At ALC Med Spa in Gurnee, IL, we pride ourselves on staying abreast of the safest, most effective aesthetic tools. We understand that nobody can stop the aging process, but we strive to reverse the visible effects of aging and damage on the skin. That’s why we are excited about the opportunity to talk about the Fractora skin resurfacing.
Amazing Benefits of Fractora
It Is Safe for All Skin Types, Tones and Textures
While this isn’t a direct skin resurfacing benefit, it certainly is one of the most compelling benefits of skin resurfacing treatment with the Fractora laser device, since laser skin resurfacing treatments have very strict requirements regarding who is a good candidate.
For instance, the ideal candidate for a laser must have fair skin and dark hair. This revolutionary device, however, is color blind. Since there are no lasers involved, there is no risk of burning surrounding skin, muscle and hair cells. While lasers can be adjusted to make them safer and more effective for people with certain skin tones, technology is still severely lacking.
It Minimizes Dark Spots
Whether you have sunspots or age spots, hiding dark spots on your skin is difficult. First, there is a social stigma that prevents most men from wearing makeup to cover any facial flaws. Second, even the most expensive cosmetics struggle to hide dark spots, particularly if you have fairer skin.
With radiofrequency skin resurfacing, collagen production is encouraged. This leads to cellular turnover. In other words, the dead skin cells that make up the outer layers of your skin are replaced with fresh, healthy skin cells that are unaffected by uneven pigmentation.
It Gives You Smoother, Wrinkle-Free Skin
Smooth out wrinkles with Fractora, it combines the incredible power of radiofrequency with microneedling. Microneedling, also known as collagen induction therapy, strongly encourages your body to produce new collagen. Collagen is the protein found in the foundational layers of your skin. One of its most important roles is adding volume.
There are several potential causes of wrinkles. However, one of the most common causes of wrinkles is volume loss. Unfortunately, once you reach the age of 30, your skin starts to produce collagen at a drastically reduced rate. Even worse, your existing collagen is rapidly weakening. Microneedling gives your skin the boost it needs so it can add volume and smooth wrinkles.
It Gives You Tighter Skin
Have you ever noticed that people in their 30s and 40s have skin that has started to sag? This can be caused by weight loss. It can be caused by UV ray damage, alcohol consumption, or nicotine consumption. However, no matter how healthy you try to be, you may find that your skin starts to sag when you reach your 30s. Again, this is due to weakening existing collagen.
It is also due to less new collagen being produced. While the aging process hits you from two sides, Fractora results are affecting the aging process from two sides right back. When the needles penetrate your skin during the microneedling portion of the treatment, “micro-injuries” occur, leading to collagen production. When the RF warms your skin, collagen production is encouraged.
It Plays Well With Other Treatments
Skin resurfacing can work wonders for the health and appearance of your skin. However, it does not correct every skin problem under the sun. While it non-invasively tightens the skin and smooths wrinkles, some wrinkles are caused by muscle hyperactivity and can’t be fixed with this treatment.
For these cases, you need to receive neuromodulator treatments, such as Botox or Dysport. While there are some aesthetic services that cannot be performed within several weeks of other aesthetic services, there are no such restrictions with this microneedling and radiofrequency treatment.
It Improves Skin Tone and Texture
As you age, you don’t just have to worry about loose, sagging, and wrinkled skin. Your skin can look generally unhealthy. In other words, your skin may appear dull and ruddy. It may feel rough to the touch and look leathery. Because microneedling encourages cellular turnover, old, dead skin cells are replaced with younger, healthier skin cells.
It Offers Results That Improve Over Time
Some of the most significant benefits of this treatment are due to the development of new collagen. However, this takes time. Therefore, the results of the treatment will continue to improve over the course of one to three months. At this point, you can enjoy the final results of your treatment for a full year.
While you can enjoy the physical benefits of this treatment for 15 months, we strongly encourage our clients to come in for a follow-up appointment a year after your initial treatment. This ensures that there is enough time for the follow-up treatment to take full effect before the results of the initial treatment have worn off.
How to Prepare for Treatment
To prepare for treatment, wash your face with a gentle cleanser and warm water. You should come in with a clean face. In other words, you should not be wearing any makeup, sunscreen, piercings, lotions, or topical medications. If you have a history of cold sores, you should take prophylactic antiviral therapy in the 10 days leading up to your treatment.
What to Expect During Treatment
You will experience no pain or discomfort during your treatment, but if you feel apprehensive about needles, you can request a prescription-strength topical anesthetic be applied to the treatment area. After 15 minutes, the area is numb and treatment begins. The treatment lasts a mere 15 to 20 minutes.
If you are feeling any anxiety about your treatment, just let us know as soon as you can. We can prescribe you an oral sedative to ease your worries. If you need an oral sedative, make sure you have someone to drive you to and from your treatment.
During Microneedling
During the microneedling portion of your treatment, we will make pinpricks with fine-gauge needles attached to the SkinPen device. The SkinPen is the only FDA-approved dermal roller. The length and gauge of the needles depend on your specific circumstances, but the gauge of the needle will never be excessively large.
The most important thing to know about what to expect during microneedling is that treatment isn’t painful, even without a topical anesthetic. It feels like sandpaper is being brushed over your skin.
What to Expect After Treatment
Because this treatment is non-invasive, there isn’t a lot of post-treatment care. However, there are some things we recommend our clients do after treatment. First, you should rest. You are more than welcome to go to work, but we encourage our clients to go home and take a nap. Apply ointment and cool compresses to the area if it feels warm.
You will immediately notice that your skin looks tighter, smoother, and brighter. However, it will take three to four days for your skin to peel and reveal the healthy layer of skin underneath the superficial layer of skin cells. Avoid using potentially irritating products in the first three to four weeks after treatment. Examples include retinols and vitamin C.
How to Care for Your Skin After Treatment
Remember, it can take three to four days for the upper layers of your skin to peel off. There are several things you can do to ensure you don’t suffer from any unintended consequences.
Don’t Touch Your Face
It can be tempting to “help along” the skin peeling process by peeling your skin with your fingers. However, this can lead to acne breakouts and other unintended consequences. Make a conscious effort to not touch your face.
Pull Your Hair Up
Most people touch their face unintentionally when they brush their hair out of their face. To protect your face from unintended touching, pull your hair into a bun if it is long enough and it usually gets in your face throughout the day. If it is not long enough to be pulled into a bun but long enough to hang down in front of your face, pull it into a ponytail.
Don’t Over-Moisturize
Just as you don’t want to artificially accelerate the skin peeling process, you don’t want to slow it down, either. This means that you should not over-moisturize your skin. Using a gentle moisturizer such as Aquaphor or Vaseline once daily is adequate for most people. If you have very dry skin, you can moisturize twice daily.
Bathe Carefully
Make sure the cleanser you wash your face with is gentle. If you experience any irritation before treatment, you will definitely want to switch your facial soap. Bathe or shower with warm water and wash your face gently. Once you’re done, pat your face dry with a soft towel. Do not rub your skin dry aggressively.
Protect Your Skin From the Sun
Protecting your skin from the sun is always important. UVA and UVB rays emitted by the sun destroy existing collagen and slow your skin’s production rate of collagen. This leads to premature signs of aging and negates the effects of treatment. However, it is of the utmost importance that you avoid unprotected sun exposure in the first month after treatment.
You know how when you cut your grass too short, the grass burns and browns? This occurs because the short blades have been protected from the sun’s rays for their entire existence. The same thing can happen to the new upper layer of your skin. You are far more likely to burn in the first four weeks after treatment. Wear a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen. Reapply every four hours.
Good Candidates for Treatment
We’ve already talked about how this treatment is safe and effective for all skin types, tones, and textures. However, there are several things we have to consider when determining if this treatment is right for you or not. For instance, we look at your medical history and current health. We also look at your current aesthetic and aesthetic goals.
In general, we look for clients who are suffering from fine lines, moderate wrinkles, or deep folds caused by volume loss. If your wrinkles are caused by hyperactive muscles, you would be a better candidate for a neuromodulator treatment.
Discover How to Enhance the Aesthetic of Your Skin!
Do you suffer from acne or acne scars? Are you starting to see wrinkles in the mirror? Do you suffer from hyperpigmentation, sunspots, or age spots? If you think your skin could benefit from a little tender, loving care, Fractora may be right for you.
To discover if you are a good candidate for this revolutionary treatment, we strongly encourage you to contact us today at ALC Med Spa in Gurnee, IL to schedule your initial consultation. We can’t wait to meet you and tailor a treatment plan for your unique needs. You deserve to feel comfortable and confident in your skin.
