I Am Going to Have a Lower Face Lift. Would Having a Fraxel Treatment a Month Before Improve Healing - More Collagen Etc?

Hi there,

From an evidence base point of view, I don't think there is any real evidence that Fraxel around the time of facelift will make any substantive improvement to the result.  The key is the facelift not the fraxel. There is a lot of mumbo jumbo and marketing confused as science in this area.

My advice would be:  If you're being charged extra for the Fraxel, then consider not having it - or at least ask the right questions to ensure you feel it will be worth it.  If the Fraxel is free, then why not?  Probably won't cause harm.

This area of plastic surgery is very difficult as there are not well controlled studies, and really everybody is guessing or selling you their bias.  There's no evidence that Fraxel will harm you - but equally, no real evidence that in the long run it will benefit you either, in combination with a facelift.

While a Fraxel treatment would leave your skin more robust any time it is performed, I would not recommend doing this procedure a month before your surgery.

Instead, I suggest that you consider doing this a month after your surgery to help with the skin remodeling, any scar contracture and wound healing. You may even consider doing a short series of treatments following your surgery for the best possible full facial rejuvenation results.

Best timing for Fraxel Laser would be at the same time as surgery, if your plastic surgeon has sufficient experience doing it simultaneously or if not anytime 3 months or later. Doing it later and including the scars may give you a less noticeable scar.