Fraxel is a laser treatment used to improve one's appearance by gently treating fine lines and wrinkles, skin discoloration and irregularities resulting from age and skin damage. The technology involves beaming microscopic laser columns to the skin, removing older or damaged skin while stimulating the production of healthier skin. Although approved by the FDA, there are several side effects and risks that should be carefully considered before making any treatment decisions.
Sunburn Pain & Symptoms
According to the Fraxel.com website, most patients will feel sunburned for as long as 24 hours after treatment. During this time you can wear makeup and moisturizer to help minimize the redness, after which time your skin will take on a natural "bronze" tone. The website also claims that as with a natural sunburn, it is common for skin to peel and flake before returning to normal. According to the Baylor School of Medicine Dermatology Department website, a numbing cream and cooling device used immediately after treatment help to keep the pain at a 3 to 5 on a pain scale of 1 to 10, and the redness usually subsides anywhere from one to two days after treatment. Anecdotal evidence available on the Internet via user forums such as skincarerx.com and realself.com, however, paint a different story. They suggest pain and redness can last for several days following treatment.
Swelling
Both Fraxel.com and the Baylor College of Medicine website indicate any facial swelling is minimal and subsides within 48 hours. The intensity and duration of this and other side effects, according to Fraxel's site, will depend on how aggressive the treatment is and how well your skin naturally heals, which means there is wiggle room in this healing time frame and it may in fact take longer. User forums such as those mentioned in Section 1 are filled with people who have complained that swelling was severe and lasted much longer than the two-day time frame.
Permanent Skin Damage
Although rare, the Fraxel website does claim "there is a very limited risk of infection, hyperpigmentation or scarring," and that "delayed wound healing, scarring, crusting or scabbing, infection from bacterial, viral or fungal agents, pigmentary changes, herpes reactivation and acne flare-up" is possible. While the risks are low, as this technology is considered to be very gentle, they nevertheless exist, as outlined in the below-referenced 2009 article appearing on the Boston news website WBZTV.com titled "Patients Warn of Damaging Fraxel Side Effects."
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