Lasers offer a safe and effective way to improve skin tone and texture and reduce visible signs of aging without the need for surgery. But if you often confuse one laser for another, or believe they all work the same way and achieve the same results, you are not alone. For instance, it’s common knowledge that Fraxel Re:pair, Fraxel Restore, and Clear + Brilliant can all reveal healthy, younger-looking skin. But how are they unique?
At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego, our board-certified dermatologists use over 50 laser, light, and energy devices to provide an array of skincare treatments. We pride ourselves on using these advanced technologies to create customized treatment plans for every patient. If you want to try laser therapy at our medical spa, we can guide you through finding the best treatment for you.
How Do Fractional Lasers Work?
Our dermatologists use fractional lasers, which can be ablative or non-ablative, to target both the epidermis (uppermost layer) and dermis (mid-layer). The lasers deliver energy that creates microscopic but deep columns of thermal destruction in the skin, stimulating new collagen formation which ultimately replaces damaged cells with new, healthy skin cells. This skin turnover is the body’s natural healing process which the laser accelerates in targeted areas. In essence, fractional lasers treat skin from the inside out. However, not all fractional lasers are created equal.
Fraxel Re:pair vs Fraxel Restore: What’s the Difference?
Among the most common types of Fraxel lasers, Fraxel Re:pair is the most aggressive. But this also means it is extremely powerful in its ability to improve skin. Dermatologists use Fraxel Re:pair, which is both a fractional and ablative laser, to treat more severe skin concerns such as deep lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, melasma, and scarring. Ablative lasers remove very thin layers of skin with extreme precision, to reveal softer, smoother skin underneath. Because it can treat the most severe skin damage, it also offers the greatest skin enhancement potential from a single treatment.
Fraxel Restore for a Range of Concerns
If Fraxel Re:pair vaporizes tissue, Fraxel Restore, which is a non-ablative laser, only thermally heats the tissue and targets a fraction of the skin. And if Fraxel Re:pair treats severely damaged skin, Fraxel Restore is more suitable for treating mild sun damage, wrinkles, pigmentation, acne scarring, and textural irregularities. Since it’s a gentler alternative to Fraxel Re:pair, patients will need a series of treatments to achieve optimal results.
Clear + Brilliant vs. Fraxel: Which Is Better for Your Skin?
Clear + Brilliant uses focused and precise laser energy to combat the signs of aging. While Fraxel lasers penetrate the skin more deeply to repair damage, doctors use Clear + Brilliant for superficial resurfacing. It heats up the dermis and works the dermal structure to boost collagen. Dermatologists use Clear + Brilliant to address fine lines and wrinkles and enlarged pores for a more consistent skin texture and tone, helping patients achieve and maintain a healthy and glowing complexion.
Clear + Brilliant laser treatments are often the right choice for those who are mostly satisfied with their skin’s general appearance and are looking for an advanced treatment that can give an added boost to their current skincare routine, helping to keep their skin in top condition.
What Is the Take10 Procedure?
At our San Diego medical spa, we combine multiple treatments into one powerful procedure to achieve amazing results. The Take10 procedure is one of Cosmetic Laser Dermatology’s proprietary techniques designed to elevate skin rejuvenation.
It combines Fraxel Re:pair, Fraxel Restore, Clear + Brilliant, and other laser treatments with advanced fillers and neuromodulators to dramatically reduce the signs of aging, offering comprehensive results without surgery. This procedure creates long-lasting results and can take 10 years or more off your appearance.
What to Expect During Treatment and Recovery
The procedure for all three lasers is quite similar. First, one of board-certified dermatologists applies topical numbing cream to treatment areas 30-60 minutes before treatment. Next, your doctor will place a handpiece on the surface of the treatment area. They will make multiple passes with the handpiece, and you will experience a heat sensation that may intensify as the number of passes increase. Cold air applied directly to the skin surface can protect the skin and ensure patient comfort.
Fraxel Re:pair will require some downtime. You can expect redness, swelling, and crusting for about a week. Because it’s a wounding type of laser, you may experience minimal pinpoint bleeding and a little bit of oozing, which will require application of an ointment after treatment. While recovery will vary from patient to patient, we recommend waiting five to seven days before returning to work or resuming normal activities. While you recover, it is important to stay out of the sun to allow the skin to heal properly.
Patients can experience swelling, redness, and bruising around the treated areas after a Fraxel Restore procedure. Downtime is typically no more than a day.
Being the gentlest among these laser treatments, Clear + Brilliant requires no downtime. Patients can resume their normal daily activities with no recovery period necessary.
How Long Do Fractional Laser Results Last?
Once your skin has recovered from a Fraxel procedure, results are typically immediate. Those results will continue to progress for up to six months and can be long-lasting. You can take steps to extend your results by using medical-grade skincare products and protecting your skin from the sun daily.
For Clear + Brilliant, we tailor the number of treatments to your concerns and skin care desires. Four to six treatments are usually necessary, and results can last for months depending on age, skin condition, and how you protect your skin. We recommend maintaining a treatment routine as part of your overall skincare regimen to prolong results.
Find the Right Laser Treatment in San Diego
The best laser treatment depends on your skin type, primary concerns, desired level of correction, and recovery preferences. At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego, our board-certified dermatologists use advanced laser, light, and energy devices to create individualized treatment plans for concerns such as wrinkles, sun damage, uneven texture, pigmentation, and acne scars.
With extensive experience in laser dermatology and access to a wide range of technologies, our team can recommend the most appropriate option or combination of treatments for natural-looking results.
Dr. William Groff is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic cosmetic surgeon at Cosmetic Laser Dermatology in San Diego. With more than 25 years of experience, he specializes in cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery, facial and body rejuvenation, injectables, body contouring, and liposculpture. Dr. Groff is also the innovator behind the proprietary Take10 treatment and regularly lectures on advances in laser surgery and cosmetic dermatology.
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