In practice the delivery systems are far more sophisticated than the above fly screen analogy in that Palomar uses tiny individually focused lens and Fraxel uses a rolling delivery system with tracking gel.
Names like Fraxel, Starlux 1540, & Lux 1540 are brand names being used by manufacturers to market their products. However to call the technology by the brand name would be like asking for a HOLDEN when you are looking for a car to suite your specific needs. Holden is an individual brand car made by General Motors and may or may not fit your performance requirements.
The main advantage of Fractional Technology is that it removes the “bulk heating” effect of conventional lasers and breaks up that heat effect into small zones. These coagulated micro thermal zones [MTZ’s] achieve a similar end result with much less collateral damage. Each MTZ is only microns wide with maybe a millimeter between them [PITCH] In the case of Starlux Fractional hand pieces one head has 100 MTZ’s in a 10mm space and another has 320 in a 15mm space. Clearly the pitch is smaller on the 15mm head.
F.T would not have been as sensational as it is if it hadn’t arrived at the same time as new laser wavelengths (1540/1550nm) which introduced new and better treatments. These treatments include Melasma, Scar Revision and a more gentle way to treat wrinkles.
The advantage of the 1540 or 1550nm laser wave lengths is they attract well to water but also are long enough to penetrate deeply into the dermis. They don’t have to blast their way down cell by cell as CO2 does; or to a lesser extent the 2940nm Erbium Yag.
Fractionalizing 2940 nm Erbium Yag also has an advantage over conventional Erbium Yag but its application is more for surface work. Its best application is for removing non pigmented lesions. i.e. they have no melanin to attract the lower (500 nm+) wavelengths of light. Thus it is used as a skin resurfacing laser without the long healing downtime associated with conventional lasers.
The history of Fractional Technology starts with Palomar Medical Technologies Inc (USA) obtaining patents in conjunction with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. However Reliant Technologies Inc [USA] later also worked with M G Hospital and was first to the market with the brand name “FRAXEL.” They were happy to settle for a single use laser whereas Palomar sought to advance the technology by incorporating laser capabilities into hand pieces that attach to a multi purpose system.
Ongoing clinical studies prove that the fractional 1540/1550nm Erbium Glass lasers really work. Both systems reach a depth of 1.5mm although Palomar have 100mj/MTZ available compared to Fraxel’s 70mj/MTZ
For the first time melasma could be lightened. Not cured, but kept at bay and clearance maintained. Significant improvements can also be made to scars of all kinds. Particularly old acne scars are rejuvenated better than with any other modality. The reduction of fine line wrinkles is another important clinical use for the fractional 1540/1550nm Erbium lasers.
The 2 main manufacturers of 1540 or1550nm Erbium Glass lasers are:-
FRAXEL by Reliant technologies Inc.
This is a stand alone 1550 nm Erbium Glass Laser made by Reliant. Relevant specifications include power outputs of 40microjoules/MTZ or 70mj/MTZ and pulse widths (dwell time on skin) close to 500msecs [unpublished]. The long dwell times are painful and the need for anesthetic cream, valium, and costly disposable tips are significant downsides for the Fraxel.
Lux 1540 Fractional by Palomar Medical Technologies Inc.
This is a hand piece for the Starlux IPL / Laser system operating at 1540 nm as an Erbium Glass Laser. Specifications include 100microjoules/ MTZ and pulse widths of 10 or15msecs. Skin contact cooling and the ability to deliver high power without needing long pulse widths give the Lux 1540 the advantage of reducing pain and the need for anesthetics.
Palomar are so keen on Fractional Technology that they are fractionalizing 4 of their 12 hand pieces for Starlux one of which is a fractionalized IPL hand piece. They are as follows:-
Lux1540 for melasma, wrinkles, and scar revision.
Lux2940 for skin resurfacing.
LuxIR-IPL 825nm to 1350nm for skin tightening.
Lux2780 soon to be released.
