ProFractional laser treatment dramatically rejuvenates skin.
Just as we aerate our lawns to grow thick, healthy grass, a Profractional Laser (manufactured by Sciton, a leader in laser technology) uses a similar concept to “aerate” or thicken your tissue and stimulate natural collagen growth. Profractional creates microspherical channels that stimulate the production of new collagen. After a ProFractional treatment, you will immediately begin to experience tighter and rejuvenated skin. Because a large portion of the skin is left intact, healing time is much faster than other ablative laser treatments. We are able to perform ProFractional laser treatments with very little discomfort, and we can vary the depth to fit your schedule for downtime. We often combine our ProFractional treatments with BBL and Microlaser Peels for even greater results and improvement in skin discoloration and texture.
Benefits of ProFractional Laser:
TACKLES SMALL IMPERFECTIONS
The ProFractional laser can overcome subtle imperfections of the skin. This includes reduction or elimination of acne scares, skin pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, acne, texture and tone of the skin, evens out skin discoloration, the effects of sun damage.
INCREASES COLLAGEN
By creating tiny channels in your skin, the laser stimulates your skin and forces it to create new collagen. During the healing process, the body also ramps up its production of elastin. These two compounds are responsible for a youthful appearance.
Profractional is an awesome resurfacing laser to treat crepey, wrinkled skin, skin with a lot of fine lines or "crinkling", poor texture, and certain types of scars, including those from stretch marks, burns and acne. Treatments can be done on any skin color or area of the body, with just a few days of social down time at the most. Read on to learn more.
The ProFractional™ laser is used to treat:
- Wrinkles and lines
- Post-traumatic scars
- Acne scars
- Tightening of the skin
- Aging and sun-damaged skin
- Stretch marks
- Burns
How does it work?
The ProFractional™ laser uses laser energy to create thousands of microscopic channels in the skin which are surrounded by areas of healthy, untreated skin. The zones of untreated skin invigorate the body’s natural healing process, and the treated areas stimulate production of new collagen, plumping up the skin and smoothing out wrinkles, lines, scars and other irregularities.
By delivering energy deep into the dermal tissue, fractional resurfacing selectively injures collagen molecules, causing wound-healing response and stimulating fibroblast activity. Fibroblasts turn on new collagen production, rejuvenating the collagen matrix and plumping the skin from the inside out.
What will my treatment consist of?
Getting Started
A consultation with Dr. Veerula is required to determine an ProFractional™ treatment plan for each new patient, accounting for the desired outcome and time available for healing. We will discuss pre op precautions, such as stopping retinoids and acid treatments 3 days prior and taking Valtrex if you have a history of fever blisters or cold sores.
What to Expect
The procedure is gentle, non-invasive, and safe. There should be minimal discomfort, however this varies from patient to patient and depends on the depth of the treatment. Our forced air cooling device along with numbing cream will aid in comfort during the procedure. Pain medication and a relaxer may be needed for more aggressive treatments.
The treatment involves precise removal of small columns of skin at the depth determined by your physician. Pinpoint bleeding may occur. Patients often describe a slight stinging sensation, like the snapping of a rubber band, in the treated areas. Most individuals find this to be very tolerable. Total time spent in the office will vary depending on the area treated and patient response.
What will I look like immediately after ProFractional™ treatment?
Erythema, edema and a sunburn sensation will be noticed in the treatment area for a few days after the treatment. Incidental pinpoint bleeding may occur, which will subside within a short time after the treatment without any intervention. Occasional patterned hyperpigmentation may occur but it will resolve in a few days. The healing time will differ, depending on the treatment settings used.
How do I care for my skin after the treatment?
It is important to follow your physician’s instructions. We will recommend skin care products and provide instructions on how to use them. These will minimize your risk of inflammation or redness and ensure the shortest healing time.
For about thirty minutes or so after a Profractional treatment, the treated areas feel very hot, and we apply cold compresses until it cools down. The treated skin may have spots of pinpoint bleeding, depending on the treatment depth, for the first day. With Profractional treatments for acne scars, there's often also some swelling for a few days.
From the second day post-treatment through possibly day ten, depending on the area treated and your skin response, the treated area will go from a patchy red to a mild pink. People often believe on the second day after a Profractional treatment that they're going to be too red to go out in public for at least a week, but by the fourth or fifth day, they're amazed by how fast it suddenly looks better.
Within weeks, your treated skin will feel smoother, fine wrinkles and pores will be less noticeable, and sun spots or uneven pigmentation will fade. Results depend on your condition, the number of treatments, and the area treated. Your physician will provide you with complete information about the post treatment care and results. You will be sensitive to ultra-violet light and you must avoid direct sun exposure until fully healed. Sun tanning and tanning beds should be avoided for 1 month before and after each BBL session. A broad spectrum sunblock with zinc oxide and/ or titanium dioxide as the primary ingredients should be used on a daily basis.
How many treatments will I need?
This laser can be adjusted for a few deep treatments with more downtime or multiple lighter treatments with less downtime. Treatments are typically done in a series of one to four treatments spaced three to six weeks apart, depending on your needs and response to treatments. We often combine the ProFractional™ laser with a MicroLaserPeel™ or other popular aesthetic procedures to further enhance your treatment results.
If you are interested in learning more about how laser treatments can improve your appearance, schedule a consult! Call us at 260-450-1313. Let’s Get Glowing! Dr.V
- Columns of vaporized tissue created and replaced by new, healthier tissue from the nearby untreated skin
- CO2 and Erbium laser systems available (CO2RE, Sciton Erbium ProFractional, Palomar Erbium)
- Open wounds with redness, oozing, crusting, peeling up to 1 week depending on settings selected
- Low complication risk (scarring, pigment alteration, prolonged redness)
- Requires series of treatments (average of 3 treatments, usually 1 month apart)
- FAQS: Profractional Fractionated Ablative Erbium Laser Resurfacing
What is the procedure used for?
This is the second-most aggressive and effective resurfacing offered for mild to severe wrinkles and texture changes and acne scarring on the face.
What changes can I expect right after treatment?
- Swelling, crusting, oozing, discomfort for 2-4 days
- Redness, peeling, mild crusting for up to 1 week
- Residual redness up to 2 weeks that can be covered by makeup once crusting has resolved.
- When will I be completely healed?
- At 1 week most patients will have only mild scattered redness which can be covered with makeup. Social engagements are not recommended for at least 1 week after
- treatment.
How many treatments are recommended? How far apart?
1-3 treatments depending on severity of surface wrinkles and texture, spaced 3-4 months apart.
How painful is treatment?
Pain 6/10. Most patients elect for tylenol taken one hour before treatment, making it well-tolerated; but we highly recommend you have a driver to take you home. Anesthetic nerve blocks are sometimes administered by your doctor first to sensitive areas such as around the mouth (dental block).
How long does the treatment take?
Expect to be in the office for around 2 hours, but the actual treatment time averages 1 hour for a full face treatment, and shorter if only focal areas are treated like around the mouth or for localized acne scarring.
When can I expect to see the full results?
The full result of collagen building and improved skin appearance takes 3-4 months.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY LASER TREATMENT?
Please avoid Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Fish Oil and other blood thinning medication/supplements for 2 weeks prior to procedure to decrease any possible bleeding and bruising. Please discontinue the use of retinol products 24 hours prior to procedure.
Please refrain from tobacco products and alcohol for 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks following the procedure. Along with delayed healing, persistent skin redness and other complications may persist when tobacco and alcohol are not discontinued.
Since your skin is the first barrier to infection, you will be prescribed an antibiotic to start the day before your procedure. Though infections are uncommon following this procedure, it is important to take the antibiotics as directed until the bottle is empty.
An antiviral medication will be prescribed to start 1 day prior to the procedure to prevent the occurrence of cold sores. This procedure does have a 5 – 14 day downtime (recovery) depending on the depth of the treatment. Be sure to schedule plans accordingly.
