Active FX Vs Fraxel: Which Delivers Most in a Laser Treatment Session?

We have Active FX, Fraxel repair and Fraxel restore at our Centre and I can give you a completely unbiased answer to your question. If a physician uses the settings that the company gives them for Active FX, the results are usually not that impressive. The doctor can increase the density and energy settings on the machine and treat more aggressively, but this will increase the downtime and is not, by definition, Active FX. As far as comparing Fraxel repair and Active FX, there is a clear... more

As director of a Lumenis National Training Center for Ultrapulse/Total FX, I can attest to the fact that significant results are obtainable from one single treatment. Fraxel Restore with Erbium would take several treatments to even come close. Fraxel Repair with carbon dioxide is closer in efficacy to the Active FX, which is also a fractional carbon dioxide laser. Since most fractional lasers are adjustable, you can dial the energies up or down giving aggressive or mild changes. In the... more

As a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, advance physician trainer for Lumenis CO2 fractional laser and as one of nine Lumenis Laser Centers of Excellence I can help you with this question. I also will be unbiased in my answer. It has been proven in several scientific/medical research papers that one ActiveFX is better and produces more collagen that a series of 5 Fraxel Erbium treatments. The patients are more happy with the ActiveFX results, have less total downtime, and it cost less... more

The active FX fractional CO2 laser a good treatment method for more superficial problems. These include lesions in the epidermis or upper level of the skin, such as pigmentation changes and very fine wrinkles. To treat the deeper lines, wrinkles and acne scars, I will first treat with the Deep FX and then go over the areas again with the Active FX. I agree with the other physicians, that the manufacturer's recommendations for power settings are conservative and that in experienced... more

Hi Maris, Dr. Groff has answered your question beautifully and in an unbiased fashion.  It has also been my experience that one Active FX doesn't give the same results as a series of Fraxel re:store treatments.  Good luck and be well. Dr. P