Fractional photothermolysis

Fractional photothermolysis (Fraxel) is a recent development in laser technology. It was approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of dyspigmentation in 2005. Fraxel works by causing thermal damage to microscopic zones of the epidermis and dermis. With a single Fraxel treatment, an estimated 15% to 20% of the skin under­goes laser resurfacing, while the surrounding normal skin is thought to help in the healing process. Based on the fraction of skin that experiences thermal damage, the skin experiences less short-term downtime, and with four to six treatments can give the same improvement as would be seen in ablative laser resurfacing. This technology has been shown to provide significant clinical improvement in brown discolorations as well as improvement in sun damage and scarring. (Source: Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, March 2008, pages 63-71.)