Does the order of procedures like Thermage and Fraxel matter?
They both do different things but are synergistic. Thermage, which is a sound wave based technology, delivers heat in a controlled way into the skin which increases collagen formation and tightens existing collagen a bit.
Fraxel is a laser, which is a light based technology, and Fraxel Dual has 2 different lasers built into it, one more for collagen building and one more for brown spots.
Bottom line – I’ve never seen a research paper that answers that question and combines the two. Here’s what I think though. Collagen building takes place over about 3 months. Maybe it makes sense to schedule those two about 3 months apart so just as the collagen is starting to decline again…..you stimulate it again.
If you have an event you’re aiming for, do them in the order that’s most convenient for you. The Fraxel requires about 4-7 days of some “downtime” depending on the settings. It can increase pigment problems (especially darker skin types) if there is sun exposure within 4-8 weeks after. The Thermage requires no downtime and can be done safely any time of year and for any skin type.
Hope this helps, Dr. I