Fraxel Repair vs Erbium Yag Laser: downtime and results

What is the difference between the Fraxel Repair and the Erbuim Yag Laser in terms of results (mainly for fine lines, texture, pores, and scars) and downtime?

2 answers to “Fraxel Repair vs Erbium Yag Laser:...”

A: Fraxel re:pair verus Erbium Yag Laser for the Treatment of Fine Lines, Texture, Pores, and Scars

Michael A. Persky, MD

Hi Fairest of All, I fully agree with Dr. Groff, he has answered your question beautifully.  Fraxel re:pair is the treatment of choice for your concerns for fine lines, texture, pores, and scars.  Say hello to the Seven Dwarfs. Dr. P,  Los Angeles, CA

A: Fraxel Repair will out perform the Erbium YAG

William Groff, DO

Hi FairestOfAll We have the Fraxel Repair and 2 different Erbium YAG lasers. For your concerns, the Fraxel repair will win this battle between the 2 lasers. The Fraxel repair penetrates much deeper than the Erbium Laser, so this will yield much better results for scarring, lines, texture and pores. Because... more

Comments

chardy
35 posts
10 Dec 2008

Excellent response, Dr. Groff, to Fairest of All's question regarding the difference between all the lasers out there used for facial rejuvenation. I just might have to make the drive to SD for a consult. Just concerned about the 2 hr drive back should I decide to do the fraxel repair and the subsequent follow up visits. Got a jet??? Thanks again for the clear and concise description.

FairestOfAl
28 posts
11 Dec 2008

Yes... I agree, excellent response. Thank you for addressing my question.

drbanda
95 posts
10 Dec 2008

Some basics first: The Fraxel Re:pair is an ablative fractionated CO2 laser. A fair comparison would be to a fractionated ablative Er:Yag laser. My experience is with Sciton's ProFractional XC. The difference between the two technologies is that CO2 lasers always produce heat whereas Er:Yag lasers may or may not produce heat. In fact the ProFractional XC can be set to produce enough heat to emulate a CO2 laser on the one extreme or to produce no heat at all on the other extreme. To answer your question, though, the results and downtime will be similar. Your decision should be based on other factors. People of ethnic origin or mix other than Caucasian should probably not consider a CO2 laser. Fractionated ablative Erbium technology expands to darker skin patients the availability of ablative fractional skin resurfacing. Ablative skin resurfacing is clearly one area in the field of laser medicine and surgery where there is need for profound knowledge and probably experience on the practitioner's part to get desired results. The potential of lasting damage and significant injury is high. Incidentally the results can be most pleasing and dramatic indeed. That said, the medical community does not have a consensus to date as to which technology would be considered the gold standard. Review of the medical literature at the annual conference of ASLMS (American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery) in April 2008 clearly indicated this. The current debate in the medical community is whether, in fact, heat is or is not benefial.  

Light Olive skin
1 post
26 Feb 2009

My skin is olive (Mediterranean)and I had Fraxel Repair for a brown spot and it RUINED my face!! It burned the skin--above my lip. It looks like I have a mustache. If you are asian, latino or with tannned skin don't use this. Dr. Groff recommends this Fraxel laser but he probably doesn't know anything about our skin type.

Gabbie Allen
1 post
1 Jun 2009

I have permanent cosmetics on my eye lids and lips also. Will any kind of laser repair work on my skin and will it be affected by the Permanent cosmetics at all? Thanks for your response.

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