Cosmetic Medicine by Dr Eddie Roos

COSMETIC MEDICINE
‘Dr Eddie Roos
has been using
fractionated laser
for six years at
Cosmetic Elegance
Clinic and believes
Fraxel delivers a
wide range of skin
treatment options’
The Fraxel system has a good safety profile, which is partly due to the fact that
the majority of the skin is left untreated.
Fraxel treatment can be tailored to the individual patient, according to their
concerns and current skin condition. There are two main wavelengths for Fraxel
laser: 1550nm and 1927nm. Dr Eddie Roos has been using fractionated laser at
Cosmetic Elegance Clinic for five years, and believes Fraxel delivers a wide range
of skin treatment options. ‘The 1550nm wavelength is used for rejuvenation and
scar remodelling. It penetrates deep into the dermis to achieve really significant
results,’ he explains. ‘The 1927nm wavelength does not penetrate as deeply,
and is used to treat pigment in the skin. It is ideal for improving sun-damaged
skin that we see in Queensland and, indeed, the rest of Australia.’
Typically, a full-face treatment will take around one hour and topical anaesthetic
cream will be applied to make the patient as comfortable as possible. The number
of treatments required varies between patients, and is dependant on their skin
condition and what they are aiming to achieve.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING FRAXEL TREATMENT?
During treatment the laser is rolled across the area to be treated several times.
Depending on the size and complexity of the treatment area, the actual procedure
can take anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour. For best results, a series
of treatments is usually recommended – typically one to two treatments for
pigmentation and three to five for acne scarring and wrinkles.
The Fraxel system has an inbuilt cooling system to help keep the skin’s
surface cool and comfortable during treatment. This allows higher levels of heat
energy to be delivered deep into the skin’s layers, without compromising the
upper epidermis.
‘The Fraxel system delivers an even treatment combined with cold air blown
onto the skin, making the procedure tolerable to patients,’ Dr Roos explains.
‘The effect of laser treatments on the skin will vary from person to person,’ he
continues. ‘The body’s response to fractionated trauma is explained in detail to
patients before they go ahead, and we do emphasise that rejuvenation results
will continue to improve for months following treatment – as the new collagen
is created.’
Some redness and swelling should be expected post-procedure, particularly
with the 1927nm laser. There are several phases the skin will go through following
treatment with Fraxel. Straight after treatment the skin feels like it has mild
sunburn and may be red and a little swollen for the next two to three days, but
this can be covered using a quality mineral makeup. After this time, the damaged
skin will bronze and eventually flake and exfoliate off, revealing the fresh new
rejuvenated skin underneath.
The results of Fraxel treatment start to appear as the skin exfoliates, but
continue to improve for the three to six months following the procedure. During
this time, the new collagen synthesised in response to treatment is building and
regenerating in the skin. As this occurs, the complexion becomes firmer and
more resilient, with improved contours and texture.
‘We are seeing fantastic results using Fraxel laser, particularly for acne scarring,
pigmentation and overall facial rejuvenation, resulting in smoother, fresher, more
radiant skin,’ says Dr Roos. ‘Patients are often amazed at their results.’
DR EDDIE ROOS WWW.COSMETICELEGANCE.COM.AU // 29