I would like to know how patients felt, about the pain and or burning from specifically the "Active FX and Deep FX" laser?

Thank you for the great question.  We take many measures to reduce the discomfort associated with Active FX.  A topical numbing cream is applied one hour before treatment.  In additional, oral pain medication can help.  A specialized skin cooling device is also useful.  With this approach, my patients tolerate the treatment very well.
Active FX is a wonderful treatment for tightening and rejuvenating the face.  It is highly effective at removing wrinkles and dark spots.  It provides the skin with a natural glow.

If you would like to learn more about the procedure I recommend an in person consultation with a board certified facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist with cosmetic training.

We perform Full-face Active FX/Deep FX under IV sedation as it is painful during the procedure. After the procedure there is minimal discomfort, with Tylenol being all that you would need. If you are only doing peri-orbital FX then local anesthesia is sufficient.

Ablative fractional laser skin resurfacing requires anesthesia of some type regardless of which brand laser is used.  Some physicians use topical anesthesia alone while others prefer injection of local anesthesia or even general anesthesia.  Discomfort after treatment tends to be minimal.  The relative aggressiveness of treatment will have a huge influence  on the amount of discomfort during treatment as well as the post treatment recovery period

CO2 requires a very meticulous surgeon to give you the best results.  You want someone with experience who has a whole protocol before, during and after the procedure.  this will ensure you get the best results with very little downtime/pain.  Best, Dr. Emer.

The CO2 therapies will all have some discomfort, redness and peeling in order to get results.  For a lighter treatment to address sunspots and general improvement of skin texture we offer a light "weekend" peel which has a few days of redness and peeling.  To address acne scars and deeper wrinkles, a deeper treatment is necessary which takes 2-3 weeks for full recovery.  Best of luck. Dr. Michael Omidi









An in-person exam with a
board-certified plastic surgeon is the best way to assess your needs and
provide true medical advice.

Active and Deep FX treatments are some of the most powerful and effective laser treatments. They are are CO2 laser s based on the same platform and just change the handpiece. The Total FX combines the two treatments at the same time for the most effective resurfacing. A Light FX is just the Active FX turned down to a lower power giving a shorter healing time (2 or 3 days or less depending on the power it is set at) versus about five to seven days of downtime for the Total FX. Pain after the treatment is minimal. it usually feels like a bad sunburn for a day or two and then settles down. Pain during the treatment is more frequent. In my office we tailor the treatment to the patient. Some are given IV sedation but most have just oral sedation with a topical anesthesia placed on the skin for about one hour. We let the patient know they will still fell some of this. If they too uncomfortable then I supplement with local anesthesia injections so the patient is more comfortable. The risk of heavy sedation with CO2 laser is that the patient may need an oxygen mask to keep their saturation levels normal but the oxygen could start a fire and burn the patient. The surgeon must be very careful with this and you should go to an office where they are fully certified in giving IV sedation. 

Thanks for your
question – and there is no question that when these devices are used we are
using a laser to remove tissue – and without proper technique and proper
pre-operative and post-operative care, there can be pain and burning with the
procedure. We have been performing these procedures now for many years and if done
correctly, there does not have to be a lot of pain and burning when they are
done. First, we use topical anesthesia, so this procedure can now be done
virtually pain free. And when they are done correctly, and with the proper
after care, the burning and pain that you are describing can be minimized.
Several things can help here. Avene thermal water is something we have
recommended for years and it does take away those feelings. Skinceuticals
Ferrulic C&E also can help with pain and burning – and we use it regularly
as well. So if this is something you are considering, consult with a board-certified
dermatologist of plastic surgeon and ask them these questions and see what they
do post-operatively to reduce the pain and burning that can be associated with
them if nothing is done to your skin. These procedures do not have to be
painful and do not need to have a burning sensation to work.

Fraxel Re:Pair is an old system, very old, and causes bulk heating= long time, more pain. Active FX is seriously 10 times faster to perform than Fraxel Re:Pair. Pain is not an issue for both as specialist will conduct nerve blocks and will always perform ablative high density lasers with sedation and pain relief. Pain is not an issue if the procedure is performed correctly, what is more important is wound care AFTER the procedure. Patients worry about things that we can take care off, like pain, Specialist worry about compliance of wound care. The later gives the best results and decreases complication. See a dermatologist or plastics for this procedure. Dr Davin S Lim