What is Fraxel Laser Resurfacing?

Fraxel had been the pioneer in fractionated laser resurfacing technology, first with re:store utilizing Erbium technology. However, the original Fraxel was found to be more helpful for pigmentation but with rather modest results for acne scarring even after 5 treatments. The new standard of care is Fractional CO2 Laser, e.g. Fraxel Repair, ActiveFx, Mixto if one can afford 6-7 days of downtime where the depth and the energy released are more optimal for acne scarring, rejuvenation, and skin cancer prevention.

The Fraxel laser uses "fractionated" laser technology to deliver laser energy to the skin. Imagine that you want to treat acne scars. Traditional Erbium and CO2 laser resurfacing work to correct acne scars by removing the whole upper layer of skin (epidermis) and part of the lower layer (the dermis). When the skin heals, it heals without the memory of these scars and thus they are improved.
With Fraxel, imagine that instead of removing 100% of the surface area of the skin (like CO2 and Erbium do, we are removing only a portion of it. The portion of skin tissue removed looks similar to the pattern you see when you hold the bristles of a brush up toward your face. All of the tips of the bristles themselves represent where the laser penetrates the skin.
The other difference is that fractional lasers tend to penetrate more deeply than Erbium lasers and can penetrate as deeply as full CO2 resurfacing. Fractional lasers are typically used for wrinkles, acne scars and sun damage.