About Fraxel® Re:Pair Laser Resurfacing

Fraxel® Re:Pair is a fractionally ablative CO₂ laser that can bring about improvements in skin quality, texture, and wrinkles, with shorter recovery time than fully ablative laser. Fraxel® Re:Pair fractionally ablative laser works by precisely directing laser energy in a way that creates small ablation holes surrounded by zones of thermal injury in the dermis. Unlike fractional nonablative lasers such as Fraxel® DUAL, the epidermis is also ablated during Fraxel® Re:Pair treatment. 

One of the main advantages of fractional laser treatments is shortened recovery time compared to fully ablative laser treatments. As the name “Fraxel®” implies, only a “fraction” of the skin is targeted with laser energy during treatment, allowing for intact and untreated areas of skin to serve as a source of wound healing and repair. The areas of skin subjected to targeted ablation and thermal injury undergo a healing response that leads to the formation and remodeling of your collagen, elastin, and extracellular matrix (the skin’s moisture and blood vessel-rich skin environment). Overall, the fractional ablative laser approach allows you to resume your normal life relatively more quickly than a fully ablative laser treatment, while still enjoying the benefits of healthier, smoother skin and a more radiant appearance.

Some of the concerns that our physicians commonly use Fraxel® Re:Pair fractional ablative laser to treat are:

• • • Moderate to severe signs of facial aging
    • Acne, surgical and traumatic scars
    • Laser-assisted drug/bio stimulation delivery

Am I a good candidate for Fraxel® Re:Pair fractional ablative laser resurfacing?

Good candidates for Fraxel® Re:Pair fractionally ablative laser resurfacing are usually either seeking to address moderate to severe signs of facial aging with less healing time than fully ablative laser resurfacing, or those who are seeking to have acne scars, as well as other surgical and traumatic scars treated. Fractional laser treatments offer the benefit of minimizing post-treatment downtime, while still bringing about meaningful improvements in skin quality, texture, and appearance. Good candidates for Fraxel® Re:Pair fractionally ablative laser resurfacing should not have a history of impaired wound healing, immunosuppression, active skin cancer on the face or scalp, or autoimmune skin and connective tissue disease.

Is it possible for me to have other treatments on the same day as Fraxel® Re:Pair fractional ablative laser resurfacing?

It is very common for our patients to combine Fraxel® Re:Pair fractionally ablative laser resurfacing with other treatments on the same day, in order to minimize recovery time for multiple procedures. In fact, one of the most frequent ways our physicians utilize Fraxel® Re:Pair is by combining it with other laser treatments to treat areas more thoroughly with severe skin laxity and textural irregularities. For example, Fraxel® Re:Pair is commonly combined with Fraxel® DUAL fractional nonablative laser resurfacing or fully ablative laser resurfacing for extra improvements along the lower face and anterior neck. Fraxel® Re:Pair is also often commonly used by our dermatologists to treat acne scars.

One of the advantages of combining Fraxel® Re:Pair with these various other treatment modalities is that the ablative channels that it creates in the skin allow for the delivery of drugs that can help further improve the appearance of certain types of scars. Biostimulatory treatments such as Radiesse® or Sculptra® that can further boost collagen and elastin production in the skin may also be delivered through these ablative channels.

How long will I need to recover from Fraxel® Re:Pair fractional ablative laser resurfacing?

The amount of recovery time that is needed following Fraxel® Re:Pair fractional ablative laser resurfacing depends on the anatomic locations that are treated, the strength of the laser settings, the number of passes, the outcome you are hoping to achieve after one treatment, and the amount of time that you are able to set aside for your skin to recover. Because the face is rich in blood vessels, hair follicles, and glands, it will recover faster than any other part of the body.

Depending on the settings used, and the area treated, your skin may “heal” in as little as 3-5 days following Fraxel® Re:Pair. However, despite the surface of the skin being healed, you might experience redness in the treated area for several weeks to months following treatment.

Why should I trust Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center to perform Fraxel® Re: Pair fractional ablative laser resurfacing?

Our board-certified dermatologists at the Gateway Aesthetic Institute and Laser Center have decades of experience performing various types of laser treatments – be they ablative or  nonablative, fully or fractionally ablative.  The knowledge of our physicians, combined with our wide array of lasers and energy-based devices, allows us to customize your treatments to address your individual concerns and preferences, thereby maximizing the amount of improvement and value that you receive from a single treatment session. Because Fraxel^Ò Re:Pair fractional ablative CO₂ laser carries a higher risk of possible complications as compared with fractional nonablative lasers, it is extremely important that you seek treatment from physicians who know how to deliver treatments with it that are both efficacious and safe. Fraxel^Ò Re:Pair fractional ablative CO₂ laser resurfacing in the hands of our highly experienced board-certified dermatologists yields dramatic but natural appearing results that allow you to rejuvenate your authentic appearance, improve the health of your skin, and treat other issues such as scarring, with the added benefit of relatively less downtime than some of our other popular laser treatments.