[Fast Recovery] Erbium Fraxel

What are the unique features of Er:YAG Fraxel treatments at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic?

Utilizing Er:YAG instead of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser:

While CO2 lasers penetrate deeply into the skin, there is a relatively higher risk of heat-induced damage and post-treatment hyperpigmentation.

In contrast, Er:YAG laser is a Fraxel device designed to precisely reach the epidermal and dermal junction layers while minimizing thermal damage.

Customized Parameter Adjustment Based on Individual Skin Condition:

Rather than solely relying on the laser device's default settings, we meticulously assess each individual's skin condition to determine the appropriate treatment depth and intensity.

For thin skin, we apply multiple passes at low power, while for thicker skin, a single high-power approach is used. This meticulous adjustment minimizes skin burden during treatment.

Treatment Using Overlap Technique:

By applying multiple laser passes to specific problem areas such as fine wrinkles, various types of scars, and enlarged pores, we precisely control the treatment intensity.

Treatment is also possible for areas prone to age-related fine wrinkles, such as the back of the hands or the neck. While body areas are generally known to be challenging to treat, we proceed with separate settings, carefully considering the skin's regeneration rate and sebaceous gland density.

Expect Synergistic Fraxel Effects with Skin Booster Delivery Technique:

Immediately after Fraxel treatment, microscopic channels open up in the skin.

At this time, Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic applies a protocol where skin boosters are immediately applied, helping active ingredients to be effectively delivered to the dermis.

Considering areas with deep scars or varying skin thickness, we customize the number of overlaps and laser intensity to ensure sufficient channels reach the dermal junction.

When combining skin boosters with small particles like PDRN or Juvelook, active ingredients can be effectively absorbed into the dermis, which is crucial for regeneration. This is expected to have an even more positive impact on improving pores, fine wrinkles, and acne scars.

What is the definition of Fraxel Laser?

Fraxel is a name derived from the English word 'fractional,' referring to a method where laser energy is applied only to specific areas with microscopic gaps, rather than treating the entire skin surface at once.

It creates microscopic holes (channels) on the skin's surface, providing intentional stimulation, which helps activate the skin's natural regeneration process.

This method, which induces localized micro-damage, has the advantage of reducing skin recovery time while still allowing for overall skin condition improvement.

Comparing Ablative Fraxel and Non-Ablative Fraxel

Ablative Fraxel microscopically removes the epidermis from the skin's surface while delivering energy to the dermal junction. This method can directly help improve skin texture, wrinkles, and pigmentation, offering excellent results but requiring a certain period for recovery.

Non-ablative Fraxel is a method that delivers thermal energy to the dermis while preserving the epidermal layer. In this case, recovery is faster, but the improvement effects may be relatively limited compared to ablative methods.

At Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic, we use ablative Fraxel, specifically the Er:YAG laser.

Principle of Er:YAG Fraxel Laser

Er:YAG Fraxel is an ablative laser that utilizes a 2940nm wavelength, which is highly sensitive to the water content in the skin.

This wavelength allows for the precise vaporization and removal of tissue from the epidermis to the dermal junction. This offers the advantages of accurate treatment depth control, minimal thermal damage, and faster recovery.

Because it removes tissue using the water content within the tissue without causing unnecessary thermal damage to surrounding areas, the risk of post-treatment hyperpigmentation is relatively low, ensuring stable results.

Characteristics of DOE and MLA Methods

Fraxel laser energy delivery methods are broadly categorized into DOE (Diffractive Optical Element) and MLA (Microlens Array) methods. The DOE method uniformly distributes laser energy to all treatment points, allowing for relatively stable energy dispersion. However, it has output limitations, making the practitioner's expertise particularly crucial for scar treatment.

In contrast, the MLA method concentrates strong energy at the center, which then weakens towards the periphery. While this method can be advantageous for treating deep scars, there's a risk of excessive energy concentration in specific areas, potentially leading to longer recovery times.

Expected Effects of Er:YAG Fraxel Treatment

The Er:YAG Fraxel used at Kkeut Oriental Medicine Clinic employs the DOE method,

allowing for stable treatment by uniformly delivering laser energy across the entire skin surface.

This uniform energy delivery method can offer greater benefits for pore reduction, fine wrinkle alleviation, and skin texture improvement. Furthermore, significant improvement can be expected for issues like acne scars by utilizing the overlap technique in conjunction.

Collagen & Elastin Regeneration: It helps to organize damaged skin tissue and stimulate fibroblasts in the dermis, allowing the skin to become firmer and denser. This can improve the skin's feel, making it smoother and more elastic.

Pore Contraction: The reorganization of fibrous tissue around pores helps them contract, allowing the skin surface to become smoother and more refined.

Acne Scar Improvement: By inducing the breakdown of existing scar tissue and promoting the formation of new collagen tissue, a positive impact on overall skin texture improvement can be expected.

Medical Literature Related to Er:YAG Fraxel

Serdar ZA et al. Dermatol Ther. 2019:

Study on 333 patients with wrinkles in the face and neck areas.

Erbium-YAG Fraxel can help improve skin texture, wrinkles, and pigmentation after 3-4 sessions.

Robati RM et al., J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020 study findings:

Individuals seeking to improve facial pores or fine wrinkles may consider this procedure.

Even with a single session, you can expect an improvement in fine wrinkles.

Undergoing 3 or more sessions can help maintain long-term improvement effects along with pore tightening.

Thoughts from the Director and Medical Team

Every day, we examine the diverse skin conditions of many patients. We always keep in mind that even for the same person, skin condition varies daily.

For Fraxel treatments, it is crucial to finely adjust the laser output and depth according to the skin condition on that day. Considering this, we make delicate adjustments in 0.1 increments.

We approach each treatment daily with this meticulous care. We strive to provide accurate and safe procedures to our patients.

We believe that the perfection of Fraxel treatments comes not just from the equipment, but from the skilled hand techniques of the medical team.

We will do our best to meet the expectations of our visiting patients.

Procedure Features

• 
  
• 
  
• 01. Can help improve enlarged pores and acne scars.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 02. Creates micro-channels within the skin to uniformly induce skin regeneration.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 03. Can have a positive impact not only on skin tone but also on improving skin elasticity.
• 
  
• 
  

Recommended for

• 
  
• 
  
• 01. Those who desire a smooth and radiant skin tone.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 02. Those concerned about large pores or indented scars.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 03. Those who wish to improve marks left by acne.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 04. Those who desire to improve fine wrinkles or dull skin texture may also consider the procedure.
• 
  
• 
  

Treatable Areas

Can be applied to skin areas showing loss of elasticity or fine wrinkles, such as the face, neck, and back of the hands.

Procedure Steps

• 
  
• 
  
• STEP 01. Personalized Consultation
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• STEP 02. Anesthetic Cream Application
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• STEP 03. Fraxel Laser Treatment
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• STEP 04. Skin Soothing Care
• 
  
• 
  

Post-Procedure Precautions

• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍOn the day of the procedure, refrain from washing your face and applying makeup. It is recommended to gently wash your face starting from the next day.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍTip marks, redness, and pain may persist for about 7 days, and cooling care with an ice pack can be helpful.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍFraxel is a laser resurfacing procedure, so it is important to let the dead skin cells that appear 3-4 days after the procedure fall off naturally and not to forcibly remove them.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍUntil the dead skin cells have completely shed, please refrain from consuming alcohol, smoking, visiting saunas, public baths, or swimming pools.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍThe 1-2 weeks after the procedure, including the shedding of dead skin cells, is a period of skin regeneration, so it is recommended to consistently apply a regenerating ointment.
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• ㆍPay special attention to moisturizing care for skin soothing, and it is advisable to thoroughly apply sunscreen when going outdoors.
• 
  
•