The new skin that is generated will have improved texture and appear smoother, less blemished, and rejuvenated.
The Fraxel laser is a fractionated laser device that splits the laser light beam into multiple microscopic beams. Fractionated lasers are very useful devices because they vaporize columns of skin called microscopic treatment zones leaving behind adjacent untreated microscopic columns of skin. These untreated areas act as a reservoir of cells that speed up the regeneration of adjacent columns of skin that have been removed with the laser. The Fraxel laser’s energy penetrates into the dermis and stimulates fibroblasts to produce a layer of new collagen which thickens the skin. Unlike other skin resurfacing lasers, Fraxel lasers are safe and effective for rejuvenating skin on and off the face. Therefore, wrinkles and sun damage of the neck and chest can be greatly improved as well as stretch marks on the abdomen that typically occur following pregnancy or after a rapid gain in body weight.

Additionally hyperpigmentation and acne scars can also be addressed with laser resurfacing. Dr. Kopelman utilizes Fraxel lasers for superficial wrinkles while using an erbium/YAG laser for deeper wrinkles. Skin resurfacing is also commonly combined with eyelid surgery to address loss of elasticity of eyelid skin and to improve the quality of the skin during facelift surgery.

There are two different types of lasers that are available to address skin rejuvenation:
1. Non-Ablative Lasers send light pulses into the dermis while leaving the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) untouched. Fraxel is a non-ablative laser that allows you to improve surface skin irregularities and dyspigmentation with minimal downtime.
2. Ablative Lasers use very high heat to destroy the entire epidermis layer (outer layer of the skin) and portions of the dermis. Still very effective lasers but require a healing period of two to four weeks. Ablative lasers include carbon dioxide pulsed laser as well as a YAG erbium laser.