Fraxel is a state of the art treatment for resurfacing skin without the down time of total resurfacing, using traditional invasive lasers. It improves the appearance by affecting only a fraction of the skin at a time, with thousands of microscopic laser spots. The tiny treatment zones of skin are known as micro-thermal zones, and the treatment works by fractional photothermolysis, heating only a tiny fraction of the skin at a time.

The micro thermal zones penetrate deep into the dermis and eliminate old epidermal pigmented cells. The surrounding tissue is left unaffected so the healing time is much faster than if the entire area is resurfaced at once. The natural healing process of the body produces new, healthy and tighter skin cells into the columns where the treated skin cells are sloughed away.

A detailed consultation with your doctor will outline which areas of skin are appropriate for treatment. Because the Fraxel laser treatment spares healthy tissue, it is appropriate for use on the face, neck, chest and hands. It can be used to improve the quality and texture of wrinkled skin especially on the chin, top lip, neck and décolleté area. Pigmentation and melasma are also successfully treated.

Clinical studies suggest that an effective treatment regime is three to five sessions, 28 days apart. Treatment plans can be very flexible, even when spaced weeks or months apart, results are outstanding. Each treatment session targets 15 to 20 % of the skin's surface, outlining the need for successive treatments.

Fraxel is a powerful laser and treatment must be carried out by a trained and experienced practitioner to ensure that the correct area is treated at the correct levels.

A topical anaesthetic is applied for an hour before treatment. During the treatment you will experience a mild burning sensation across the skin as the laser is passed over the area. This increases with the number of passes, but as the skin is cooled during treatment, is completely tolerable. The levels of treatment can be adjusted to suit patient comfort.

The laser head will be passed over the treatment area in one direction, and then a second pass will be carried out in the opposite direction. A total of 8 to 10 passes will be carried out in total. The skin will be cooled with a fan during treatment, and with cold compresses following treatment.

You will experience a mild sunburn sensation for about an hour after treatment, then virtually no discomfort. The skin will have a pinkish tone for about 5 days; this is a normal sign that the skin is heeling deeply. Swelling is minimal and resolves in two to three days. Other possible side effects include:
Mild skin infections, Redness, Burns, Scabbing, Blanching, Blisters, Pigment Changes, Itching, Onset of herpes simplex virus.
New epidermal skin develops immediately as the healing process occurs. During healing your skin will have a bronze appearance that lasts from 3 to 14 days depending on the treatment level. Your skin will naturally exfoliate as the reorganised epidermal skin replaces dead tissue. Flaking is similar to that of mild sunburn.

The use of sunscreen following treatment is very important to protect the skin during the healing phase and for several weeks following treatment.
Makeup can be applied after 24 hours, once the initial epidermal healing has occurred.
Aloe Vera gel and cold compresses can be applied following treatment.

The results from this treatment are variable, depending on the original quality of the skin and degree of damage to be treated. The skin will begin to feel smoother and tighter even after the first treatment, but the best results from the treatment will continue to improve for up to six months.

This treatment starts from £495.