Welcome! Orange County Fraxel - Dr. Melissa Hawkins- Orange, CA

FRAXEL™: Reverse the years pixel by pixel

With today's emphasis on active, healthy lifestyles, most men and women feel a lot younger than they look. Aging and sun-damaged skin, wrinkles, fine lines, and brown spots often mask inner beauty. Fortunately, there is a new aesthetic laser solution that provides a fresh chance to turn back the clock on aging. The Fraxel Laser is FDA-cleared to treat wrinkles around the eye and improve pigmented lesions, including age spots, sun spots, acne scars and melasma. The procedure can be performed in our office using topical anesthesia. Treatment takes about 45-60 minutes, depending on the area(s) being treated. Because the procedure does not ablate or remove the outer skin layer, patients can resume routine activities right after treatment.

The skin will have a pinkish tone for 3-5 days. Swelling is minimal and generally resolves in about 2 days. Results are immediate and progressive, with beneficial effects accumulating over one to six months.

Call 714 744-ASEC (2732)

or email info@asec-orange.com for more information.

Appointments available Monday - Saturday

Why is the Fraxel laser unique? Up until now, there have been two primary categories of laser skin treatment: ablative laser resurfacing and nonablative laser or light-based therapy, each with their pros and cons. Ablative techniques regenerate aging and sun-damaged skin with superior cosmetic results, but are associated with significant side effects, risks and prolonged healing and recovery times. Nonablative techniques, on the other hand, generally carry fewer risks but require numerous treatments over several months, producing only limited clinical results of cosmetic improvement.

This novel fractional approach to laser skin treatment represents a new science and category of cosmetic skin surgery that offers patients the positive results of ablative resurfacing with the low-impact benefits of non-ablative therapies. Unlike old ablative lasers that remove the top layer of skin, FLT procedure produces tiny, microscopic sites of thermal impact separated by areas of unaffected, healthy tissue. The spared healthy tissue between treatment zones contains viable cells that promote rapid healing of the outer skin layers. At the same time, each MicroThermal Zone (MTZ) penetrates between 400-700 microns into the dermis to remodel collagen. Thus, FLT strives to achieve the skin improvements obtained with conventional CO2 laser resurfacing but without the associated side effects or downtime.

What are the benefits of Fraxel laser treatment? FLT offers the benefits of speedy healing and minimal downtime. Side effects are minimal and typically involve swelling and redness. Patients can apply make-up immediately after treatment and return to routine activities. The Fraxel laser is used to treat pigmented lesions including sun damage, acne scars, melasma and facial lines especially those around the eyes.

How many treatments are needed? 3-5 treatments are usually recommended; however, some achieve desired results after 1 or 2 treatments.

How long does the treatment take? An anesthestic numbing ointment is applied. After 45-60 minutes the anesthetic is removed and a blue tint is applied to the skin. The tint allows the laser the track the changing contours of the skin. A contact lubricant is applied and the laser light is activated by Dr. Hawkins as the laser is carefully moved across the skin. The treatment usually requires 30-45 minutes depending on areas treated.

Is it painful? Treatment is well tolerated and feels like a prickling sensation. A topical numbing ointment is applied prior to treatment to allay any discomfort. Dr. Hawkins uses a Zimmer chiller, which blows cold air on the skin, for additional comfort.