Fraxel laser rejuvenation can solve many skin problems. This technology has become widespread, almost replacing other laser equipment for anti-aging procedures from the market. The secret of its popularity is that fractional lasers are safer than conventional ones.
What is Fraxel laser rejuvenation
Fraxel technology was developed in the United States in 2004. At that time, the possibility of rejuvenation using laser beams was already known. But the developers of the new method went a step further: they changed the structure of the laser beam. Instead of narrowly directed light beams, several hundred microbes of different lengths are applied to the skin at once.Conventional lasers heat the entire illuminated area, fractional lasers act pointing, burning trunk channels on the skin 0. 0. mm wide and 0. 4 to 1. 9 mm deep.For skin 1 cm2, there are up to several thousand such fractions - damaged areas alternating with intact ones. In the language of beauticians, the area exposed to radiation is called the microthermal treatment zone.
Unlike other lasers with stump technology, Fraxel illuminates evenly over the entire micro-skin area at a distance of one hundred millimeters.
There are several fractional rejuvenation techniques, as manufacturers have considered that people of different ages - each type of aging has its own age-related changes. As a source, technology developers took two types of lasers - erbium and thulium.
Erbium lasers act on the upper layer of the epidermis, more precisely, on its lipid layer, where water molecules accumulate and retain - they are the ones that absorb light energy. Under the influence of high temperatures, water evaporates, and the dead cells that make up the top layer of skin are burned by laser. Such an aggressive effect immediately causes a protective reaction of the body - an increase in metabolism, so that the damaged skin area is restored as soon as possible. On average, it takes 1-2 weeks to heal the microtraum, and up to 3-4 months to fully recover. This procedure is called ablation or ablative reappears. Skin becomes cleaner and lighter, pigmentation spots and keratomas disappear, fine wrinkles are removed. First generation devices with wavelengths of 1550 nm (shallow penetration, up to 20-50 microns or 0, 02-0, 05 mm) operated on erbium lasers. Then it became clear that softer technology was needed - for the treatment of thin and sensitive skin in the eye / lip area. The wavelength is reduced to 1420 nm.
A thulium laser with a wavelength of 1927 nm is intended to heat the top layer of the dermis, where the collagen-elastin net is located. Protein fibers, which they form, change their structure from thermal action - they fold and condense. If you imagine it: they look like springs - but with age from active facial expressions and under the influence of gravity, they lose elasticity and straighten. With a weak collagen framework, the dermis first loses tone, and then sags and accumulates in the folds and top layer of skin and wrinkles appear. So, from a high temperature, they return, as before, folding into a spring and eventually pulling the slack tissue behind it. A number of wrinkles, including deep ones, were rolled out. Thulium lasers are not used separately for fractional rejuvenation. But its energy is effectively combined with erbium lasers.
By combining two types of exposure, laser equipment manufacturers have adopted the device - the gold standard of anti-aging cosmetology.
Fraxel laser irradiation acts on all layers of the skin, so it helps solve a variety of age-related problems.
With the advent of high-power CO2 lasers, rejuvenating treatments become more effective. The pulses of light in them are amplified due to the fact that they pass through carbon dioxide molecules. This technology is used by lasers, where, as well as on erbium, ablative re-coating is performed. But the laser energy CO2penetrates much deeper - up to 300 microns or 0. 3 mm. This technology allows you to achieve significant improvements in the quality and texture of the skin: improve the skin, reduce pores, remove scars and stretch marks, smooth out wrinkles. The dermal optical thermolysis procedure is also performed using carbon dioxide lasers, when radiation affects the 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, plus or minus five years to the lower and lower limits. In fact, there are no strict age limits, whether it is necessary to rejuvenate using fractional lasers, which are determined by dermatologists-cosmetologists during the initial examination. It's just that at a younger age, metabolism is already quite active, there are still no age-related changes, and you can overcome skin problems with other gentler methods. After 50 years, fractional rejuvenation, on the other hand, may no longer give significant results, as the tissues are severely deformed, superficial correction will give short-term results, and, perhaps, will not at all give.
When the laser reappears:
- with enlarged pores and post-acne effects;
- with unhealthy pale, bad skin;
- for superficial fine wrinkles;
- for hyperpigmentation and freckles;
- for scars and stretch marks.
Fractional thermolysis is indicated for wrinkles, creases and creases on the face, neck, décolleté, discoloration and sagging skin.
Women say that after Fraxel the skin looks younger than its age for 3-5 years, although this is not the case for everyone.
Contraindications to the procedure
Any procedure using fractional lasers is contraindicated:
- patients under 18 years of age;
- pregnant and lactating women;
- cancer patients;
- sufferers of heart and vascular disease;
- diabetics;
- allergy sufferers (doctors should be warned about allergies to the laser itself or anesthesia).
It is not recommended to display laser action if the skin in the procedure area is injured, inflamed or covered with a rash, with herpes, dermatitis, psoriasis. This procedure can only aggravate the problem, so the skin must be healthy.Relative contraindications for surface / thermolysis lasers - chemical exfoliation or facelifts performed in the previous month. The possibility of fractional rejuvenation in such cases should be examined with a physician.
Differences in fractional laser procedures from other types
The possibility of rejuvenation on fractional lasers is found when similar procedures are performed on other lasers - thermolysis is performed on laser diodes and neodymium, deep heated layers, on erbium and carbon dioxide with long wavelengths, the total surface area of the laser is performed. The results are from one and the other procedure, but have to wait too long. After grinding, surface treatment, the skin recovers for one and a half months - not all patients are satisfied with this period. In addition, the risk of side effects remains high. As the possibility of dose light energy supply emerged, salons began to shift to new technologies on a large scale - fractional lasers began to be used everywhere.
Even after one procedure, significant changes occur in the tissue, but to consolidate the results, you need to go to a beautician 3-4 times.
There is also a new procedure:
- carbon exfoliation. The top layer of skin is treated with carbon (carbon) gel, and then laser irradiation is applied on it to heat the deep layer of dermis. The mechanism of action, in general, is standard - regeneration occurs more intensively than high temperatures. But thanks to lasers, the gel also penetrates deep enough: so that even after one session, the pores are cleaned, the work of the sebaceous glands is normalized, the face becomes cleaner and smoother. This procedure is recommended for patients with oily skin;
- Laser biorevitalization is a procedure that has replaced injection techniques. Gels with hyaluronic acid are applied to the problem area, then the skin is treated with a laser - usually a diode. With the invention of lasers, it becomes clear that even external agents can penetrate deeper, which means they can work more efficiently if, after using them, the desired area is treated with a laser beam. This also happens with hyaluronic acid molecules - if in a regular cream or gel it is only superficially absorbed and washed after the first facial cleansing, then after their laser falls into the inner layer of the epidermis, where all the moisture needed for the skin accumulates.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of laser procedure - schedule
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How to prepare the procedure
Preparation for fractional rejuvenation begins with consultation with a dermatologist. After the examination, he must provide procedures and personal recommendations. Restrictions are usually related:
- lifestyle. 3-4 weeks before the procedure, you should refuse to visit the solarium, and before going outside, apply the cream with an SPF filter;
- take certain medications - antibiotics, blood thinners that almost every second woman over the age of 30 takes. But taking medication for herpes, on the other hand, is well worth it;
- cosmetic procedures. 2 weeks before the procedure, it is recommended not to perform other procedures to cleanse and rejuvenate the face, it is better to leave even exfoliation, so as not to injure the skin again, and switch to gentle care.
You need to come to the salon without makeup.
At night and on session days, it is recommended not to drink much - so that there is no tissue edema.
If there is a tendency to herpes, it is recommended to take antiviral medication during the preparation of the procedure.
How the procedure is performed in the salon
Procedure for procedure:
- The first thing a doctor does is disinfect the skin and use anesthesia. Application anesthesia is usually sufficient.
- Next, a contact gel is applied, which is needed to make the laser handle slide more easily over the skin.
- Nozzles have different diameters: 7x7 mm or 15x15 mm. During one activation, 1-2 cm2skin is illuminated, so the session takes some time. It takes about half an hour to treat the face and neck, and about 10 minutes on the hands.
- Unpleasant sensations usually arise not during the procedure, but afterwards, when anesthesia begins to subside. When the skin is illuminated with a laser, it feels warm, burning and tingling, but acceptable; because the burning of the micro-area is easier to see than if a beam directed to burn the top layer of skin by centimeters.
What is 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 color will appear on the skin, the tone will be smoother, the color will be refreshing. It takes time for the skin to heal, about a month. After this time, the lifting effect will be visible, the improvement of skin quality - that is, increased density, elasticity, decreased pores, lightening of age spots. To combine the results, you need to perform 3-4 procedures at intervals of a month.After another 3-4 months, when the collagen-elastin skeleton is restored, the face will become stronger, wrinkles will disappear, the face will look 5 years younger, or even more. If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, this condition can be maintained for several years. At the salon, they avoid making accurate predictions, as there are no anti-aging procedures that override the aging law.
Based on surveys, the results can last up to 3-5 years. Longer is not possible: irreversible age-related changes can only be slowed down, but then those changes will reappear, and treatment should be repeated.
Patients before and after fractional rejuvenation - photo
What are the complications and how to avoid them
Complications may occur even if the doctor observes the procedure completely. Whether or not they depend on the patient's state of health and individual reactions to the procedure. The responsibility for performing fractional rejuvenation in the presence of contraindications rests with the patient - if he or she knows about it, but does not warn the doctor or hide important information from him or her about the disease he or she is suffering from, the procedure performed and the drug allergy.
Nearly 15 years of practice indicate 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 keloid scars and tumors were recorded.
Recovery period
Immediately after the procedure, the patient experiences severe pain and tissue edema. It is easier if you regularly, every 3-4 hours, apply a compress with ice (ice cubes wrapped in a napkin or towel or a bottle of frozen water) to the treated skin area. You can go outside / work the next day, but it is better to wait at home for 2-3 days, make compresses and skin lubricants with tissue regeneration stimulants. No physical activity, sunbathing or hot showers. Rest, warm water baths, creams and compresses - at least 2 days.
Then the skin will heal - the first dry crust is formed, then the skin will start to peel and fall off.You do not need to touch it, let alone tear it.Alcohol-based cosmetics (lotions, tonics) for the recovery period should be discarded. Decorative cosmetics are allowed 2-3 days after the procedure.
Reviews on fractional laser skin rejuvenation
"Before the procedure itself, anesthetic ointment is used. Ointments are also different. I have anesthesia effect in 15 minutes. The procedure itself applies. The doctor showed me the laser effect first on a piece of paper. Holes are burned at a distance of 1 mm from each other. Then they burned me. . . This procedure lasts for 15 minutes: face and neck. It is not pleasant, but quite bearable. The problem begins when the effects of anesthetic ointment are over. This is a basic burn, and the result is the same as a burn. The whole face turned red, swollen, burning. Therefore, this procedure is recommended to be performed on Friday night. Doctors give the following instructions: numerous and often smeared with ointment for burns. First, it is better to use an ointment that contains a cooling component. Also, wet your face more often with cold water. Severe redness disappears somewhere by Saturday night (in a dayMany brown crusts form at the burner, but the procedure is good because on the second day you can use decorative cosmetics and cover them all. On the third day in the evening you need to take a shower or go to the bathMassage the steamed face with your fingertips until the crust falls off. Do not use scrubs! The effect gradually increases. After the first procedure, the oval of the face is tightened, the channels around the nose disappear. For a complete effect, the doctor prescribed me 4 procedures with monthly breaksKeep in mind that Fraxel is easier to wear brunet because it is similar to sunburn. "
"I did a DOT laser rejuvenation. Day 1. The procedure was painful. I was anesthetized for an hour. But it still hurts. The smell of meat burns. Immediately after the procedure, the appearance is normal, only the eyes are swollen. The face hurts for 2-3 hoursThe evening started, how to make it light, swollen . . . The face of a homeless woman from three stations. Day 2. In the morning there was horror! There was no pain. But the appearance of a Tajik, and a man. The skin became dark. The eyes narrowed. The face was very swollen. By evening, the eyes slowly opened. Herpes 2 crawled on the lower lip. Day 3. There is no pain. The swelling slowly subsides. The crust on the face. It looks scary. Day 4. The earth's crust gradually begins to disappear. There is no pain. The face is strange, but not terrible. 5th. The crust will come out. The face is pink, like after a strong sunburn. Her skin is like a baby. Eat all that can not be offered in bulk All the cream, all the masks under the broom. Lips healed. On the 9th day - an eye feast! try myself in the mirror, I can not see enough. Turgor is completely different. Under the eyes (my most painful place) everything went smoothly. Not a single wrinkle. I do not know what will happen next. But for today, the 10th day, I am very happy. "
"I am lucky to be the owner of the scars that are the hardest to treat on my face. That is, peeling scarsand boxed. If anyone does not know, these scars are characterized by sharp edges. 4 years ago I started this epic with their treatment. I learned about a variety of different methods, and succumbed to the doctor’s persuasion to do a re-appearing fractional laser on a Dot device. By the way, the doctor promised to make me a perfect face in 3 procedures. Intellectually I understand that this is impossible. After all, I have complex scars. But hope burns me. The day of the first procedure came. Oh God! It hurts! The smell of burning skin is still there. At home, I had to sit without going out for about a week, non-stop smearing my face with tissue regenerative stimulants and afraid of my reflection in the mirror, because there they showed Kruegger in the form of a woman. After 6-7 days, I risked going outof the people. The redness subsided, but the scars were already there. Surprisingly, my whole face turned into a small hole. This is a darilaser sign. That's what I didn't expect! They promise perfect smoothness. And in the end, they add to the confusion. "All right, okay, " I thought, and went to the second procedure. And then on the third. Personally, my eyes radiate from such smoothness. In my opinion, nothing has changed! Traces in the form of a grid from the laser, by the way, are still with me. They are not striking, but if you look closely, you can see them. I took it with an ultrasonic massage, mesoscooter and skin. And at Dot, I am no longer a leg! This is really ridiculous for my type of scar! "
Fractional rejuvenation certainly has many advantages. But there are negative reviews from patients, there are cases even when one procedure causes health difficulties in people. This occurs for a variety of reasons, often due to contraindications to laser rejuvenation. To protect yourself from the negative possibilities after the procedure, play it safe before - see a doctor, get a test, listen to not one person, but several beauticians. However, safety and health are two inseparable things.