Active FX is a fractional CO2 laser. Active FX penetrates to a maximum of about 300 um or 0.3 mm. It is a superficial treatment that treats pigment and fine to moderate wrinkles with minimal tightening of the skin.
Active FX can accomplish its effects in one or more treatments. The downtime is 4-5 days of swelling and redness.
Fraxel has two different lasers:
1. Fraxel re:store (and re:fine), which are non-ablative fractional Erbium lasers.
They treat pigment and fine to moderate wrinkles up to a maximum of 1400 um or 1.4 mm deep, again with mild tightening on the face. It requires a series of 4 or more treatments. There is very minimal downtime (sunburn for two days).
2. Fraxel re:pair, the newest addition, is an ablative fractional CO2 laser that treats up to 1700 um or 1.7 mm deep.
It can treat both superficial pigment (brown and red) as well as fine, moderate, and deep wrinkles with impressive skin tightening in a single treatment. The downtime is two days of weeping skin, and another 5-7 days of redness, but the results are dramatic.
