Is Fraxel Dual 1550 More Painful (Hence Longer Healing Time) Than 1927?

Hi Matusik,

The added pain of 1550 to your 1927 Fraxel laser treatment is nothing compared to the pain of marriage (just kidding my lovely wife).  If you wish to look your best on your wedding day, bite the bullet and let your treating physician treat you to a true Dual treatment.  Neither laser should be painful with proper numbing gel and proper attitude. Good luck and be well...and congrats.

Dr. P

Great and insightful question. The Fraxel DUAL 1550/1927 is a cutting edge system that uses two lasers which can improve the appearance of your skin. The 1550nm wavelength improves fine lines and scarring, while the 1927nm improves pigmentation. 
The 1550nm penetrates deeper and you would expect more redness and swelling as a result.
As always, an in-person consultation with a board certified dermatologist with cosmetic training is the best way to assess your needs and provide medical advice. 

Yes the Fraxel 1550nm. goes deeper, and is more uncomfortable than the 1927nm. but interestingly, it takes longer for the superficial 1927nm to heal, in that there is a brown flaking with the 1927 that occurs as the pigment is being removed and this takes about six to seven days.  The Fraxel 1550nm. Restore, can treat acne scars with deeper energy but the skin is sealed and doesn't have the superficial peeling that the 1927 does, so makeup can be applied soon after the 1550.  There is however, some more redness and swelling that can occur with the 1550, especially if the treatment is deep. The acne scars won't disappear, but they can significantly improve after many treatments and many months, so you shouldn't expect to have a wonderful result in diminishing the acne scars before your wedding with only a couple of treatments (you wouldn't want to do a treatment too close to the wedding, just in case you have an unusual reactions).
 

Greetings Matusik and congratulations!

If your primary concern was pigment, you would be fine to stay with the 1927nm portion of Fraxel.  Since you are interested in addressing some of the acne scarring, the deeper penetrating 1550nm is a great option for that.  The discomfort that the 1550nm adds is minimal and definitely not worth using as part of the decision making criteria.  Depending on the depth of treatment (super aggressive vs. mildly aggressive or somewhere in between) you may be adding a few days to your recovery and with an aggressive treatment the pinkness may persist a bit longer as well.  If you get your treatment soon, you should have no problem looking great for your wedding day.

Good luck!  And once again, congratulations!

Dr. Grant Stevens