Fraxel Laser Explained: What It Does and How FSX Compares
Medical Director Dr Sin Yong explains what a Fraxel laser is, what its wavelengths do, and how the FSX Laser used at IN Eternity Clinic compares.
WhatsApp to Enquire →Key facts ↓Fraxel laser is a non-ablative fractional laser brand from Solta Medical that heats microscopic columns of skin at 1550 nm and 1927 nm. IN Eternity Clinic does not offer Fraxel; its comparable option is the FSX Laser.
- Fraxel uses two wavelengths: the maker lists 1550 nm for skin resurfacing and 1927 nm for resurfacing including actinic keratosis on its Fraxel FTX system [1].
- The columns are microscopic: in the first fractional photothermolysis studies at about 1,500 nm, each treated zone was about 100 micrometres wide and 300 micrometres deep, and the surface had re-covered within a day [2].
- Complications were uncommon but real: in 961 treatments with a 1,550 nm fractional laser, 73 led to a complication, most often acne-like breakouts or cold sores, each in about 2 in 100 [3].
- Asian skin can darken: in 37 Chinese patients having 1,540 nm fractional resurfacing, generalised darkening followed about 7 in 100 sessions with one setting and 12 in 100 with a denser one [4].
- 1927 nm in Asian skin: in 27 people with skin types II to IV given three 1927 nm thulium sessions a month apart, no darkening or other adverse events were reported [5].
What is a Fraxel laser?
Fraxel is a brand name for a family of fractional lasers made by Solta Medical. The current system pairs a 1550 nm and a 1927 nm wavelength to heat tiny columns of skin without removing the surface [1].
Fractional means the beam is split into thousands of microscopic columns with untouched skin between them, so the skin heals from the sides within days. The principle and the lasers used at IN Eternity Clinic are explained on fractional laser in Singapore. IN Eternity Clinic does not offer Fraxel; non-ablative fractional work here is done with the FSX Laser, which uses thulium and erbium glass energy. Related guides are under hair and skin quality.
| Fraxel (another brand) | FSX Laser (at IN Eternity) | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker or protocol | Solta Medical | IN Eternity Clinic protocol on a thulium and erbium glass platform |
| Energy | 1550 nm and 1927 nm | Thulium and erbium glass, in multiple passes |
| Type | Non-ablative fractional | Non-ablative fractional |
| Usual uses | Texture, fine lines, sun damage, some scars | Fine lines, crepey skin, heavy upper eyelids, texture, superficial scars |
| Typical course | Several sessions; the maker says up to five may be appropriate | Usually three to five sessions, four to six weeks apart |
What is the difference between 1550 nm and 1927 nm?
Both are absorbed by water in the skin. 1550 nm reaches deeper into the dermis for texture and fine lines; 1927 nm is absorbed more strongly near the surface, so it works on tone and sun damage.
That pairing, a deeper and a shallower wavelength in one session plan, is the idea behind most modern non-ablative fractional platforms, and it is also how the FSX Laser is built: thulium passes near the surface for tone and fine texture, erbium glass passes deeper to prompt collagen remodelling. In a prospective study of a 1927 nm thulium laser in Asian skin, three monthly sessions were reported without darkening [5], though small studies cannot speak for every skin.
| Wavelength | Where it acts | Typical targets |
|---|---|---|
| 1550 nm (erbium-doped fibre or erbium glass) | Deeper columns in the dermis | Texture, fine lines, superficial acne scars |
| 1927 nm (thulium) | Shallower, closer to the surface | Uneven tone, sun damage, dull texture |
| 10,600 nm (CO2, ablative) | Vaporises columns; deepest reach | Deeper acne scars and textural change |
Is Fraxel ablative or non-ablative?
The current Fraxel system is non-ablative: it heats columns of tissue but leaves the surface in place [1]. That is why recovery is measured in days rather than a week.
Ablative fractional lasers, such as the CO2 laser, vaporise the columns instead. They reach further and change more per session, with more downtime and a higher risk of darkening in Asian skin. Which family suits you depends on the problem: deep rolling acne scars usually need ablative reach, while crepey skin, tone and fine texture are usually better served by a non-ablative course.
What is the downtime after a Fraxel-type laser?
Usually a sunburnt feeling for a few hours, redness and swelling for a day or two, then a bronzed, sandpaper look and fine peeling around days three to four.
The maker describes the burning feeling settling within one to three hours and peeling around day three to four after a face treatment [1]. In the early studies of fractional photothermolysis, the surface had re-covered within a day [2]. After FSX at IN Eternity Clinic, redness usually settles within a couple of hours, with light scabs for three to seven days after stronger passes. Day-by-day recovery after the ablative option is in CO2 laser downtime, day by day.
Is Fraxel safe for Asian skin?
Non-ablative fractional lasers are used in Asian skin, but darkening after treatment is a recognised risk, and it rises with density and heat.
In Chinese patients having 1,540 nm fractional resurfacing, denser treatment was linked with more darkening [4]. In a large series of 1,550 nm treatments, darkening was the one complication more frequent in darker skin types [3], and reviews note more complications in darker phototypes and sensitive areas [6].
- Density is kept moderate on skin types III to V; treating more of the skin at once does not heal faster.
- Tanned or irritated skin waits.
- Sunscreen and shade every day of the weeks after, which in Singapore means every day.
- Melasma is not a routine target for heat-based fractional lasers; it has its own approach on melasma treatment.
“Patients ask for a brand. What the skin responds to is a wavelength, a depth and a density. If those are matched to your skin, the name on the machine matters much less than the person setting it.”
How does Fraxel compare with FSX, fractional CO2 and fractional pico?
They sit on a scale of depth and downtime. Fractional CO2 reaches deepest with the longest recovery; Fraxel-type and FSX lasers heat without removing the surface; fractional pico works by pressure rather than heat.
| Laser | Type | Typical downtime | Pigment risk in skin types III to V | At IN Eternity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional CO2 (DEKA Tetra PRO) | Ablative, 10,600 nm | About 5 to 7 days, pink for weeks | Highest; lowered with settings and aftercare | Offered |
| Fraxel (1550 and 1927 nm) | Non-ablative | One to three days, peeling around days 3 to 4 | Moderate; density matters | Not offered; comparison only |
| FSX Laser (thulium and erbium glass) | Non-ablative | Redness for hours; light scabs after stronger passes | Lower, but not absent | Offered |
| Fractional pico | Non-thermal, photoacoustic | Hours to a day | Lower | Offered |
For scars, the choices are compared in CO2 vs RF microneedling vs pico for acne scars. The FSX protocol itself is described on FSX Laser.
How many Fraxel sessions are usually needed?
Usually several. The maker notes that results can be seen after one treatment but that up to five may be appropriate [1].
Non-ablative lasers change less per session than ablative ones, so they work as a course. At IN Eternity Clinic, FSX is usually planned as three to five sessions four to six weeks apart, with maintenance discussed afterwards. Spacing lets the skin settle and lets the doctor judge the response against photographs before adding more heat.
What can a Fraxel-type laser treat, and what can it not?
Non-ablative fractional lasers are mainly used for texture, fine lines, enlarged pores, sun damage and superficial scars. They are not a lifting treatment, and they are not the first choice for melasma or deep acne scars.
- Good fit: rough or dull texture, fine lines, crepey skin around the eyes, early sun damage, shallow scars.
- Partial fit: rolling acne scars, which often also need subcision or deeper treatment; see acne scar treatment.
- Poor fit: melasma, keloids, active acne, and sagging that comes from deeper layers; see skin tightening.
What Dr Sin Yong looks for
- Whether the problem is on the surface (tone, fine texture) or in the dermis (scars, lines), which decides depth.
- Your skin type and how easily you darken after spots or past treatments.
- Melasma or a tendency to it, which changes the whole plan.
- Recent sun, tanning, active acne or irritation in the area.
- How much downtime you can take, which steers between a non-ablative course and an ablative session.
- What you have had before, including any laser abroad, and how your skin responded.
General clinical observations used at consultation; they describe what is checked, not any individual result.
Frequently asked questions
Does IN Eternity Clinic offer Fraxel?
No. Non-ablative fractional treatment at IN Eternity Clinic uses the FSX Laser, which combines thulium and erbium glass energy. Fraxel is described here for comparison.
Is FSX the same as Fraxel?
No. Both are non-ablative fractional lasers that pair a shallower and a deeper wavelength, but they are different systems. Settings matter more than the brand.
Is Fraxel painful?
It feels hot and prickly during treatment, and the maker describes a sunburn feeling for one to three hours afterwards. Numbing cream is normally used for this kind of laser.
Can Fraxel remove acne scars?
It can soften shallow scars and texture over several sessions. Deeper rolling, boxcar or icepick scars usually need other steps, such as subcision, TCA CROSS or an ablative laser.
Is Fraxel good for pigmentation?
The 1927 nm wavelength is used for sun damage and uneven tone. Melasma is different: heat can worsen it, so it is treated on its own plan.
How long do Fraxel results last?
Collagen changes build over months and can last, but skin keeps ageing and sun keeps damaging it. Maintenance and sunscreen decide how long it looks that way.
What is the difference between Fraxel and CO2 laser?
Fraxel heats columns of skin and leaves the surface in place; fractional CO2 vaporises them. CO2 reaches deeper with more downtime and a higher darkening risk in Asian skin.
Book an assessment
IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210. By appointment with Medical Director Dr Sin Yong. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. WhatsApp or call +65 8815 3008. At IN Eternity Clinic a consultation fee applies, and it is waived if you go ahead with any medical treatment; the fee is S$120.
International KOL — CLASSYS · HIRONIC · DEKA · ALMA · FOTONA · LUTRONIC
References
- Solta Medical (Bausch Health). Fraxel FTX, official product site (fraxel.com). Read 29 October 2026. fraxel.com
- Manstein D, Herron GS, Sink RK, Tanner H, Anderson RR. Fractional photothermolysis: a new concept for cutaneous remodeling using microscopic patterns of thermal injury. Lasers Surg Med 2004;34(5):426-438. doi:10.1002/lsm.20048
- Graber EM, Tanzi EL, Alster TS. Side effects and complications of fractional laser photothermolysis: experience with 961 treatments. Dermatol Surg 2008;34(3):301-307. doi:10.1097/00042728-200803000-00003
- Chan HH, Manstein D, Yu CS, et al. The prevalence and risk factors of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after fractional resurfacing in Asians. Lasers Surg Med 2007;39(5):381-385. doi:10.1002/lsm.20512
- Li X, Qin S, Shi S, et al. Prospective study of efficacy and safety of non-ablative 1927 nm fractional thulium fiber laser in Asian skin photoaging. Front Surg 2023;10:1076848. doi:10.3389/fsurg.2023.1076848
- Metelitsa AI, Alster TS. Fractionated laser skin resurfacing treatment complications: a review. Dermatol Surg 2010;36(3):299-306. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2009.01434.x
These sources describe mechanisms and general evidence. They are not a promise of any individual result; suitability is decided at an in-person assessment.