Fraxel and other lasers

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Over the past 4 years the majority of Specialist have favoured Fractional lasers over older fully ablative lasers for the treatment of photoaging, pigmentation, fine wrinkles and scar revision procedures.

Fractional therapy describes treatment that affects only a fraction or small percentage of the skin. This fractional treatment effectively removes columns of tissue leaving the adjacent skin intact. This treatment shortens the healing time and stimulates the body’s own natural process for creating new collagen. This in turn decreases scarring and reverses the effect of photoaging and other imperfections.

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Fraxel is the brand name of the very first fractional laser that was available, since then many other fractional lasers have become available, including one of the latest models called ‘Scition Profractional’.

The basic concept behind these two leading lasers are very similar – fractional lasers are ablative lasers, which means that they vaporize skin, removing a layer to a predetermined depth. Because only a fraction ofyour skin is directly treated with the laser, the surroundinguntreated tissue promotes rapid healing.

ProFractional has the unique ability to penetrate very deep into the skin, but with very little heat damage to surrounding tissue.  This combination allows for collagen remodelling (due to the deep treatments) and a high safety margin (due to low thermal damage) on all skin types.  This combination makes ProFractional one of the safest, yet most effective resurfacing lasers available today.Overall,ProFractional laser is a more precise tool compared with Fraxel, with a lower side effect profile and a quicker recovery time.

Other fractional laser brands include Pearl Laser, and Active FX. These different types of lasers are also fractional lasers, however use different wavelengths of light to treat the skin. Some lasers are more specific in regards to treating certain conditions, and each will have their own recovery profile. The major differences between fractional lasers lie with in the i the treating laser practitioners.

In order to treat a particular condition, the laser operator will need to understand the condition they are addressing, the parameters of the laser, and incorporate the patient’s skin type to best treat the problem.

Dermatologist are able to adjust the laser treatment with ProFractional treatments depending on the patient’s skin type and depth of scarring or pigmentation.

• Acne scar revision
• Facial rejuvenation treatments
• Wrinkle reduction
• Freckles treatments
• Melasma  treatments
• Anti aging solutions

Many factors need to considered by patients before undertaking laser treatments. A consultation with a specialist is the first step for all patients contemplating laser treatments. During this consultation, the laser dermatologist will assess your skin condition, document the condition with a series of photographs and discuss with you laser treatments, including alternative to laser therapy.

Laser can be used to treat many conditions with excellent results, however other methods maybe more cost effective and effective. It is vitally important to discuss other options for patients before laser. Examples include- active acne should NOT be treated with laser,  melasma should NOT be treated with laser as first line treatments.

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Owning a laser machine does not provide the best solution to the patient.

Understanding the dynamics of skin including the skin condition is vitally important prior to any skin laser treatments. At Westside Dermatology, all treatments are performed by our highly qualified Dermatologists, so you can be sure that you are in experienced hands.

Consult your General Practitioner for more advise as to who you should see to get your skin condition treated, including laser procedures.

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Specialists should be up to date with the latest equipment to ensure that patients receive the best possible outcome. Lasers, like computers, are constantly updated on a yearly basis.

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Ensure that adequate follow up is provided by the treating Specialist.  Westside Dermatologists provide several follow up visits post laser to ensure that healing after treatments are on time. This will ensure that adverse outcomes such as infection are picked up early.

Patients should be mindful of recovery times. Your treating laser specialist will give you an accurate guide as to the recovery times of your procedure. Remember, everyone’s skin is different, and recovery times will vary with age, skin type, the skin condition treated and also procedures performed.  As a general guide, the longer the downtime, the better the expected outcome and improvement. Often, Dermatologists will compromise between results and downtime for patients to give a good result with minimal recovery.

Specialists are mindful of the high cost of laser procedure. In the majority of cases, treatments are considered as cosmetic in nature, and NO rebate is given from Medicare or Health insurance agencies. In some situations, such as laser revision to scars, a rebate may apply. Your treating Dermatologist will inform you whether a rebate applies for your planned procedure.  

Costing of the procedure is often reflective on the cost of the equipment used, the maintenance of the laser theatre, and staff time. All resurfacing procedures, such as laser scar treatmentsare performed by our highly qualified Dermatologists, so you can be sure that you are in experienced hands.

As Westside Dermatology is a Specialist Centre our recommendations for  procedures are based upon BEST clinical outcomes for the patients, and not on the cheapest method of treating a skin condition. However, all laser dermatologists should inform the patients of more cost effective methods to treat their condition.  In many situations laser treatment may NOT be the best method to initially treat certain skin conditions.

To give a few examples of treatments and appropriate conditions-

• Melasma (a form of facial pigmentation), should be treating with creams and peels before laser.
• Deep acne scars should be treated with TCA cross or punch excision before laser.
• Active acne should always be treated before laser.
• Large blood vessels can be treated with sclerotherapy before IPL/BBL/ Laser

moreDr. Davin S. Lim

Dr Davin S. Lim, Consultant Dermatologist

Patients should consider several factors prior to any potentially invasive skin treatments – firstly, is the treating physician a Specialist in the field of skin disorders, and skin treatments?  Specialist training, continued education and expertise will give patients the best possible outcome. Secondly, the use of the most up to date equipment will aid the specialist’s ability to give the desired outcome.

Ask your General Practitioner as to whom they would recommend for cosmetic skin treatments.