Active FX Vs. Deep FX - What's the Difference?

Let
me start by saying that not all skin types (pigment) are safe for all
lasers.  Fraxel laser was, in its day, a breakthrough device in the
world of fractional lasers.  Fractional lasers, instead of treating the
entire surface, instead puts individual beams of laser energy into the
tissue.  Depending of the wavelength of the laser, different things will
happen.  Fraxel (brand name of a fractional laser) helped get
fractional treatments started, but it is a wavelength that really can’t
achieve a whole lot.  It requires multiple treatments, is rather
painful, and the results are mild to moderate.

Active
FX is also a fractional laser (as opposed to full field), and uses the
ablative fractionated CO2 wavelength.  Active FX and Deep FX are much
more precise than the old full field and fractional CO2 lasers. 
Historically, CO2 lasers were not a good choice for patients with medium
or darker pigment.  Too much heat, resulting in complications such as
PIHP (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and/or scarring.  The newer
fractional CO2 layers have greatly sped up the delivery of the laser
energy, thereby reducing many of the complications previously associated
with CO2 lasers.

Depending
on the skin type of the patient, the issues we’re addressing, etc,
determines which laser I use.  Often I use the Active FX and Deep FX,
but many times I’ll choose erbium fractional laser or the Halo laser by
Sciton, which incorporates erbium (ablative laser that sees water only),
and the 1470nm laser that heats, but does not vaporize tissue.  The
Halo is colorblind, and the outcomes are fantastic for a variety of
issues for almost all patients.

I
feel it is imperative to understand the skin physiology of all
patients, and have a number of energy based tools and devices that can
be used individually, or in combination, to give stunning resultsI sometimes give patients this analogy:  you can take a Steinway grand piano, and an average pianist, and get a so so outcome.  Or,  you can take a concert pianist and put them on an old upright piano, and also get a so so outcome.  But, if you put a concert pianist on a Steinway grand piano, the result can be amazing.  Excellent technology, combined with a skilled medical laser specialist, yields the best and safest results, and the highest patient satisfaction

Same laser, different spot sizes. The bigger the spot size, the less deeply  the beam penetrates the skin. So the "Deep FX" spot size targets deeper lines, wrinkles, and scars, whereas the "Active FX" spot size targets pigments, superfical lines, etc.  By combining the two (Total FX) you can get  a dramatic treatment result with minimum downtime.

Some patients with severe lines and laxity still opt for  a "Max FX" (high powered Active FX). This has a longer downtime however.

Make sure you choose an experienced doctor, and they should choose the best settings for you.