Fraxel
Fraxel is the gentle rung of the resurfacing ladder: a non-ablative fractional laser that renews skin from within, without removing the surface. The Fraxel Dual system pairs two wavelengths, 1550 nm for wrinkles, scars, and texture and 1927 nm for pigment and sun damage, so one platform treats both in a series of short sessions with only days of downtime.
What isFraxel?
Fraxel treats skin in microscopic columns. The laser places thousands of tiny treatment zones surrounded by untouched skin, so each column of renewal is supported by healthy tissue around it. That fraction-by-fraction approach triggers new collagen and elastin and faster cell turnover, while keeping recovery short.
The system we use is Fraxel Dual, which carries two wavelengths. The 1550 nm laser reaches deeper layers, where wrinkles, acne scars, and rough texture live. The 1927 nm laser works closer to the surface, sweeping away sun spots, melasma, and uneven tone. Most treatments blend the two to match what your skin actually needs.
A visit is straightforward: numbing cream for 30 to 45 minutes, a laser pass of 20 to 45 minutes, then cooling. Skin looks and feels sunburned for a few days, bronzes and flakes, and most patients are back to normal life within 3 to 5 days. It is FDA cleared and, with conservative settings, safe for a range of skin types and tones.
Who is Fraxel for?
Fraxel is for people who want real resurfacing results without disappearing for two weeks.
Some situations change the plan: active skin conditions, a recent tan, pregnancy or breastfeeding, keloid-prone skin, and certain medications. We review all of it at your consultation and will tell you honestly if a different laser, or no laser, is the better answer.
Texture is your complaint
Acne scars, enlarged pores, rough or uneven skin, fine lines: the 1550 nm wavelength was built for exactly this.
Pigment is your complaint
Sun spots, melasma, and uneven tone respond to the superficial 1927 nm wavelength.
You want minimal downtime
A long weekend covers most recoveries. Redness and flaking pass in 3 to 5 days for most patients.
You have a medium or olive skin tone
With conservative settings and pre-treatment priming, the 1550 nm laser is safe for Fitzpatrick types III to V.
You can commit to a series
Fraxel builds its result over 3 to 5 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart, improving as collagen matures.
Where Fraxelworks
Fraxel treats the full face and extends to the neck, chest, and hands, the sun-exposed zones where pigment and texture show first.
Select an area on the figure to see what Fraxel does there.
Fraxel for sun damage, front view1 / 3
Fraxel, beforeand after.
Four pairs from the treatment gallery on our previous website: crepey skin around the eyes, sun damage across the face, melasma on the cheek, and the fine lines that gather around the mouth. Fraxel is planned as a series, so each of these is the sum of several sessions. Drag the handle to compare.
See all Fraxel resultsIndividual results vary. These photographs are from the treatment gallery on the practice's previous website and are not a guarantee of your own outcome.
See Fraxel at our office
A real Fraxel treatment filmed at our Montgomery Road office, and a short explainer on the science behind the laser.
If you would rather talk it through, a consultation covers everything you see here, for your skin.
Whatto expect.
Book a consultationCost varies by area and number of sessions, so we quote your series at consultation. Financing and multi-session packages are available.
Numbing cream sits for 30 to 45 minutes, then the laser pass itself takes 20 to 45 minutes depending on the area.
Expect sunburn-like redness and swelling, then bronzing and flaking around days 3 and 4. Most patients are back to normal activities within 3 to 5 days.
Improvement is progressive across 3 to 5 sessions as collagen matures. Results typically last one to two years, and longer with diligent sun protection and occasional maintenance sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Does Fraxel hurt?
Most patients describe a pins-and-needles or warm stinging sensation. Topical numbing cream and cooling keep it very manageable.
How much downtime does Fraxel have?
Skin looks and feels sunburned at first, then bronzes and flakes around days 3 and 4 and sheds by day 5 to 7. Most patients resume normal activities within 3 to 5 days.
How many sessions will I need?
Typically 3 to 5, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart. The result builds through the series as new collagen matures.
Is Fraxel safe for darker skin tones?
The 1550 nm wavelength is safe for Fitzpatrick types III to V with conservative settings and pre-treatment priming. For deeper tones, we may recommend Venus Viva, which does not rely on pigment at all.
What does Fraxel treat?
Fine lines and wrinkles, acne and surgical scars, hyperpigmentation, sun spots and melasma, enlarged pores, uneven tone and texture, mild laxity, and stretch marks.
How is Fraxel different from CO2 or ProFractional?
Fraxel is non-ablative: it renews skin without removing the surface, which is why downtime is days rather than a week or two. ProFractional removes microscopic columns of skin and CO2 resurfaces more deeply still, both trading extra recovery for a stronger correction.
What areas can be treated?
The face is most common, but Fraxel also treats the neck, chest, hands, and arms, anywhere sun damage and texture show.
How long do results last?
Results typically last one to two years, and longer with diligent sun protection. Many patients return for a maintenance session every 12 to 18 months.
Is Fraxel FDA cleared?
Yes. Fraxel is FDA cleared for skin resurfacing, and every treatment here is performed under physician supervision.
Where to next
Related treatment
BBL (BroadBand Light)
Sun damage, redness, and tone.
Explore the treatmentRelated concern
Lines & Wrinkles
Motion lines and creases that stay put
Start from the concernWorth reading
Fraxel for Fine Lines and Wrinkles: A Non-Surgical Anti-Aging Secret
Discover how Fraxel laser treatments reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage without surgery. Non-invasive skin rejuvenation.
Read the answerAsk about your skin.
Tell us what you would like to change and we will come back with the treatments that fit, honest expectations, and a time to talk it through.
Your details go straight to our Montgomery Road front desk and are never shared. A team member replies during office hours, usually the same day.
Ready when you are.
Book a consultation at our Montgomery Road office, or call and we will help you decide where to start.
Medically reviewed by Shalini Gupta, MD, Harvard-trained dermatologist and founder of The Dermatology, Laser & Vein Center. Last reviewed September 2026. This page is for education and is not a substitute for a personalized medical consultation.