Fractional Skin Resurfacing and Skin Tightening with Pixel

What is the Pixel?
The Pixel 2940 Erbium Laser is an FDA-approved resurfacing laser that can dramatically improve your skin’s appearance without the downtime and discomfort usually required with traditional resurfacing.  A typical patient would receive three to five Pixel treatments.  During each one, the laser creates thousands of microscopic spots known as “pixels.”  Because only about 20% of the surface area is affected during each treatment, this technology combines the best of both worlds – the great and proven results of a traditional laser with little pain and little downtime.

How does it work?  
Think of your skin like a digital photograph which can be repaired pixel by pixel.  The laser beam passes through the patented PIXEL micro optics lens and penetrates the skin. It creates a microscopic wound that will heal and stimulate the skin to produce collagen while tightening and improving its texture. 

What does it treat?  
It is a safe and effective way to treat sun damage, stubborn pigmentation, acne scars, rough texture, enlarged pores, fine lines and skin laxity on the face, neck, chest, arms and hands with essentially no downtime. 

How many treatments will it takes to see the best results?  
Depending on the degree of damage to your skin and desired results, most patients require 3 – 5 treatments spaced 2 – 4 weeks apart.

How much improvement can I expect?  
Patients can expect to see improvement in the color, texture and quality of the skin within a week or two after the treatment; however, more significant improvement will be seen after the series of treatments is complete. The new collagen will continue to rebuild for months after your last treatment.

What does the treatment feel like?  
There is virtually minimal, if any, discomfort during the procedure.  Rarely, a mild burning sensation may occur.

What can I expect after the treatment?  
Immediately following treatment your skin will have a burning or stinging sensation for several hours. Most patients experience mild redness and flaking for several days after treatment. 

A lot of excitement has been generated by the introduction of the ‘fractionated’ laser treatment. There are a few different varieties of fractionated laser, such as PIXEL and Fraxel. The reason for the excitement is that these lasers offer the opportunity for reduced ‘downtime’ after treatment.

Pixel is the next generation of fractional laser resurfacing that helps to improve skin texture, tone and firmness, smoothes wrinkles, and reduces pore size and scars (including acne scars) without the downtime and discomfort associated with other resurfacing lasers. This FDA-approved treatment represents the best of both worlds for skin resurfacing: it combines the proven effectiveness of an ablative approach with the client comfort level and convenience of a non-ablative approach. Pixel skin resurfacing is based on the principle of microthermal treatment zones. The laser pulses create tiny ablative zones, removing the epidermis and upper dermis. The treatment then triggers the body’s natural healing process, stimulating the growth of new, healthy skin tissue.

The idea (simplified here) is that with each laser pass, the amount of skin actually ‘hit’ with the laser is only a ‘fraction’ of the area covered. That is, a single pass with the laser may only actually ‘hit’ 25% of the skin. The benefit is that the surrounding, unaffected skin act as a reservoir for more effective and rapid tissue healing and collagen production. This is in distinction to standard ‘resurfacing’ laser techniques, in which the entire surface of the skin is affected.

In addition, unlike some other fractional lasers (i.e. Fraxel), Pixel requires no topical anesthetic or messy dyes, therefore reducing the risk of a bronzing or tattooing effect. Clients experience less pain during the treatment and a shorter recovery period.

Common areas to be treated include the face, neck, chest, hands and arms. Generally, treatment involves two to four sessions, at four week intervals. There is little or no discomfort during the treatment. Most commonly, clients feel some slight warmth with the pulse of the laser. Clients experience a sunburn-like sensation afterward (3-4 hours) that is easily neutralized with a gentle moisturizer. Make-up can be applied immediately afterward. Some flaking will be experienced for one or two days with full recovery in about five days. Your skin will look better within days following the treatment, and results steadily improve over the next few months.