The "FRAXEL II" Laser We are excited to be one of the first practices in the Northern Virginia area to offer the FRAXEL II Laser to our patients - (see before/after photos). This revolutionary technology allows treated areas to exhibit better skin texture, more even pigmentation, reduced lines, less wrinkling and fine lines. We feel it is the treatment of choice for age spots, and melasma, especially on the face and hands, as well as lines, acne scars and large pores. There is minimal "down" time (1-2 days of mild redness), and the procedure does not require general anesthesia or intravenous sedation.
What to Expect We ask that you arrive at the Warrenton Dermatology & Skin Therapy Center one hour prior to your scheduled treatment. A topical anesthetic will be liberally applied to the planned treatment areas. This will be removed approximately 45 minutes later. A blue vegetable dye will then be applied to the skin, followed by additional local anesthetic ointment. The blue color helps the FRAXEL II Laser "recognize" the proposed areas for treatment. The laser will then be used to thoroughly treat all of the planned areas. You will feel some heat during the procedure, which will be minimized by a chilling spray. Redness and some stinging follows. Iced compresses significantly reduce discomfort. Redness usually disappears in several hours, but may last for 1-3 days. Normal activities may usually be resumed in less than 24 hours!
How the Technology Works The FRAXEL II treatment concept is ingenious. For every square inch of treated area, only microscopic "fractions" of the tissue are actually exposed to the laser light. In this way the laser is able to produce heat and tissue changes to the deeper structures without injuring the skin surface. Much of the area surrounding the lasered tissue is left undisturbed allowing for rapid healing and minimum down time. You should expect to see improvement in the texture, color, and fine lines in the treated areas over a period of 1-3 months. Usually, 3-5 treatments are required to achieve the desired results and clinical improvement may not be apparent until 2-3 treatments have been completed. The treatments may be spaced 1 to 4 weeks apart.
What Areas Can Be Treated One of the most exciting aspects of this new laser treatment is that almost any area of the body can be treated. Typically, an entire face, neck, and chest can be treated in one session. The hands and arms can be treated, as well as the legs, ankles, and feet. Another fabulous advantage of the FRAXEL II laser treatment is that skin of "all colors" may be treated.
Please contact Warrenton Dermatology & Skin Therapy Center to obtain more information about this exciting new treatment.
