Fractional Laser
Fractional laser is an umbrella term for a family of resurfacing lasers that treat the skin as a grid of microscopic zones rather than as one continuous surface, leaving intact tissue between the dots to speed healing. It is most often discussed for enlarged pores, fine lines, and rough texture, and it spans devices ranging from gentle to intensive.
- Acne scars
- Redness for 3–7 days, varies by depth
- Medical aesthetic
Overview
Fractional laser is not a single machine but a whole category of medical lasers that share the fractional approach. Commonly discussed concerns include enlarged pores, fine lines and early surface wrinkles, rough or dull texture, and depressed acne scars. It improves skin quality rather than structure: it cannot lift visibly sagging tissue the way surgery can, and expression lines driven by muscle movement are usually better discussed with a doctor as candidates for botulinum toxin or other approaches.
The most common dividing line within the category is whether tissue is vaporized. Ablative fractional lasers—represented by CO₂ and erbium types—create genuine micro-wounds in the skin, producing more change per session at the cost of a longer recovery. Non-ablative fractional lasers, such as devices working around the 1550 nm and 1927 nm wavelengths, heat columns of tissue without removing the surface, trading a gentler downtime for a plan of several sessions. Specific devices such as CO₂ fractional lasers, Fraxel, ResurFX, and Moxi have their own entries; this one maps the shared framework.
No community notes yet