Non-ablative Fractional Lasers
Results
Side Effects

Non-ablative lasers are less invasive but also less effective than ablative lasers. Non-ablative fractional lasers shine a focused beam of light at the...

Non-ablative lasers are less invasive but also less effective than ablative lasers. Non-ablative fractional lasers shine a focused beam of light at the skin in a fractional (dot-matrix) pattern, leaving the skin intact, while stimulating collagen and elastin production over time.

This procedure is normally repeated 4 times (3 or more) in 4-week intervals, and you should see gradual results with each session. And after your last session, your skin should continue to improve.

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Compare To Other Treatments
5
11.9%
4
23%
3
30.4%
2
17%
1
17.8%

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May 23, 2008

Pros:

Smoother skin appearance, less depression in acne scars

Cons:

cant be seen for a day or 2, expensive

Had IPL and pixel laser 5 times now. The rolling scars are less indented because of the pixel but I dont think the IPL did much for the red spots. My skin is still scarred and down the road I would want to get another kind of treatment as technology advances but it does look somewhat better.
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May 7, 2008

Pros:

Not much pain during treatment (only a prickly sensation I found as she was treating my cheeks it hurt more on the outer areas, but not too badly).

Cons:

I think it is quite expensive, i only had cheeks done and for 3 treatments it's cost me £900.

DAY 1 : I've just had Fraxel laser (Reliant technology) done today at a very reputable firm. The lady was friendly and I did not feel much pain during the procedure. After the treatment she put sunblock SPF 30 on my face and told me not to go in sun without it as my face will darken...it was sunny outside and I had to wait for my dopey friend to get back to the car, I stood in shade after being in the sun for a few minutes...hopefully I was protected and no damage was done. My swelled up slightly with the gel to numb my skin...but this is normal - the gel was on for 1hr 15 mins. After procedure my face was redish and swollen slightly and I have 3 darker patches under my eye on the cheek and the others around my chin area where I had eczema (i'm hoping this will make no diff as I did used to have discoloured skin here).it's 5 hrs after treatment and swelling has gone down a lot. Will keep this updated.
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May 1, 2008

Pros:

My third treatment was yesterday. Since I look at my face everyday I haven't noticed a great difference, but my friends all agree it's doing a wonderful job. I am happy with the tone of my skin - no more red spots.

Cons:

Everyone should know this isn't considered a "one time" treatment that will fix up your skin. I paid for 4 treatments. After my last appointment, the results will continue as the treatment heals my skin for several months.

There is no telling how your skin will look after one treatment. 6 months from now, I expect great results as it continues to work deep under the surface of my skin. The swelling and peeling last 4 days. It's worth it.
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April 26, 2008

Pros:

leveled up acne scars to about 40%

Cons:

little improvements!
no effects on hyperpigmentation ! (contrary to what was claimed by the reliant (the manufacturer) & by my MD)
NO sun exposure at all times!!!

I had just recently completed my 5th fraxel treatment. My scars were considered to be moderate and some were pretty shallow.I must say I'm somehow disapointed with the results. They did leveled up a little bit but considering the time i've invested (about 5 months since it's a series of treatment) .... it's not worth it!I would have gotten the same results doing series of chemical peels. but then again i was told the results varied. some people whose conditions were worse than I was did get better result.At least my acne scars did improved a little bit unlike some people in the reviews who had gotten worse after the treatment. My advice is to avoid sun at all times, exercise regularly, drink at least 8 glasses of water, lots of vitamins and eat salmon. Btw I followed Dr Perricone diet. Despite bad reviews and controversies on his theories, I think he's a genius. After all we are what we eat!
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April 25, 2008

Pros:

a little bit of improvement on shallow scars (too little)

Cons:

alot of downtime (10 days for me). During downtime my face looked like a brown checker board. Very little improvement if any for the large price tag.

I started to break out due to the heat of laser and because i couldn't use ance wash/cream for the 10 days. So now, about 20 days after the treatment my skin texture and appearance is still crappy and with small zits. Dang this sucks because I been saving the $800 for so long.
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April 11, 2008

Pros:

Visible improvement of skin texture on my cheeks. Given that I had positive results after just one treatment, I have to believe that this is going to make a difference overall with multiple treatments.

Cons:

Pain, swelling and breakouts. I submitted a review over a month ago in which I was somewhat negative about Fraxel. I'm beginning to think this is actually going to be an effective treatment. Had 2nd session today. Still swollen & in pain

My first treatment was a nightmare. I don't think I was prepared for the pain, swelling and breakouts. I just had my second treatment today and don't feel quite as bad as I did last time -- or perhaps I was just prepared for the worst. I wouldn't have gone back for my second treatment had I not seen a difference. 2 weeks after my last treatment, I received comments that my skin had a "glowy" appearance. I noticed a difference myself. For the first time in years, the skin on my cheeks looks smooth. Not radically different, but noticeable. This time around, I took a Vicodin prior to treatment and had my cold compresses ready. I also have purchased a Zeno (zit zapper) in preparation for the inevitable breakout in about 5 days. It worked wonders last time. Pimples began to go away by the next day after use. I have decided to go through with the 5 Fraxel treatments. My derm is treating my scarring very aggressively. I guess, no pain, no gain. I'll give an update in two week
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April 11, 2008

Pros:

After one treatment, years of sun damage to my hands and arms have disappeared.

Cons:

Quite painful, especially on the hands.

I had this done because at 37 my hands were already starting to get a crepey (like crepe paper) appearance and had tons of freckles on my fair skin. It was quite costly and definitely painful (needed a Vicodin to complete the hand treatment), but worth it! My skin is smooth, supple and the freckles have faded. I would say make absolutely sure that your physician is qualified to do this procedure. I see some very low prices and it makes me wonder exactly what they did.
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April 10, 2008

Pros:

Fraxel- 1 week, 1 day
My pores are much smaller and the scars on my cheeks less noticeable.

Cons:

They said "no down time". If you don't mind looking like a clown that may be true. I had it done on a Tuesday and by Friday, I had to call into work ugly.

$1000 per treatment... so it was expensive. It was very painful but quickly forgotten if you have good results. My most immediate concern was the scars on my cheek but my pores being a lot smaller was a nice bonus as well as wrinkles being diminished. The aloe cort cream they gave me did not agree with my skin at all. Aloe vera straight off the plant helped a lot more and stopped the burning.
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March 13, 2008

Pros:

I have had one Fraxel treatment exactly two weeks ago. The skin on my cheeks shows nice improvement with smaller pores. However, it was the scars on my chin that were the real concern for me and I notice NO difference there.

Cons:

Very painful to me. Huge swollen face for 48 hours. "No downtime" is insane. Needed Vicodin afterward and my pain tolerance has always been pretty high. 5 days after treatment had a terrible acne breakout. Like a rash, but some of the acne remains.

The improvement in the upper half of my face gives me hope in spite of the pain and aftermath. Unfortunately those of us with acne scarring are willing to go through almost anything to finally have smooth skin. I will reluctantly but hopefully continue my fraxel treatments. But would love some suggestions on how to deal with the problems I had -- particularly the acne breakout since this is the problem that got me here to begin with. My dr. is treating my scarring very aggressively. I am willing to tolerate the pain (although next time I will go in having taken a Vicodin). But I'm afraid that the additional breakouts are just going to contribute further to my scarring. Time will tell. Next treatment is in two weeks.
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March 8, 2008

Pros:

Had it yesterday. I am not very red but I am swollen. I could go out if I needed to without feeling self conscious. I think I have reacted better than most compared to other posts I have read.

Cons:

Hurt around the eyes, hairline and jawline. The rest of my face was manageable. I was ready to be done when he was done though. I am starting to have a little breakout around the lip line. Mini postules the size of a pin head.

If it improves your self confidence and makes you feel and look better - do it. I am supposed to go back in one month for 2nd treatment. Also, I used the newest laser and went to a top doc. Do your research and find a great board certified dermatologist. I used the clear numbing gel, 2 pain pills, the cooling fan, anti-biotic for a week and 3 days worth of anti swelling pills.
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The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
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