skin ove he kin ou’re n Fraxel has become the darling of skin rejuvenation. We chat with the expert team at Skin Renu to see just what this popular treatment can do. AimÉe Surtenich reports. 38 www.cosbeauty.com.au
skin In beauty terms, there’s nothing quite like smooth, clear, even-toned skin. You know, that type of complexion where light seems to bounce right off to create an angelic glow and there are no visible pores in sight. Doesn’t sound familiar when you look in the mirror? Trust me, you’re not alone. But no matter the extent of your skin damage or imperfections, noticeable improvement is now well within reach. A modern-day phenomenon is fractionated laser technology, which has made it possible to achieve clear and younger looking skin without the lengthy downtime and aggravation associated with previous methods. The first device to use this technology was Fraxel, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. ‘One of the most popular ways of treating sun-damaged and ageing skin is Fraxel laser skin resurfacing, to reveal smoother, more even and radiant skin, no matter your age,’ says Sylvia Down, coowner of Skin Renu cosmetic clinic in Balmain, Sydney. ‘Fraxel laser skin resurfacing can improve a wide range of skin concerns, such as lines and wrinkles, loose skin, textural irregularities, poor skin tone, enlarged pores, pigmentation, acne scarring and moderate to severe sun damage.’ Rather than removing the top layer of skin (with significant downtime) like traditional ablative laser resurfacing of the past, Fraxel laser treats a fraction of skin at a time, creating thousands of tiny microscopic sites of thermal impact, known as microthermal zones. These microscopic laser columns penetrate deep into the dermis to create tiny wounds, triggering the body’s natural response system to heal those wounds. This process expedites the body’s remodelling of collagen and elastin, resulting in tighter, fresher, more youthfullooking skin. It operates on the concept of damaging small amounts of tissue to stimulate collagen and elastin, activating new cells. There are different levels of Fraxel laser treatments, depending on each patient’s needs and requirements. The amount of treatments required, and the downtime involved following each treatment, varies depending on the level of treatment used. For example, the mildest Fraxel treatment offers minimal downtime and results last around 12-18 months in typical cases. Alternatively, the more aggressive level of Fraxel has results that can last up to five years from a single treatment but, because it is more ablative, it incurs around a week of downtime. Each treatment takes around 45 to 60 minutes, and results usually take around three weeks to appear, once the new collagen has begun to form. The lighter Fraxel treatment can achieve impressive results for mild to moderately damaged skin over the course of three to six treatments. There is typically no post-treatment wound care and downtime is minimal in most cases, with some swelling to be expected. It is particularly effective for treating pigmentation and scarring on the face and affected skin on other parts of the body, as well as sun damage, acne and acne scars, and broken capillaries. A significant improvement is seen after each treatment. All Skin Renu doctors, nurses and skin therapists are experienced in using a range of effective technologies and products to treat a wide range of skin concerns – all with the aim to tighten and brighten skin and restore facial volume. csbm Complexion perfector for younger skin For those not ready for more aggressive treatments, Clear+Brilliant offers an effective solution. ‘Based on Fraxel technology, Clear+Brilliant is ideally suited for those in their 20s and 30s wanting to take control of their skincare and manage the appearance of ageing,’ says Down. This more gentle laser treatment is used to improve skin tone, texture and radiance, as well as to act as a preventative measure for treating sun damage and premature ageing. It’s perfect for those with a good skincare system already in place who are looking for a level up in their beauty regime. Clear+Brilliant offers two different treatment heads: one to target premature ageing and the other to target pigmentation. Each treatment takes about 20 minutes, and there is typically no downtime, just some temporary pinkness or redness. Generally a short series of treatments will yield the most impressive results, but even after one treatment there should be a noticeable fading of light pigmentation and freckling, a more homogenised skin tone and texture, as well a more luminous look to the skin. Initial results should appear within a few days as damaged skin is slowly replaced with healthy, younger looking tissue. Clear+Brilliant offers younger patients an ideal introduction to maintaining youthful-looking skin. www.cosbeauty.com.au 39
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