Does Fraxel Get Rid of Age Spots or Does It Just Make Them Fade?

Fraxel may significantly reduce the pigment in your spots, but 100% reduction is not a realistic expectation. The sunless tanning cream may increase the coloration in the faded Fraxel-treated lesions.
 

Fractional CO2 laser is an excellent tool for skin rejuvenation in our center in Santa Monica. We use the fractional multi-depth ablative approach to help resurface the skin, recontour acne scars, improve incisional plastic surgery scars, and reduce surface irregularities from skin tone to dark pigmentation. Our approach utilizes a multi-depth approach that targets melanocytes in the epidermis and collagen fibroblasts in the dermis. This approach can be combined with a TCA Peel in a process known as a sapphire peel. Fractional laser is excellent for acne scars and contour scars in the skin. Patients are advised to undergo skin protocols with Melarase creams before and after treatment to help reduce pigmentation. Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads can seriously improve surface sun damage and UV related pigmentation. After the laser, we expect redness for a few weeks as the skin improves. PRP and Hydrafacial enzyme facials can further improve skin quality after fractional co2.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Yes, The new Fraxel Dual laser removes age spots effectively. Fraxel is a brand name of a laser commonly used in treatments. Q-switch lasers are also used in removing age spots.

IPL works better for removing brown spots than Fraxel laser does. The first generation Fraxel laser did remove brown spots very well but when upgraded to the second generation it affected this function. While we still love our Fraxel and it works great for wrinkles, pores, texture and tone, we prefer using our IPL for brown spots.

A fraxel laser can help with age spots with several treatments. A better treatment (not guaranteed for total removal) often used either IPL,YAG,or Q-Switch wavelength give a more even treatment for age spots. Your skin type, general coloring, extent of sun based age spot damage drives your results. For many men and women, the completion of a laser age spot removal plan will mean that results are more or less permanent.
Caution, however, that if you go back to heavy douses of sunbathing, then you’re creating the necessary conditions to cause the return of age spots. Another deep risk is that sun damage and extensive tissue damage may trigger the onset of skin cancer. Birth marks, as another case of hyperpigmentation which can be dramatically reduced. However, they can begin an incremental return after several years.

Thank you for your question. Fraxel Treatment will significantly lessen
the pigment in your spots but will 100% reduce them. Not using a sun protection
can also increase the coloration in the faded Fraxel treated areas you. Most
often more than 1 treatment is needed to see optimal results. Best of Luck!

Age spots should fade with each Fraxel treatment.  Small spots may resolve, however larger ones may not completely go away.  You should complete a series of Fraxel treatments to see the best response!

Thank you for your question. Fraxel treatment eliminates irregular skin discoloration, and stimulates new collagen production, tightening the skin without prolonged recovery. After a series of 2 to 4 Fraxel treatments, the cumulative cosmetic improvement is near more aggressive lasers, but unlike more aggressive lasers, redness and swelling eliminated within 2 to 4 days after each treatment. Fraxel is outstanding for fine wrinkles, mild skin laxity, irregular pigmentation, acne scars, surgical scars, enlarged pores, stretch marks, age spots and Rosacea. It can be used safely on the face, neck, hands, arms, and chest.

Fraxel will reduce the appearance of brown spots, however it will not totally eliminate them.  I use the alexandrite laser for treatment of brown age spots, and it gives excellent results.  Self tanner will definitely make brown spots show up more.

Brown spots on the arms (or the face, or the chest) will look darker when you apply self tanner. The self tanner makes everything darker- it doesn't selectively darken just normal skin and not the spots. If you want to treat the age spots with a laser, the best choice may be IPL (intense pulsed light). After IPL the spots will dry up and peel off.
Fraxel treatments will also lighten age spots, but not 100%. Fraxel is a great treatment for texture (fine lines, acne scars, etc) so if you are treating both texture and spots then Fraxel is a good choice. But if you only want to get rid of your brown spots, then talk to your physician about IPL.