Active FX Vs. Fraxel Laser Treatments - Which is Better?

Fraxel re:store involves a series of 3 to 5 treatments while Active Fx involves a single, sometimes a second treatment. They both give good results. Active FX is a very superficial treatment for sun damaged skin.
Fraxel re:pair in a single treatment gives much better results than Active FX. To get results similar to Fraxel re:pair, a Deep FX treatment needs to be added to the Active FX treatment. Be well.
Dr. P

Fractional CO2 laser allows for effective laser resurfacing with one week of downtime with much less risks of complications associated with the old CO2 laser resurfacing. There is not a significant difference among the different Fractional CO2 laser available in the marketplace, e.g. ActiveFx, Fraxel Repair, Mixto, eCO2. The key is the experience of the laser surgeon. Make sure the before and after photos shown are his or her own patients. Preferably, your board-certified laser surgeon has performed more than 50 cases of your skin type.

The Active (and Deep) FX lasers are more powerful than ALL other fractionated lasers. More power means quicker healing and less pain with possible less side effects. The Active/Deep FX laser is more expensive than ALL other lasers. That is why most doctors have the cheaper lasers. You only have one face, make sure the best laser is used.

While both Fraxel and ActiveFX laser technologies function in a similar manner, they are two distinctively different lasers. Fraxel technology delivers fractionated Erbium laser energy while ActiveFX utlizes fractionated energy from a carbon dioxide laser. Even though the two are similar, the increased heat provided by the ActiveFX appears to result in more effective skin tightening and, overall, better results.

Let
me start by saying that not all skin types (pigment) are safe for all
lasers.  Fraxel laser was, in its day, a breakthrough device in the
world of fractional lasers.  Fractional lasers, instead of treating the
entire surface, instead puts individual beams of laser energy into the
tissue.  Depending of the wavelength of the laser, different things will
happen.  Fraxel (brand name of a fractional laser) helped get
fractional treatments started, but it is a wavelength that really can’t
achieve a whole lot.  It requires multiple treatments, is rather
painful, and the results are mild to moderate.
Active
FX is also a fractional laser (as opposed to full field), and uses the
ablative fractionated CO2 wavelength.  Active FX and Deep FX are much
more precise than the old full field and fractional CO2 lasers. 
Historically, CO2 lasers were not a good choice for patients with medium
or darker pigment.  Too much heat, resulting in complications such as
PIHP (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation) and/or scarring.  The newer
fractional CO2 layers have greatly sped up the delivery of the laser
energy, thereby reducing many of the complications previously associated
with CO2 lasers.
Depending
on the skin type of the patient, the issues we’re addressing, etc,
determines which laser I use.  Often I use the Active FX and Deep FX,
but many times I’ll choose erbium fractional laser or the Halo laser by
Sciton, which incorporates erbium (ablative laser that sees water only),
and the 1470nm laser that heats, but does not vaporize tissue.  The
Halo is colorblind, and the outcomes are fantastic for a variety of
issues for almost all patients.
I
feel it is imperative to understand the skin physiology of all
patients, and have a number of energy based tools and devices that can
be used individually, or in combination, to give stunning results.I  sometimes give patients this analogy:  you can take a Steinway grand piano, and an average pianist, and get a so so outcome.  Or,  you can take a concert pianist and put them on an old upright piano, and also get a so so outcome.  But, if you put a concert pianist on a Steinway
grand piano, the result can be amazing.  Excellent technology, combined
with a skilled medical laser specialist, yields the best and safest
results, and the highest patient satisfaction

The most important difference between the Fraxel and the CO2 Fractional laser is that there is skin tightening only with the CO2 laser.  The fractional CO2 allows treatment with minimizing the two side effects which were a problem with the ultrapulse CO2 hypopigmentaion and scarring.  The fractional CO2 is usually only one treatment instead of a series as well.

The "original" fraxel was an erbium-based laser, and gave results no where near the Ultrapulse (Active and Total FX Laser) with a single treatment. The newer fraxel "repair" is a CO2 laser (like the Ultrapulse) and gives closer results with a single treatment. The Ultrapulse is unique in having the Active FX and Total FX modalities which give a "complete" treatment, and many of us feel that makes it superior.

I love both the Fraxel and Active Fx.  The Active Fx and Deep Fx are my CO2 fractional lasers for deep lines wrinkles and severe sundamage.  Fraxel does make a CO2 laser (Fraxel Repair) however I use the Fraxel Restore.  The Fraxel Restore is an Erbium based laser and is designed to treat lines, wrinkles and scars with multiple treatments with less recovery time.  It is the perfect "weekend" procedure.  I can offer my patients the pros and cons of each procedure and tailor a treatment plan that addresses their specific needs and lifestyle.  I would not give up either laser.

In my experience as a Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon, I feel that ActiveFX/DeepFX combination gives a better result than Fraxel. The ActiveFX laser is one of the most powerful in the industry available for a physician. This gives the physician the ability to treat better the conditions of aging skin. In my years of experience I think this is the best laser for skin resurfacing.

I have used both the Fraxel:repair and the Active Fx for similar conditions. I feel the Active Fx is superior and far superior when combined with Deep Fx (which is Total Fx treatment.)
I always combine the active and deep fx because the downtime is minimally increased (1-2 days) but the results are more dramatic. Also, the patients who receive Fraxel:repair stay red for much longer but with inferior results.