When sagging pores and uneven texture send you looking for a laser, the first name you meet is almost always Fraxel. Reviews that mention pain and peeling skin probably gave you pause. This article first sorts out the types of fractional lasers, then explains how Icon XD, a non-ablative laser chosen to ease the burden of pain and downtime, works and how the treatment runs.
Fraxel is a byword for a method, not a machine
Fraxel was originally the product name of one particular fractional laser made by Reliant Technologies in the United States, but today the word is used for fractional lasers in general. It is the same phenomenon as calling every botulinum toxin product Botox.
Fractional lasers divide broadly into ablative and non-ablative. Ablative lasers deliver energy while removing the surface of the skin, so the change is easy to feel, but the epidermis and dermis are injured together, the pain is considerable and recovery takes longer. Accounts of a face turning red and peeling after Fraxel usually refer to ablative lasers.
Icon XD, a non-ablative laser that limits injury to the epidermis
Icon XD is a non-ablative fractional laser from Cynosure, the American laser company. Because it is built to keep injury to the epidermis to a minimum, the treatment is distinctly less painful and downtime is short, so it interferes little with daily life afterwards. Finely divided micro-beams carry energy into the deeper layers of the skin to prompt new collagen production, guiding the skin to renew itself from within.
Those characteristics are why it is used mainly for sagging pores, acne scars and the uneven, orange-peel texture of the skin. It is not a device with wide public name recognition, but for pore concerns it is well trusted among dermatology clinicians.
At Skinique Clinic it is a combination, not a solo treatment
The pore program at Skinique Clinic does not end with Icon XD alone. A Laser Genesis pass follows to draw out one more round of calming and renewal, and then a Cellapy baby injection ampoule and cryotherapy settle the stimulated skin right away. Using lasers in combination makes it possible to lower irritation compared with a single treatment while supporting the renewal response. If you are wondering what each option costs, details are available on the price guide.
How the treatment runs
When you arrive, you first sit down with the doctor who will perform the treatment, and an aesthetician handles cleansing and applies numbing cream. From there the order is Icon XD and Laser Genesis, then the ampoule and cryotherapy, then a calming modeling pack and basic skincare to finish.
Icon XD uses a tip like the one in the photo, pressed against the surface of the skin stamp by stamp to send energy in. No needle is involved, yet a prickling sensation can still be felt, which is also a sign that the energy is reaching deep into the skin.
Pore concerns often cluster in the butterfly zone around the nose, so that area gets concentrated attention,
while the whole face is covered without gaps so that the skin improves overall. Treated areas may redden temporarily, but because this is a non-ablative laser the skin does not peel or scab, and the redness settles naturally with time. Do avoid saunas and alcohol on the day of the treatment.
What Laser Genesis and the calming step do
The Laser Genesis pass that follows calms skin stimulated by the stronger energy of Icon XD and, at the same time, delivers gentle heat continuously to support further renewal. The reason most laser treatments at Skinique Clinic take this combined form is simple. Even when it costs more time and more hands, the difference the synergy makes is clear.
Once the lasers are finished, a Cellapy baby injection ampoule carrying nourishing renewal ingredients is applied over a calming gel while cryotherapy, a cooling step, is performed. This is the closing stage that settles stimulated skin quickly and supports the renewal process the treatment set in motion.
Wrapping Up
Icon XD is a non-ablative pore laser worth considering if the pain and long recovery of ablative Fraxel felt like too much, and in a combination that adds Laser Genesis and the calming step it can keep irritation lower while supporting renewal. Whether this makeup suits the state of your pores is best confirmed through a consultation. Chat with us about the pore treatment that suits your skin
This article was written by Dr. Park Tae-hyung, Chief Director. He is the chief director of Skinique Clinic and serves as an academic director of the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Trichology. First published February 7, 2024 · Last reviewed August 23, 2026
This text is general medical information. Skin conditions and responses to treatment vary from person to person. Please decide whether and how to be treated after a consultation.