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Fraxel vs Glycolic Acid Peel

Fraxel: A laser that heats thousands of microscopic columns in the skin and leaves the skin between them untouched. Used for sun damage, acne scars, and rough texture. It takes a course of treatments and a few days of looking sunburned each time.

Glycolic Acid Peel: A chemical peel that uses glycolic acid, the smallest of the fruit acids. It brightens dull skin, softens rough texture and fades flat brown marks. It works on the surface only, and it has to be neutralized on time.

Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, Board-Certified Dermatologist
Last updated: 10/22/2026
Editorial illustration for Fraxel, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.Editorial illustration for Glycolic Acid Peel, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.
Choose ifKey differencesWhat is it?What it treatsTreatment areasSkin tonesHow it worksBefore your treatmentDay of treatmentAfter your treatmentRisksCostQuestionsRelated

Choose Fraxel if…

Choose for acne scars or sun damage with a few days of downtime per session instead of the week-plus of ablative lasers.

  • Rolling or boxcar scars
  • Sun spots and rough texture
  • You can plan 3–5 sessions

Choose Glycolic Acid Peel if…

Choose to brighten dull skin and fade flat brown marks with little or no downtime.

  • Dull skin or rough texture
  • Flat brown marks or clogged pores
  • You want little downtime
Fine together

Can you have both?

Light glycolic peels can maintain results between Fraxel series. Space them at least 4 weeks apart.

Key differences

● Fraxel
● Glycolic Acid Peel
DowntimeNone → 2+ weeks
3–7 days
1–2 days
PainMinimal → Needs anesthesia or sedation
Moderate
Mild
Results showImmediately → 3+ months
1–3 months
Within days
How long it lastsWeeks → Years or permanent
Years or permanent
Weeks
Visits neededOne → Every few months
A longer series (4–6+)
A longer series (4–6+)
Cost per visit$ → $$$$$
$$$
$
ReversibleYes, can be undone → No, permanent
No, permanent
No, fades slowly

What is it?

Fraxel

Glycolic Acid Peel

What is it?

It is a nonablative fractional laser.

Fraxel heats microscopic zones while sparing skin in between.

Platforms differ.

Wavelength and device determine the treatment.

It is not CO2 resurfacing.

It is less intensive than ablative lasers.

It is not risk-free.

Burns, redness and pigment changes can occur.

It is a supervised peel.

A glycolic acid peel is an alpha-hydroxy acid exfoliation.

The percentage is not the whole story.

Acidity, contact time and technique matter.

High-strength home use is unsafe.

The FDA warns against unsupervised strong peels.

History matters.

Irritation, recent procedures, herpes and pigment risk are reviewed.

What it treats

Evidence level
Fraxel
Glycolic Acid Peel
Strong evidenceMost established uses
Acne scarring on light skin. Small sharply cut pits and broad shallow dips across a cheek, several sitting inside faint flat pink marks, with no active spots.

Acne Scarring

Improves rolling and boxcar scars.

AI-generated educational illustration of Sun Spots: 1. Sun Spots Header — Light Skin; Lighter skin. Not a clinical photograph.

Sun Spots

Clears sun damage.

Dull Skin on light skin.

Dull Skin

Brightens quickly.

Moderate evidenceSome supportive research
A relaxed forehead with faint shallow horizontal fine lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

Smooths texture.

Flat tan patches with soft irregular edges across the forehead and upper cheek of an adult with light skin, the surface completely smooth.

Melasma

Helps alongside lightening creams.

Inflamed acne on light skin. The spots sit in a patch of pink, and the ring of redness around each one is easy to see. A few have a yellow-white head, and the skin between them is dry and flaking.

Acne

Clears clogged pores.

AI-generated educational illustration of Sun Spots: 1. Sun Spots Header — Light Skin; Lighter skin. Not a clinical photograph.

Sun Spots

Fades spots with a series.

Limited evidenceEarly or small studies
Flat tan patches with soft irregular edges across the forehead and upper cheek of an adult with light skin, the surface completely smooth.

Melasma

Low settings may help some.

—
Little evidence
Ice Pick Scars on light skin.

Ice Pick Scars

Too deep for most sessions.

—
Not effective
—
Ice Pick Scars on light skin.

Ice Pick Scars

Too superficial.

Can make it worse
Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

Can worsen redness.

Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

Stings and triggers flushing.

Treatment areas

Treatment areas

Face and hands.

Face; the selected area depends on the concern and treatment plan.

Skin tones

Skin tone
● Fraxel
● Glycolic Acid Peel
Lighter skin
Low risk
Redness and swelling for days.
Low risk
Light flaking.
Medium skin
Some risk
Dark marks possible; lower settings help.
Low risk
Start at lower strengths.
Deeper skin
Some risk
Safer than ablative lasers at lower density with an experienced provider.
Some risk
Over-strong or over-long peels can leave dark marks; start low.

How it works

Fraxel

Glycolic Acid Peel

How it works
Fraxel DUAL diagram: 1927 nm reaches up to 0.3 mm and 1550 nm up to 1.6 mm, depending on settings.
Glycolic Acid Peel mechanism diagram. The peel is applied: A clinician selects the formulation for the skin and goal. Outer cells loosen: Glycolic acid reduces cohesion in the superficial skin layers. The surface renews: Controlled exfoliation can improve selected superficial concerns.
Diagram explanation

Fractional heat zones leave surrounding tissue untreated. Superficial 1927 nm treatment helps fade uneven pigmentation; deeper 1550 nm treatment triggers repair and collagen remodeling.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

The peel is applied: A clinician selects the formulation for the skin and goal. Outer cells loosen: Glycolic acid reduces cohesion in the superficial skin layers. The surface renews: Controlled exfoliation can improve selected superficial concerns.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Before your treatment

Fraxel
Glycolic Acid Peel
2–4 weeks before

4 weeks before: Sun: Avoid tanning, self-tanner and sunburn.

Pigment preparation: For deeper skin tones, providers may prescribe a pigment-lowering cream for 2–4 weeks and test near the ear.

2 weeks before: Sun and tanning: No tanning or sunburn for 2 weeks beforehand, and sunscreen daily.

Pigment cream: On deeper skin tones, and in anyone who marks easily, many providers pre-treat for 2 to 4 weeks with a pigment-blocking cream to lower the chance of dark patches.

Before you book: Events: Do not book a first peel in the days before an event.

The week before

Cold sores: Tell your provider; preventive antiviral medicine often starts the day before.

Hair removal: Stop waxing, threading and hair-removal creams.

Actives: Stop retinoids, retinol and acids 3–7 days before.

Actives and hair removal: Stop retinoids (tretinoin, adapalene, retinol), benzoyl peroxide and exfoliating acids 3 to 5 days before.

Actives and hair removal: Stop waxing, threading and hair removal creams on the area for a week.

Day of treatment

Fraxel
Glycolic Acid Peel
Before you arrive

Arrive with clean skin and no makeup.

Arrange a ride if you will have strong settings or oral pain medicine.

Not specified
Arrival & prep

Skin is cleaned and photographed. Numbing cream stays on for 45–60 minutes.

Skin is checked and usually photographed, and you confirm what you stopped using.

Treatment

The laser passes over the skin while cold air cools it.

Expect prickly heat that builds with each pass, often strongly uncomfortable—especially on the forehead and around the mouth.

Skin is cleaned and degreased, eyes and lips protected, and the acid brushed on in a set order.

The provider watches for even pinkness, then neutralizes or floods the skin with water. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The sting is hot and prickly, climbs over 2 to 5 minutes, then stops seconds after neutralizing. Say so if it turns to burning, which is the signal to stop early.

Before you leave

Skin feels hot, red and swollen. Ice packs and a bland ointment are usually applied.

Pink, tight skin, a bit like mild windburn.

After your treatment

Fraxel
Glycolic Acid Peel
First 24 hours

Days 1–2: Redness and swelling, especially around the eyes.

Day 1 to 3: Skin feels dry and rough and can look slightly darker before it sheds.

Days 2–7

Days 3–7: Rough, bronzed skin flakes away. Do not scrub or pick.

Day 3 to 5: Flaking finishes and skin looks brighter underneath.

Weeks 2–4
Not specified

Week 1 to 2: A few spots in the first week or two as clogged pores clear are common, and settle on their own.

Beyond 1 month

1–3 months: Time to results.

Scar improvement can last years; sun damage can return with sun exposure.

Not specified
Time to results
Not specified

Within days

How long results last
Not specified

Weeks to months with skincare

Risks

Risks
  • Dark patches
  • Worsening redness
  • Cold sores
  • Acne or white bumps
  • Lighter patches
  • Most side effects of a superficial glycolic peel are mild and expected
  • Dark patches
  • Prolonged redness
  • A cold sore outbreak
  • Persistent itching or rash

Cost

Per session

About $900–1,500 for a full face in the US. Smaller areas cost less.

In the US a superficial glycolic peel usually runs about $100 to $250 a session, depending on the city, a medical office versus a spa, and whether it is bundled with a facial.

Full course

Several thousand dollars. Packages may reduce the per-session price.

Not specified
Insurance

Cosmetic treatment is not covered. Coverage for surgical or injury scars is uncommon.

Insurance does not cover peels done for brightness, texture or post-acne marks.

Questions

Fraxel

Glycolic Acid Peel

Individual Questions
How many Fraxel sessions will I need?

Three to five, two to four weeks apart. Sun damage sometimes needs fewer, acne scars usually need the full course, and deeper skin tones are treated at lower settings, which means more sessions.

Does Fraxel get rid of acne scars?

It improves them rather than removing them. Studies of nonablative fractional lasers show partial improvement in scar depth and appearance over a course. Deep icepick scars respond least and are often better treated by combining the laser with subcision or filler.

How much downtime is there really?

Plan for a week. Two days of redness and swelling, then a few days of rough, bronzed skin that flakes off. Most people cover it with makeup from day three and look normal by day seven.

Does it hurt?

With an hour of numbing cream and cold air, most people call it hot and strongly uncomfortable rather than unbearable, and it stops as soon as the laser does. The forehead and around the mouth are the worst.

Is it safe for deeper skin tones?

It can be done, but differently. The main risk is temporary dark patches. Lower settings, more sessions, pre-treatment creams and strict sun protection all lower that risk, and the provider experience with your skin tone matters more than the device.

Is Fraxel the same as CO2 laser?

No, though one device sold under the Fraxel brand is a carbon dioxide laser. The Fraxel most people mean is nonablative, heating the skin without removing the surface. A carbon dioxide laser removes tissue, does more per session, and brings one to two weeks of downtime and more pigment risk.

How is a glycolic peel different from a salicylic peel?

Glycolic is water-soluble and works on the surface, so it suits dullness, rough texture and brown marks. Salicylic is oil-soluble and gets inside the pore, so it suits blackheads and whiteheads. Some providers blend the two.

What does neutralizing mean, and why does it matter?

Glycolic keeps working until it is stopped, either with a basic solution or by flooding the skin with water. The provider watches a timer and the skin at the same time. Peels left on too long are how burns happen.

Is a higher percentage better?

Not on its own. The pH and the contact time matter as much as the number. A well-judged 30% peel can do more than a careless 70% one.

Will I actually peel?

Often only lightly, and sometimes not at all. Fine flaking for a day or two is usual, and no flaking does not mean it failed.

How many will I need?

4 to 6 peels, 2 to 4 weeks apart, then maintenance every couple of months. One peel gives roughly a week of brightness.

Can I have one if I use tretinoin?

Yes, and skin on a retinoid usually peels more evenly. Stop it about 3 to 5 days before and restart once flaking has finished.

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