Fraxel Laser - How Long Does It Take to See Improvement in a Series Treatment?

Hi Nik,
With Fraxel re:store series treatments, results vary from individual to individual. Some patients see changes after one or two treatments, while others see improvement after three to four treatments. It also depends upon what you are treating. Brown spots and fine to moderate wrinkles respond more quickly than acne scars. The skin should continue to improve with each treatment, and there should be continued improvement for up to 4 months after your last treatment due to collagen stimulation. With Fraxel re:pair treatments, improvement is seen after the single treatment, although the downtime is more significant. Good luck with your treatments. Be well.
Dr. P

Fraxel Dual has always been my choice for noticeable, fast results when I use more aggressive settings for photodamaged skin. The patient looks swollen and blotchy and the skin is quite rough for about 5 days, but the results in 7-14 days are striking. You can have less aggressive settings and do a series of treatments. The final result is always seen about 3 months from your final treatment. The results are faster for sun damge than for acne scars. Hope this helps!

Fraxel is a non-ablative laser that only treats 20% of the area, and therefore requires 5 total treatments. Fraxel works by heating up tissue so the body can lay down collagen. You need to wait 2-3 weeks between treatments. And, because it is milder than an ablative treatment, you need to wait several months to see results. It can take up to six months after the completion of all five treatments to see the maximum benefit.

You will begin to see results within
24 hours as skin re-epithelization
will have finished. Three to five sessions are recommended for best results. I
would recommend that you make an appointment for a consultation with Advanced
Dermatology to determine if you are a candidate. Advanced Dermatology offers
comprehensive treatment options for both medical and cosmetic treatment
modalities.

Your results will improve over time after Fraxel. There are also several other factors to consider when thinking about the amount of time it takes to see improvement after Fraxel.
What are you treating? Fine lines? Deep lines? Stretch marks? If you are treating acne scars are they shallow or deep? The more significant the textural irregularities you start with, the slower you will see improvement and the more treatments you will need.
What is your skin color? People with darker skin tones have a tendency towards discoloration after any kind of inflammation in the skin. For that reason, we usually have to go very gently with the energy settings on the Fraxel. There is a slight risk of discoloration after Fraxel in people with darker skin, so we don't want to cause inflammation and cause more discoloration.
What is your tolerance for downtime? If you can't have any downtime, the doctor is probably keeping the settings low. If you can take several days off (and have lighter skin tones), you are probably OK to have a more aggressive treatment.
How old are you? As we age, we have fewer cells that make collagen, and the ones we have are more sluggish. It will take longer to see improvement, and we won't see as significant of an improvement as we would in a young person.
If you have any questions you should talk to the doctor who is treating you. If you understand what to expect you may feel a bit better about your treatments.

Fraxel is a non-ablative laser that only treats 20% of the area, and therefore requires 5 total treatments. Fraxel works by heating up tissue so the body can lay down collagen. You need to wait 2-3 weeks between treatments. And, because it is milder than an ablative treatment, you need to wait several month to see results. It can take up to six months after the completion of all five treatments to see the maximum benefit.