FRACXEL (Non-Invasive Fractional)
THERMO-MECHANICAL ACTION TECHNOLOGY
TMA™ is a technology, which uniquely combines motion and heat with the forward movement of a medical-grade titanium tip. This proprietary non-laser fractional technology transfers thermal energy to skin very quickly and safely: energy is emitted through a matrix of tiny pyramid-shaped pins made of biocompatible materials covering a treatment area of 1cm². The pins are heated to a temperature of 400°C and are self-sterilized.
During treatment, the pins are introduced to the surface of the skin at a precisely-controlled speed and create brief contact with the skin lasting only a few milliseconds. This enables the thermal energy stored in the pins to be transferred to the skin. The thermal transfer results in an array of tiny non-ablative coagulation sites. Because the tiny tip pyramids hold a limited amount of energy, burns and tissue charring are prevented.
WHY IS PAIN RELATIVELY LOW?
The reason why pain is relatively low during treatment with FRACXEL® compared to the ablative CO₂ laser is primarily due to the transfer of a relatively lower amount of energy to the skin by FRACXEL®. This is made possible by utilization of a more efficient energy transfer method (conduction vs. radiation) and the longer pulse duration (e.g. 10ms vs. 1ms) of FRACXEL as compared to the CO₂ laser. The pain nociceptors in skin are located in the epidermis and dermis. These pain receptors are sensitive to the rate at which the temperature changes over time. For example, a CO₂ laser generates heat quickly: CO₂ laser heating to 400°C takes about 200ns whereas the FRACXEL® heating effect is slower by at least 1 magnitude of order resulting in milder pain.
Research shows that TMA™ creates superficial channels in the stratum corneum, allowing enhanced permeability to topically applied hydrophilic substances, that are applied after treatment. Tixel®’s intended use does not currently include tissue permeability enhancement.
TREATMENT AREAS
