Fractional Skin Laser Resurfacing
Skin Laser History
The original skin laser was developed to remove the entire top layers of facial tissue. By doing so, rough textured, wrinkled and aging skin could be replaced by fresh new skin. The process, despite providing excellent end results, was extremely painful and recovery time took weeks. This type of full skin surface removal is referred to as ablative. The CO2 lasers were ablative lasers.
A second type of skin renewal laser arrived that did not remove surface skin at all. With this type of laser, regenerative processes that cause collagen stimulation and growth occur beneath the skin surface. This type of laser is referred to as nonablative because it does not cut, burn or remove surface skin. Nonablative lasers have not been effective in addressing the issues of surface problems. Examples of the original nonablative lasers are the CoolTouch laser and SmoothBeam.
A Skin Resurfacing Revolution
A new type of skin laser employs a technique that provides double benefits - it allows old skin to be replaced by new and stimulates new collagen. The unique features of the Palomar Fractional Laser achieve these benefits with the effectiveness of an ablative laser, but without the pain and difficult recovery process.
Palomar developed and patented Fractional Photothermolysis to create an efficient skin resurfacing laser that requires no to minimal downtime with full epidermal healing over a period of days rather than weeks. Since most of your skin is untouched by the laser beam, there is unbroken tissue integrity.
 
- Source Palomar Medical
- Photo courtesy of Dwight Scarborough, MD
- Treatment - Fractional Resurfacing
- Patient results may vary
Fractional Skin Resurfacing Uses
- Skin Wrinkling
- Rough Skin Texture
- Deep Pigmentation Problems
- Acne Scarring
- Post-surgical Scars
Microbeam Technology in Fractional Resurfacing
The Palomar Lux1540™ Fractional Laser delivers light in an array of high precision microbeams. These microbeams create narrow, deep columns of tissue coagulation that penetrate well below the epidermis and into the dermis, while sparing the tissue surrounding the columns from damage.
Any time the skin is injured (and in this case the injury is highly controlled purposeful thermal injury) the response is new collagen formation. The treated tissue within the columns initiates a natural healing process that accelerates the formation of new, healthy collagen and firmer, more youthful skin tissue. Old skin debris that was "injured" by the laser beam flakes off as the new skin emerges.
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