Fraxel or Photofacial for Fine Lines?

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is scattered broad wavelength light and is not a laser.  IPL is good for a number of functions, including addressing brown spots, broken blood vessels, and addressing unwanted darker hair.  However, it is not ablative and the collagen regenerative function derived from IPL is mild at best.  In order to address fine lines, some form of ablative laser is best (CO2 or Erbium).  Fraxel is a brand of fractionated laser and exists in both Erbium... more

IPL is a broad band light source and not a true "laser."  It is useful for office treatment to improve skin quality: tone, texture, pore size, and color.  IPL is more useful for problems with red color problems than brown pigment (melasma).  Fraxel Re:Store is a fractionated Erbium glass laser which improves skin quality as described above.  Like IPL, the Fraxel Re:Store is generally not very effective in improving fine lines and... more

Hi Reggie, A series of Fraxel treatments will usually give you better results than a series of photo-facial treatments for fine lines and sun damage. Good luck and be well. Dr. P

Hi Reggie--contrary to popular belief, there is not one single best laser for treating what you describe. I often combine the Fraxel restore or Fraxel Repair with 2-4 other lasers in the same treatment session to get the best result. This doesn't increase your social downtime and the results are much better than using just one laser. Each laser has a very specific job....the laser that is best for wrinkles will not be the best for brown spots or capillaries. If a physician only owns one las more