Some people will tell you that ?you're only as old as you feel.? But it's more than likely that what people actually believe ? what most of us truly feel every day when we wake up and look in the mirror ? is that we're only as old as we look. And this raises an interesting question ? what exactly is it that makes us look older?

We're all born with smooth skin. (If infants only knew how good they have it). As we go through life, our skin gets subjected to three major antagonists that are simply unavoidable ? time, heredity and gravity. Add acne, sun exposure or smoking into the mix, and your skin is up against a lot of factors that are all working against its health and appearance. As a result, we start to notice fine lines and wrinkles. We may develop brown spots, and our skin starts to sag. Some of us suffer from scarring, usually from having had acne when we were younger. These symptoms build until our skin has lost its luster ? and one day we simply look older.

People have attempted to reverse the signs of aging for decades; some cultures have been working at it for centuries. And until recently, reversing sun damage and signs of aging was dependent upon technologies with high complication rates ? and procedures that often left patients recuperating for a significant amount of time.

No one wants to lie in bed recovering for weeks on end, but more and more people do want to take control of their skin's aging process ? without having surgery. Today, with Fraxel Laser technology, they finally can.

The Fraxel Laser was developed by a team of world-renowned experts in the field of fractional resurfacing. ?Fractional? refers to microscopic treatment of specific areas of the skin that leaves surrounding skin unaffected. It's all a fancy way of saying that Fraxel Lasers take an incredibly targeted approach to skin rejuvenation, and let your skin heal much faster than it would if all of your skin were treated at once.

So what can Fraxel Lasers do? They fade the fine lines and wrinkles that make your skin look older ? right along with brown spots caused by aging and sun exposure, and scarring left by acne. They improve irregular skin texture, discoloration, even enlarged pores. Fraxel Laser treatment leaves your skin softer, smoother and fresher than you've seen it in years ? and all those benefits come with minimal or absolutely no downtime. And those benefits aren't limited to just your face. Fraxel can be used on your neck, chest, hands and arms, too.

There are two different kinds of Fraxel Lasers ? Fraxel re:store and Fraxel re:pair. Both produce thousands of tiny columns of microscopic, microthermal treatment zones in your skin. And after the treatment your body's natural healing process creates new, healthy tissue that replaces skin imperfections. You'll notice the improvement right away, and you'll see your ultimate results within three to six months ? which means you'll actually get to watch your skin grow younger. And both types of Fraxel Lasers are state-of-the-art devices. So how can you pick which one is right for you?

It all depends on the results you're looking for ? and your timetable. Fraxel re:store produces a gentle remodeling of the collagen underneath your skin's surface, and a treatment course usually consists of 3-5 procedures. Fraxel re:pair takes a more aggressive approach and usually only requires one procedure. Its results are more dramatic as well, especially when it comes to lines, wrinkles, and tightening sagging skin.

So what's the downside? Fraxel re:pair comes with more downtime as you recuperate, usually 5-7 days, while Fraxel re:store treatment usually comes with only 1-2 days of downtime. Another thing to think about is what your skin will feel like right after your treatment. Both types of lasers will leave you feeling like you've got a sunburn for the first 90 minutes after the treatment. Fraxel re:store will leave your face with a pink tone and mild swelling that may last for a couple days. Fraxel re:pair may also leave you with some minor itching, crusting or peeling, which will vary in intensity depending on how aggressive a treatment you undergo. It may sound a little scary, but don't worry! These after-effects are all completely normal and will go away in a few days.

And when they do, you'll be left with smoother, firmer, younger-looking skin. So look in the mirror and celebrate. You're armed with Fraxel Laser technology ? ready to laugh in the face of time and kick some gravity butt.