The Fraxel Dual resurfacing treatment effectively improves sun damaged skin including tone and texture. Fraxel Dual reduces unwanted brown spots, fine wrinkles on the face and around the eyes, and improves the appearance of shallow acne scars and some surgical scars.
The Fraxel Dual targets both the surface and the deeper layers of the skin for a smoother, fresher, younger looking appearance. It’s an excellent treatment for face, neck, chest, back, arms, and legs. The Fraxel laser passes through the top layer of the skin reaching into the dermis below to create thousands of tiny “microthermal” zones (think pixels) deep into the skin that stimulates the body’s own wound healing response which produces new collagen production and refreshes the outer layer of the skin (epidermis).
- This laser is especially effective for brown spots. It does not target red.
- There is usually minimal discomfort because we apply an anesthetic cream 1 hour before the procedure and we give you one dose of a strong anti-inflammatory (Toradol, like Aleve). We also use a powerful, cooling machine (a Zimmer) to cool the skin while we work. It may feel like a light sunburn for an hour or two after but cold packs may be used afterwards.
- A Fraxel Dual treatment will temporarily make your skin more UV-light sensitive. Ideally the treatment is best performed September – June, avoiding the mid summer months. Daily sunscreen use is required.
- Most patients return to normal activity 2-4 days after treatment with makeup. Expect 2-3 days of moderate swelling and redness which then looks like a tan for a week. If you have brown spots, you will also have several days (usually 3-5 days after treatment) of flakiness and crusting/darkening of brown spots (looks like coffee grounds) which will gradually clear. These can be difficult to cover with make-up. Expect to be “camera ready” for the face (7-10 days), arms and chest (2 weeks), back (3 weeks), and legs (3-4 weeks).
If you are interested in having this procedure done please call our front desk at 206-215-6600 to schedule a consultation. You must have a consultation prior to scheduling a treatment.
