken a large step forward with the introduction in recent years of "fractionated" technology. Fractionated lasers simply take the laser beam and narrow the spot size, treating smaller areas of skin with each pulse of the laser. These lasers generally use a pattern generator to rapidly create many of these tiny pulses on the skin, leaving small gaps or untreated spots in between. It is these small gaps as well as the random pattern of laying down the pulses that allow for more cooling of the skin and less damage to surrounding tissues. This decreases the healing time and subsequent downtime for patients, as well as reducing their exposure to risk factors such as scarring, color changes, infection, etc.
Fractionated technology is behind the Fraxel laser, as well as the Lumenis Utlrapulse. These two companies now offer fractionated CO2 (carbon dioxide) lasers. CO2 has historically produced the most dramatic skin changes with laser resurfacing, but has always had the drawback of prolonged healing time and potential hypopigmentation (lightening of the skin color).
Our practice performs fractionated laser skin resurfacing with the Lumenis Ultrapulse laser, also known as Active FX. Active FX treatments generally involve treatment with a pulse density of 1 to 4 and frequency of pulses of 100 to 300 milihertz. Anything above that becomes more of a "max fx" treatment. Patients generally recover in 3 to 7 days from an Active Fx treatment and one to two weeks from a Max FX treatment.
Active FX laser skin resurfacing will improve skin color and texture and reduce light wrinkles and fine lines. Patients often see the most dramatic changes around the lower eyes.
A Max FX skin resurfacing will reduce or eliminate deep wrinkles, acne scars, and tighten loose skin in the cheeks. In some cases the results can approximate a mini facelift in the cheek and jowl regions.
Roy David Amir, MD, FACS
La Jolla Center for Facial Plastic Surgery
(858) 658-0595
sandiegoface.com sandiegoface.com
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