RESURFX® is one of the newest and best non-ablative fractionated resurfacing lasers available today. It can resurface damaged skin on the face, neck, chest, hands, and other areas, to reveal younger, more refreshed skin, and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, scars and brown age spots. The treatment is quick, and usually has minimal associated discomfort. The great advantage of this treatment is the minimal downtime, and great safety, without the risks of more aggressive treatments.
What can it treat?
The ResurFX laser can improve:
- Wrinkles: Wrinkles around the eyes, and elsewhere on the face.
- Scarring: Including Acne scars, Striae / stretch marks, Surgical scars.
- Melasma: This condition can be stubborn, and a combination of prescription creams and laser treatments are usually recommended.
- Solar lentigines: Also known as age spots, or liver spots.
Facial skin resurfacing can achieve:
- Reduced appearance of brown spots.
- Reduced fine lines and wrinkles.
- Improved appearance of acne and surgical scars.
- Improved tone and texture.
- Reduced actinic keratoses (sun spots).
Advantages
- Significant improvements in skin quality, with minimal downtime, and minimal risks.
- Compared to other non-ablative fractionated lasers, the ResurFX requires a single pass only, meaning faster treatment time, and more consistent results.
- Compared to other non-ablative fractionated lasers, the ResurFX has no expensive disposables, which means treatment costs are lower.
How does it work?
The ResurFX laser was developed by Lumenis®, the world’s largest medical laser company for ophthalmic, surgical and aesthetic applications, and pioneer of intense pulse light technology. It uses a 1565 nm fibre laser. This is a non-ablative laser frequency, which means the laser energy is able to pass through the epidermis, leaving it intact, and thereby improving safety, reducing discomfort, and reducing downtime. The energy is absorbed by the dermis, leading to improvements in collagen and other aspects of skin quality. It is a fractionated laser, which means that the laser energy is delivered via tiny dots using an advanced scanner (with proprietary CoolScan algorithm), which can further increase safety and reduce downtime. The device allows for highly customizable treatments, with adjustments to laser shape, size, density, and energy strength to fit each patient’s precise needs. Unlike other fractional devices, ResurFX requires only one pass over the skin to produce effective reproducible results, with reduced treatment time.
What does treatment involve?
A typical treatment involves a short office visit. Topical anaesthetic may be applied 30-60 minutes prior, to improve comfort. Due to the non-ablative nature, the treatment is usually only mildly uncomfortable, and this settles quickly. Oral painkillers are not usually necessary. After the treatment, most people can return to their normal activities immediately. There is usually some redness and mild swelling of the skin, and the skin may feel like a mild sunburn, for the next 1-2 days. Make-up can be worn if desired. Over the next two weeks there is some mild peeling, as the old skin is exfoliated.
In addition to these common side effects, patients may also experience minor itching, dry skin, peeling and flaking. There is also a small risk of infection, including reactivation of cold sores, and transient hyperpigmentation (especially in those with Asian skin or darker). These risks can be reduced and any problems managed quickly, by choosing an experienced doctor to perform your procedure.
For best results, usually a series of 3-5 treatments, every 2-4 weeks, is recommended.
“I have many patients interested in facial resurfacing solutions, but who are not willing to accept the downtime and possible risks of scarring and delayed hypopigmentation with fully ablative treatments such as CO2 resurfacing. With the new ResurFX, I can now offer them effective fractional non-ablative treatment with minimal risks and downtime”.