06:26 PM EST on Thursday, February 9, 2006

By Kathryn Barrett, 13News

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Maggie Hawkins stays in shape by teaching jazzercise. The 50-something Virginia Beach woman wishes she could tone her face, especially the wrinkles around her eyes, to match her physique.

Mike Babcock, 13News

Fraxel Laser Treatment produces thousands of tiny but deep columns of treatment in your skin.

Fraxel, a new laser procedure, is said to exfoliate, remove sun spots, decrease fine lines and wrinkles and help build collagen.

"Well, hopefully (it will) erase some of the lines and wrinkles and just make the face a little fresher and a little more toned, a little more glowing, hopefully," she said.

Unlike others lasers, Fraxel is designed to treat a fraction of the skin with thousands of tiny microscopic laser spots. Patients use numbing cream, which takes about an hour to take effect.  Then blue dye activates the laser.  Without it, the laser won’t fire.  A black hose delivers a stream of forced cold air, which helps block out pain sensations caused by heat the laser generates.

Because Fraxel only treats a fraction of the skin at a time, recovery time is far less. Because it’s less invasive, four treatments are recommended.

Maggie got blisters under her eyes and it took days to remove remnants of the blue dye.

If you're going to have the procedure, Maggie recommends allowing yourself several days where you don't have to be in public, just in case.

She hasn't decided whether she'll have the recommended four treatments. Each costs about $900.00.