Fraxel re:pair: Laser Resurfacing : What to Expect

We leave no stones unturned when it comes to our beauty and youth. Since thousands of years man has tried all kinds of things to keep longer younger and beautiful. We go through various treatments to achieve a youthful and more radiant appearance, from all kinds of cosmetics and special drinks or tablets to the latest invention of invasive surgeries. Although effective these treatments have numerous risks and weeks of downtime.

We meet so many people from our daily lives that go through these wonderful procedures to look good. For instance the Los Angeles newswoman, Marta Waller, whom you must have seen on the television program Extra, has been successful in removing years from her appearance with the Fraxel re:pair laser treatment.

What is this Fraxel re:pair laser treatment and why should one opt for it?

One of the most effective treatments, the Fraxel re:pair laser treatment is a clinically proven fractional ablative laser on the market today. It offers the newest technology, a minimal downtime and just about one single treatment is enough to get the maximum results. That’s why it is better to opt for this method because other laser treatments can take as many as three to four treatments and downtimes.

Looking at the popularity of this treatment it is certainly deserves to be the "Number One Anti-Aging Breakthrough". It effectively treats skin problems like acne scaring or damaged or wrinkled skin, fine lines around the mouth and the eyes, facial scars, or age spots and areas of uneven pigmentation.

How does Fraxel re:pair treatment actually work?

The state-of-the-art Fraxel re:pair™ CO2 laser sends laser beams that gently remove the outer layer of skin and at the same time heat the underlying skin. This stimulates the growth of new collagen fibers and the skin heals, forming a new skin that is much smoother and tighter.

What to Expect?

At the beginning of the process, you will feel a sensation of numbness on the skin with topical and/or local anesthesia. Depending on the size of the area treated, the laser resurfacing procedure can take around a couple of minutes to an hour. It is extremely effective for minor facial flaws as it lessens the appearance of fine lines around your eyes, mouth, and cheeks. In fact it you will find tremendous improvement in your complexion if you have yellowish or grayish skin tones or age spots.

You can expect an immediate difference in the quality of your skin and total appearance. You’ll love to flaunt your new healthy glowing skin. Within the next year you can expect to see continued improvement in your skin quality and radiance.

Fraxel Re:pair CO2 Laser Technology

A relatively new technology, this innovative laser offers the latest in skin resurfacing technology as it tightens skin and removes wrinkles, acne scars, brown pigmentations. Surprising it can be performed right in your office because it does not require anesthesia. A local numbing cream is applied aptly before the procedure instead of anesthesia.

Though the CO2 technology has been in use for about 40 years, until recently, these ablative procedures were aching and required tough aftercare with weeks of downtime. What makes Fraxel so popular is that it has essentially removed the need for lengthy post -operative care and the risks previously associated with skin resurfacing.

Fraxel Re:Pair : Why Is It Better Than Other Skin Treatments ?

If you are looking at restoring the lost glory of your skin there are a number of treatments available in the market today. Amongst the many modern procedure, getting a chemical peel and a microdermabrasion has been quite an accepted non-surgical cosmetic enhancement procedures. Though these procedures give you the effect you are craving for, the only hassle is that one has to get them done repeatedly more than a few times a year to maintain the results.

When you want to even skin pigmentation and improve its texture a chemical peel procedure is very helpful while a microdermabrasion aims at removing the outer most layer of dead cells. After you take multiple treatments of microdermabrasion, you will find that the lentigenes or brown spots have considerably reduced.

Unfortunately the fact is that even when chemical peels and microdermabrasions procedures are given in conjunction, they simply fail to effectively treat lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and loose skin.

Why Fraxel ?

Like chemical peels and microdermabrasion, a fractional laser skin resurfacing treatment not only gives an effective way to treat skin pigmentation and texture but also effectively treats lines, wrinkles, acne scars, and loose skin. The greatest thing is that it often needs a single treatment which may last as long as many years.

Erbium and CO2, or non-ablative and ablative are the two classes in which Fraxel lasers are divided. The Fraxel Re:store falls under the Erbium non-ablative class laser where the practioner can control the density with which the laser treats the layers by employing a continuous scanning pattern. This treatment also evens skin pigmentation and texture. However since it is a non-ablative laser, you may have to apply multiple treatments in order to get the best results.

The Fraxel Re:pair treatment comes under the fractional ablative CO2 class laser. It is the only fractioned CO2 treatment that has received FDA clearance for treatment of lines, wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, textural abnormalities, and vascular dyschromia (redness) and has the reputation of being clinically proven and tested. It also effectively treats acne and atrophic scars and has been clinically proven to do so.

The Fraxel Re:pair uses the same continuous scanning technique like the Fraxel Re:store, in which a microscopic treatment zone is penetrated, the old skin is removed and an instantaneous contraction is created from untreated skin to produce a tightening effect.

Minimal downtime and risks associated with surgery removed makes the Fraxel Re:pair a preventative measure to people who are considering a facelift in their future. In fact you can expect a single treatment to produce significant results because this laser is ablative.

If you aim to get your gorgeous skin back you will have to choose the one that suits you best. The popularity of cosmetic procedures is on the rise and it is important to know the efficacy and implications of a treatment to check what works best for you. If you have already experienced the benefits of facials and microdermabrasions, do try laser resurfacing as a means to get more significant and permanent results.

Long, Lush Eyelashes - The Latisse® Way

For women with scanty eyelashes, cosmetic solutions such as kohl, mascara, false eyelashes and extensions have their limitations. Latisse®, a prescription drug has been approved by the FDA for use as an eyelash-lengthening cosmetic formulation.

Long, lush eyelashes are an asset that highlights your eyes and makes you instantly look seductive and glamorous. However not all women are fortunate enough to have them. Some are born with short, scanty growth that makes their eyes look bald and plain. Others may have lost them along with all their hair to medical treatments like chemotherapy.

The eyes are one of our most visible and attractive features, and long eyelashes highlight them in a way that looks more alluring. For women who are not well-endowed, there are cosmetics, kohl, mascara, falsies and extensions that can make scanty, stumpy hairs look long and glamorous.

But all these solutions have their drawbacks. Mascara and kohl are convenient and can create a thicker and longer look, but they are made from pigments, waxes and resins and can get clumpy and flaky over the day or night. Also they must be removed before sleeping to keep your eyes healthy.

Fake eyelashes can lend some Hollywood glamour to an evening out, but not all women enjoy the process of gluing them on and some may be sensitive to the chemicals used. Synthetic extensions can give you about two months of maintenance-free thickness, but they ultimately fall out along with the older hairs and another bonding session can set you back by $200 or more.

However, medical science has discovered a way to grow longer lashes without the messiness of cosmetics and glue. A new drug, bimatoprost, was found by its manufacturer, Allergan, to have the ability to make eyelashes grow longer and thicker. Bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog, is currently sold under the brand name of Lumigan, for the treatment of glaucoma.

This rather serendipitous discovery has proved to be a boon for women looking for options that will add a little glam to their look. Latisse®, the product that came out of this lucky finding, has now been approved for use by the FDA as an eyelash-lengthening formulation. According to the manufacturer, it takes from 8 to 16 weeks to grow longer, fuller, darker lashes with regular use.

In a minority of patients, Latisse® was found to cause side effects such as eye irritation and darkening of the eyelid, but in most it was found to be safe for use. It is currently being studied for use in young people and those who lose their hair due to chemotherapy. Since the product will stimulate growth anywhere on your skin, you must be careful not to get it on areas where do you not want hair to grow.

Although bimatoprost was thought to be contained in a number of other cosmetic products that promote eyelash growth, only Latisse® has been studied for effectiveness and approved by the FDA. It requires daily use in order to work effectively. Stopping it results in eyelashes returning to their former appearance once the old ones have been shed.

Since it is a prescription drug, Latisse® will require a prescription from a physician to purchase. However, with the extensive clinical trials and proven efficacy, it is a much safer and surer to create the beautiful, long, fluttering eyelashes you’ve always desired.