Tixel® Skin Rejuvenation

Dr. Melda Isaac and Dr. Daniel Yanes, Washington, DC board-certified dermatologists, are excited to offer Tixel®, a revolutionary fractional skin treatment designed to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin texture, large pores, active acne, and acne scarring for men and women of all ages and all skin types.

Tixel is not a laser or a light-based system; it is a unique energy-based device that safely delivers controlled heat at high temperature to address a myriad of skin concerns without burning the skin’s surface. Treatment can be performed safely near the eyes without protective eyewear or goggles.

What Is Tixel?

Tixel uses a combination of heat and motion to rejuvenate skin, stimulate collagen production and tighten skin with less downtime than conventional fractional resurfacing lasers like Fraxel®. Using its unique Thermo-Mechanical Action (TMA®) technology, Tixel not only works to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but it can be used to treat active acne and scarring from acne and other injuries.

Thanks to its combination of heat and motion, Tixel is safe to use on sensitive skin, and can even be used near the eyes.

Tixel uses a handpiece with a 1 cm medical-grade titanium plate that contains 81 pyramid-shaped pins in a grid pattern to treat the skin with thermal energy. The super-charged tip heats to 400° C and is safely applied to your skin using a stamping technique that delivers short bursts of heat. Thanks to its high heat and titanium structure, the Tixel handpiece is self-sterilizing, making it safe to treat skin efficiently.

The thermal energy from the sterile titanium tip creates micro-thermal zones of fractional injuries in the skin, triggering your skin’s natural healing process to generate new collagen in the skin, resulting in smoother, softer, tighter skin!

Treatments with Tixel can be adjusted at multiple levels, allowing Dr. Isaac, Dr. Yanes, and their staff to create a customized treatment for your specific skincare concerns.

Tixel can also be used to enhance the delivery of a myriad of topical products through the micro-channels created in your skin.  This allows the skincare team at MI Skin Dermatology to deliver physician-grade skincare products that are tailored to your skin conditions, allowing them to customize treatments to the skin condition and sensitivity of the patient being treated!

Where Can Tixel Be Used?

Tixel can be used to treat skin conditions on the:

• Face
• Neck
• Décolleté
• Neck
• Around the eyes
• Around the nose
• Deep wrinkles on the upper lips
• Stretch marks

Who Is a Candidate for Tixel? 

Tixel is safe for all skin types, including men and women with dark skin. It is designed for anyone who is bothered by the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone and texture, acne and acne scarring, and loose, lax skin.

Which Areas Can Be Treated with Tixel? 

Tixel is designed to treat a variety of skin concerns, including:

• Fine Lines and wrinkles         
• Acne and Acne scars
• Skin laxity                          
• Stretch marks
• Uneven skin-tone                       
• Unwanted pigmentation
• Melasma 

During your consultation with your provider, they will discuss your concerns and perform a full assessment then recommend treatment options. She will design a unique treatment plan that is right for you. 

What Is a Tixel Treatment Like?

In order to prep your skin for your Tixel treatment, our providers recommend taking several steps to help you achieve the best results possible as you prepare for your Tixel treatment:

• Refrain from actively tanning or excessive sun exposure for at least 2 weeks prior to treatment and 2 weeks following your Tixel treatments.  our providers always recommend using mineral- or physical-based sunscreens to protect your skin each day.
• Notify your provider of all medications, including oral supplements.
• Notify your provider if you have a history of herpes simplex (cold sores), keloids, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetic complications, bleeding disorders, collagen vascular diseases, or immunosuppressive disorders.
• Patients with a history of herpes simplex (cold sores) must start anti-viral medication 1 day prior to treatment to reduce the incidence of an outbreak.
• Notify your provider if you have taken Isotretinoin/Accutane within 6 months of treatment.
• Tixel is safe for use on all skin types, but it has not been studied in women who are pregnant, so our providers recommend not having a Tixel treatment if you are pregnant.

On the day of your procedure, arrive to your appointment without makeup, creams, or lotions on your skin. The treatment area should be free from hair, so please shave the area prior to treatment.

If your treatment will include the area close to your eyes, we ask that if you wear contact lenses, you bring a pair of glasses or another pair of lenses for the treatment.

A Tixel treatment only takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the area being treated. Before the treatment, your provider will clean and dry your skin to prep it for treatment. Depending on the treatment area, your provider may apply a prescription numbing cream to your clean skin to maintain your comfort during treatment. Most patients tolerate the treatment well and do not experience any discomfort from the treatment.

During the treatment, you will feel mild heat and pressure on your skin as the handpiece is passed over your skin. The handpiece will be passed over the treatment area multiple times, depending on the severity of the skin condition and your goals.

For the first few hours to a few days after treatment, you may feel a warm sensation on your skin, similar to a mild sunburn, some redness and swelling, depending on the amount of ablation generated during the treatment. You should not experience any peeling or blistering of the skin after treatment.

You may see a grid-like pattern on the treated area and your skin may have a “sandy” feeling for 3 to 5 days after treatment, followed by mild flaking as the old skin is sloughed off and replaced with new skin. Depending on the level of treatment, you may experience small scabs or scratches on your skin that will clear within 4 to 5 days.

After 5 days, you can resume your usual skincare routine. Our providers recommend using a minimal retinol, antioxidants, and sun protection to maintain your results.

Your provider will recommend a post-treatment skincare routine to help with optimal healing and to ensure the best possible results.

When Will I See Results?

Results may be seen after the first treatment, depending on the level of treatment administered. For maximum results with minimal downtime, we recommend a series of 3-5 treatments spaced 4-6 weeks apart.

Natural aging will still occur, so to maintain your Tixel results, we recommend an ongoing therapeutic skincare plan, daily sun protection, and ongoing Tixel maintenance treatments as often as every 6-8 months. Your provider can recommend a skincare regimen to enhance your skin’s appearance and maintain your results for as long as possible. 

For more information on the many benefits of Tixel skin rejuvenation, request a consultation with Washington, D.C. dermatologists Dr. Melda Isaac and Dr. Daniel Yanes online, or call  (202) 393-7546 to schedule an appointment.