Fractional Laser Resurfacing for Acne

Fractional acne laser treatment is a a non-invasive treatment that uses a high-energy beam of laser light that interacts with the skin’s surface causing the upper layer to peel off and regenerate a new layer.

The term fractional pertains to the method in which the laser light is transferred. With fractional laser treatment, only a fraction of the skin’s surface is treated by the laser. The laser produces thousands of tiny microscopic treatment areas deep in your skin within a selected target area leaving other zones within it perfectly intact.

The first non-ablative fractional laser on the market was the Fraxel. Since then there have been newer brands that use fractional technology based on the erbium:YAG and CO2 lasers like the Starlux 1540. Fractional laser treatments are becoming the treatment of choice because the recovery time is so much quicker than the alternatives.

During the process, collagen and elastin are regenerated. By treating only a fraction of the surface skin, it leaves the rest of the skin, especially the epidermis on top, uninjured so it can heal quickly. This makes the healing process much faster and enables you to get back to normal activities sooner.

A typical acne laser treatment with the fractional laser lasts about 20 to 30 minutes. Anesthetic cream is applied prior to treatment to aid with comfort. Most people feel nothing more then a slight stinging or warming sensation in the treatment area. You should expect the treatment areas to be red for several days as well as some peeling and scaling for several more days after.

You can now get similar results without the downtime of ablative resurfacing. It has revolutionized the treatment of acne scars, having the ability to promote collagen growth and to greatly improve the appearance of acne scars in as little as 3 treatments.

Improvements after fractional treatments are usually visible in a few months as collagen remodeling and skin tightening continues after your treatment.