The laser targets sun-damaged or scarred skin using numerous tiny, focused columns of laser light. The microscopic beams penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, breaking down old, damaged tissue and stimulating the body's natural healing processes to produce new, healthier skin.

Although it cannot be seen with the naked eye, the laser is designed to target only a fraction of the skin’s surface area during each treatment session. The remaining microscopically untreated skin helps rapidly heal the treated areas, promoting a quicker recovery.

This device is considered “non-ablative” (or “non-wounding”), meaning that it spares the surface of the skin while effectively making changes to the deeper layers. Microscopically small but deeply penetrating and highly effective CO2 laser "microbeams" remove old sun-damaged and scarred tissue, stimulating the body to produce substantial amounts of new, healthy collagen. This phase of the treatment is called “Deep FX™.”

In addition, most patients elect to have the surface of their skin treated with a second, more superficial laser pass known as Active FX™, which helps blend color imperfections and further refines skin texture. Depending on the patient’s specific goals, Deep FX™ and Active FX™ laser passes may be performed alone or in combination during one treatment session. When performed together, the treatment is called Total FX™.

The Fraxel® re:store laser is safe for all skin types and may be used to improve the appearance of skin at nearly any body site including the face, neck, chest, and hands. Wrinkles, acne scarring, sun damage, and melasma (the "mask of pregnancy") may all be improved with this laser therapy. Patients especially appreciate the laser’s ability to safely treat not only facial skin, but also other areas of the body.

Treatment for Fractionated Laser Resurfacing & Rejuvenation at U-M Health is offered by two expert clinical teams: 

• Cosmetic Dermatology & Laser Center
• Center for Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Down time is usually minimal after the treatments, with redness and sometimes mild swelling generally resolving within a few days. Maximum results are typically achieved through a series of three to six treatment sessions.

The skin's appearance may be quickly enhanced, and it can continue to improve for months after the treatments. Because this device produces tiny openings in the skin’s surface, there is a period of a few days after treatment when patients experience significant swelling, redness, and some oozing of serum from the treated skin's surface.

However, healing after this treatment is relatively rapid, with minimal care required for about a week. Redness of the treated skin generally resolves over the subsequent week. Most patients' appearance will not only be substantially improved after about ten days, but will also continue to improve for months following this unique laser therapy as the treated skin creates more collagen.

New collagen formation is stimulated by this treatment, and over time the skin may gradually "rebuild" from the inside to restore a more youthful appearance and feel. The new collagen softens the appearance of aging skin and scars. Wrinkles, acne scarring, sun damage, and melasma (the "mask of pregnancy") may all be improved with this laser therapy. The result is smoother, fresher, more uniform, and healthier-looking skin.

The result of fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing is generally a significantly improved appearance of the treated skin, with wrinkles and scars substantially diminished and skin color made more uniform. The results are very natural, and patients are pleased to see that they simply look like a refreshed and more youthful version of themselves.

Research performed by U-M Health has demonstrated the molecular changes that underlie the positive clinical results with this laser treatment. Our physicians have been actively researching the molecular mechanisms whereby this device produces such positive changes in the skin’s appearance so that we may optimize treatment settings for our patients. Because of extensive research done here at the University of Michigan regarding the molecular effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy, we are uniquely positioned to maximize the benefits of this treatment for our patients.