Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and prevention is a top priority for many patients. Beyond sun protection and regular dermatologic exams, emerging research suggests that certain laser treatments may influence long term skin health. In this blog, Dr. Payvand Kamrani explores what patients should know about non-ablative fractional lasers like Fraxel Dual and the potential role they may play in reducing future skin cancer risk.
What is the Fraxel Dual Laser?
The Fraxel Dual laser is a type of non-ablative fractional laser that treats your skin by creating thousands of tiny, microscopic treatment zones in the deeper layers of your skin while leaving the surrounding tissue untouched. This laser creates tiny columns of controlled injury that stimulate your skin’s natural healing response without removing the entire surface layer.
The Fraxel Dual gets its name because it uses TWO wavelengths (1,550 nm and 1,927 nm) to target the skin. This treatment triggers new collagen production and helps replace damaged skin cells with fresh, healthy ones. Because only a fraction of your skin is treated at once and the surrounding parts of the skin are left untreated, you heal much faster than with older, more aggressive laser treatments. For more information on Fraxel healing, review our recent blog.
The laser is FDA-approved for treating wrinkles, sun damage, age spots, melasma, acne scars, and actinic keratoses (precancerous spots). Studies show that approximately 5.4 million basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas (the most common type of skin cancer) are diagnosed annually in the United States, making prevention strategies increasingly important!
Skin Cancer Explained
There are many kinds of skin cancers, but the most common types include:
- Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common, accounting for about 80% of all skin cancers. This can appear as a small pink bump that may bleed on its own. While they rarely spread to other parts of the body, they can cause significant local damage if left untreated.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) makes up about 20% of skin cancers. These often look like red, scaly patches or firm bumps with crusting. SCC has a higher risk of spreading than BCC, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
- Melanoma represents only about 1-2% of all skin cancers but can be more aggressive. Melanoma can appear as a new or changing mole with irregular borders, multiple colors, or an asymmetric shape.
Fraxel Laser and Skin Cancer Prevention
There have now been many studies showing the benefits of Fraxel dual and reducing your risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers – the two most common types!
A groundbreaking study found that when a group of patients were tracked over 36 months, a single laser treatment results in significantly fewer skin cancers. The laser group only developed two skin cancers during the study, compared to 24 skin cancers in the non-laser treated group. They also had a huge reduction in actinic keratosis, also known as pre-cancerous lesions.
A second study also found that the Fraxel Dual laser treatment resulted in a 48% lower risk of developing new basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers on the face compared to those who did not receive the laser treatment. Their results also lasted years after the treatment.
It works by a few ways: removing DNA-damaged cells that have been harmed by sun exposure that could potentially become cancerous, rejuvenating aging cells, which allows your body to help repair sun-damaged cells, and lastly increases your body’s own immune response against abnormal pre-cancerous cells.
Where on the Body Can the Fraxel Laser Be Done?
The best thing about the Fraxel Dual is that it is so versatile and can be done on any body area! The most common areas we do it are for the face (including around the eyes for extra collagen production and tightening), neck, chest, hands and arms, shoulders, and legs.
The face, neck, chest, and hands are particularity popular areas as these are the most sun exposed areas – and are the locations that the majority of skin cancers develop!
For men, the scalp is a very common area we treat and a location that gets often forgotten about when it comes time to apply sunscreen.
Important Considerations with Fraxel Laser and Skin Cancer Prevention
While Fraxel Dual laser treatment shows promise for skin cancer prevention, it shouldn’t be the only thing you are doing to reduce your risk! This is especially important because Fraxel Dual does not reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer, which is one of the most aggressive forms on skin cancer.
- Sunscreen every day! Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher is the cornerstone for skin cancer prevention. This should be applied daily, regardless of the weather
- Regular skin checks are still necessary. Did you know that once you have had one skin cancer, you have a 40% chance of developing another in 5 years? Because of that it is important and highly recommended to do a full-body skin check by a dermatologist every year if you have a history of skin cancer or a lot of sun damage
- Laser treatments are not a cure. The research is showing that laser treatments can reduce your skin of skin cancer, but it does not eliminate it entirely. Think of the last treatment as one of the many tools in skin cancer prevention, but not a replacement for sun protection and surveillance.
If you are in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area and considering laser resurfacing for skin cancer prevention, contact our office for more information.
