New Image MedSpa Blog

What's difference between Fraxel, ActiveFx, Thermage and other treatments claiming to tighten and fix aging skin?  To understand the difference,  you first have to understand the types of lasers being used.  For ablative (means you're removing layers of skin) treatments, you're usually dealing with a completely ablative treatment (either CO2 or Erbium laser) or a fractional laser (also CO2 or Erbium or YSGG).  A fractional laser "fractionates" or disperses the laser energy through a device similar to a "sieve".  By separating the laser energy, only a portion of the skin is treated. The wound healing process then forces the untreated skin to coagulate and push out the treated areas.  Fractional treatments typically require several treatments to get good results, while ablative treatments require one treatment.  The downside with ablative treatments is the recovery period. For CO2 ablative you need about 3 to 4 weeks to heal properly. We offer a combination treatment where we treat with Fractional CO2 (goes in deeper than erbium for superior tightening!), and Erbium that treats the top layers of the skin for a finished smooth appearance.  The recovery period is about 4 - 7 days. So what about Thermage?  Well, Thermage uses RF energy, not a laser, and it basically heats the deep layers of the skin to create a tightening effect.  Great for skin laxity but really doesn't improve the appearance or texture of the skin.  Have you had one of these treatments?  Tell us about your experience.