What are common Fraxel side effects?

To be precise, side effects are expected reactions from a treatment that are not complications. You ask about Fraxel. Side effects for Fraxel RE:store are different than Fraxel Re:pair. Reactions to Fraxel restore include swelling, redness and gentle skin flaking for three to five days. Sometimes the skin flakes slightly tan or brown. There is stinging during the treatment and for several minutes to even an hour or more after the procedure rarely. There can be a reactivation of one's susceptibility to having cold sores, and there can be pigmentation development that usually is temporary.
Fraxel Repair is more aggressive as a treatment and raw skin occurs as a result so that side effects are more numerable including oozing, crusting, brown flaking, long term redness, sensitivity and a very small risk of scarring and pigmentation changes.

It depends on how aggressive your treatment is. For lighter treatments, you might experience some mild swelling, redness, and tenderness for a few days. More extensive treatments might be accompanied by redness, swelling, and flaking, which could require a few days of social downtime before you feel ready to appear in public. These side effects are expected after the treatment and will resolve without intervention in nearly all cases. Make sure you work with an experienced, board-certified dermatologist with expertise in the Fraxel devices to ensure the best results with minimal risks.

Fraxel laser treatments are very safe.  I don't know which treatment you  are considering.  Fraxel is a brand name of fractionated laser treatments.  There are both ablative and non-ablative treatments meaning that some ablate (burn off) the outer layer of skin and some don't.  Restore is Fraxel's non-ablative treatment and Repair is their ablative laser. 

So, what can go wrong?  Burns are extremely rare in experienced hands.  Special care must be taken in dark skinned individuals to reduce the risk of hyperpigmentation.  Individuals who get cold sores should take preventative medicine.  The doctor can prescibe this.

 

All fractionated laser resurfacing has potential risks of post-treatment pigmentation, flare of acne, herpes, staph infection, prolonged redness, temporary swelling and itching. The key is to seek out an experienced laser surgeon, preferably, a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has experience in performing greater than 50 cases of your skin type. Key to my personal success in Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing is to customize a detailed skin care regimen prior and after laser resurfacing, specific to your skin type and priorities.

Hi,
Drs Maddali and Turowski have excellently covered the answer to your question with regard to Fraxel restore.
Fraxel repair is a more aggressive laser treatment and has the same possible adverse effects plus some. Fraxel repair is a fractionated CO2 laser and though the complication rates are much lower than the older traditional CO2 lasers of the 1990's, there is the possibility of burns, infections, and scars.
Fortunately when performed properly the risk of these extremely rare complications are very small, but they must be included in the informed consent that every patient must agree to prior to the procedure.
The most common side effect that my patients have noticed after Fraxel repair is the compliments that they receive about how rejuvenated they look.
Good luck and be well.
Dr. P