Cosmetic dermatology, plastic surgeons, medical spas and their patients will be hearing more and more about fractional skin resurfacing technologies like ActiveFX, DeepFX, Starlux 1540, Starlux 2940, Fraxel Repair.

To grasp the significance of these new laser skin resurfacing devices some minor understanding of the technologies of cosmetic laser skin rejuvenation treatments as well as older cosmetic laser skin treatments is a good start.

Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing History

Fraxel was the first on the scene with a non-ablative fractional laser for the cosmetic medical market. Fraxel has been upgraded and has been improved on by a number of other competing fractional laser skin resurfacing technologies including the Lumenis DeepFX and ActiveFX, and Palomar Medicals Starlux 1540, and Starlux 2940.

Fractional laser skin resurfacing is new area of medicine that intersects cosmetic dermatology and traditional plastic surgery. Rapid advancements and new breakthroughs in these types of cosmetic medical technologies are occurring frequently and are fueled by an aging population of patients. The benefit for these patients is a rapid increase in the effectiveness of fractional laser treatments and less down time and potential side effects.

Fractional laser technologies new cosmetic applications are quickly expanding into related cosmetic medical areas like skin tightening, where fractional treatments compete with radio frequency (RF) treatments (Thermage), and are now moving into fat removal and cellulite treatments.

Old, full face CO2 laser resurfacing treatments to treat wrinkles using the Ultra pulse CO2 laser, now compare poorly when faced with new fractional laser technologies. CO2 laser resurfacing created a very traumatic “burn wound” that literally vaporized the top layers of the dermis and took many months of recovery in addition to the need for general anesthesia. The additional problem of the skin turning white with hypo pigmentation as the pigment cells were destroyed fair poorly as well. Because of the risk of negative side effects, few patients choose this procedure.

The Newest Fractional Skin Resurfacing & Rejuvenation Technologies

Within the last few years, cosmetic Fractional Skin Rejuvenation or Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing has evolved and eliminated many of the existing technologies shortcomings. The erbium laser used in the newest Starlux is ‘fractionated’ into tiny micro-lasers, treating only a small portion of the skin (think tiny pin pricks) and leaving surrounding skin intact, greatly improving healing.

The ‘fractionated’ treatment areas called micro-treatment zones, cause enough injury to the skin to trigger new collagen production and is used to replace collagen damaged by aging and sun exposure. The new collagen that is produced ‘fills in’ or ‘plumps up’ the underlying tissue and smoothes out skin wrinkles. The untreated skin between the micro treatment zones speeds the healing process to a mere 3-4 days and leaves most of the pigment cells intact, preventing hypo pigmentation.

Starlux 1540: Palomars New Fractional Non-Ablative Laser Resurfacing Technology

The Fraxel and Starlux 1540 are new non-ablative lasers (ablate means to “surgically remove) which means that the skin is not removed by the laser. Instead, the laser instantly heats the skin, causing new collagen growth.

Results for skin laxity and wrinkle smoothing are less dramatic than with ablative lasers, but the benefit of reduced recovery time and reduced side effects are mean that non ablative laser treatments are often the patients first choice.

Starlux Fractional Ablative Laser Resurfacing In The Near Future

New fractional ablative lasers have recently been developed that provide the benefits of fractional treatments (less down time and reduced complications) as well as the benefits of ablative skin resurfacing (better wrinkle removal and facial rejuvenation).

These newer fractional ablative lasers remove tissue in the micro treatment zone instead of just heating the dermis like the old Fraxel or Starlux 1540.

The benefit of this new fractional laser ablation is that a greater amount of wrinkled and sun damaged skin can be removed than with the older laser technologies, and a better medical result is achieved. There is some minor increase in recovery time with redness for around 5-6 days. Still, the Starlux fractional ablative lasers require much less recovery time than the old non fractional erbium and CO2 ablative lasers which actually burned off the top layers of the patients dermis.

Competing Fractional Laser Technologies

Reliant: (the company that makes Fraxel) CO2 fractional laser called Repair

Lumenis: CO2 fractional ablative lasers called ActiveFX & DeepFx

Palomar now has the Starlux 2940 Erbium fractional ablative skin resurfacing laser.