What is the downtime for Fraxel?

Everyone’s different, but most people have a red face after ablative Fraxel for up to two weeks. For some people, that’s enough to keep them indoors during the healing phase. Others don’t mind at all showing a red face in public! Just be sure to wear plenty of sun screen and a hat at all times. No sun bathing, of course (ever). Be sure to consult a board-certified dermatologist who can spend time with you so that you understand the post-procedure care you need to give your face to get the most out of your Fraxel treatment.

Thank you for your question. Downtime for a Fraxel laser treatment depends on the type of treatment and the intensity of treatment being delivered.  For instance, the Fraxel DUAL laser offers two different wavelengths - the 1550 wavelength is best to treat fine lines/wrinkles, acne scarring and general skin resurfacing, and, the 1927 wavelength targets dark spots, or hyper-pigmentation, caused by sun damage. The treatment for fine lines/wrinkles is typically five days of downtime and the treatment of darks spots is usually about seven days of downtime. An office that performs many of these types of treatments will be able to discuss in greater detail what to expect after a Fraxel laser treatment. Undergoing any surgical procedure requires careful attention to detail and consideration for different options.  Trust your face to a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, a board-certified plastic surgeon or a board-certified dermatologist with very extensive laser skin resurfacing experience.