Deep FX before & after photos
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Deep FX Cost $2,900 average cost

Too Early Yet - Deep FX for Sun Damage. Tightening and Texture Improvement Will Be a Bonus - Denver, CO

7 posts
Comments (14)
Updated 11 Nov 2009
Posted 3 Nov 2009
Worth It
Spent: $2,500 in Denver, CO

Well I've been researching this and other procedures for well over a year now and finally had this done today. My main goal is removing sundamage. any tightening or improved texture is a bonus.

The procedure itself was a breeze... I did take the typical Valium and vicodin -- I'm sure that helped. The dr did much more deep fx than I was expecting so yes I am all oozy and pretty gross looking.

I am concerned deeply about the extended healing time needed for this as I just don't have the time to do it. had to travel for this and am holed up in a super comfy hotel for the next 5 days...

This site was super helpful to me when I was researching all this. So, being that I'm here and bored I will give daily updates!

Updated on Nov 11, 2009:

 ok...well i didn't exactly write daily updates but it's been about a week and i can report a lot more.  the oozing and grossness lasted about 3 days... then the tightness and itchiness set in! my doctor gave me special products --aquanil was the name of the cleanser... something called "silkses" by sesderma instead of aquafor and something called bio-cream by neocutis.  fancier versions is all but they worked really well.  i had the advantage of staying in a hotel room for 5 days so i didn't have to do anything but rest and heal.  i feel this helped tremendously.  also: i washed my hands like 20 times a day.  it is very tempting to touch your face and i of course wanted to avoid any possibility of infection.  i took presnidone for swelling, also arnica for bruising, benadryl for itching -- this was important! one night i didn't take it and i scratched my face in my sleep!  after the skin started sloughing off my skin started to break out and become rather thick and dry.  this worried me but every day its getting a little better. even so, my face is still red and tight-- some residual swelling as well.  i am confident this will resolve itself soon.  i have to say-- so far the results are better than i expected.  all of my sundamage is gone. every little wrinkle around my eyes and the crepiness under them is also completely gone.  amazing.  i bought a sun hat that is made of uva/uvb block material and plan on using that and heavy sunscreen so the damage doesn't come back.  i think that is probably the most important thing to do to retain the results. like i said i researched this and other laser procedures for quite a while.  i knew what i was getting myself into.  research your doctor!!  look at pictures of what you will look like so you don't panic! i am very happy with my results.  if down the line something changes and the damage comes back i will edit again.

This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.

My Doctor:

very patient, explained everything...lots of experience and recommended by many
Vote: 16 members found this review helpful

Comments (14)

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Renee123 (3 posts) 5 Dec 2009
thank you so much for the info and pictures. I have been looking on the internet to see if my procedure is responding normally. I am in day two. I was getting nervous until I read your blog. Thanks-
Renee123 (3 posts) 5 Dec 2009
Thanks for the info. I am on day two after the procedure. Your experience put me at ease about mine.
nightpanda (7 posts) 7 Dec 2009
that's great -- why i put such incredibly ugly pictures of myself up there! just be patient and take good care of yourself. it is now week 5 for me and i STILL have residual redness although it's fading by the day. all of the wrinkles around my eyes are gone and about 65-70% of the sundamage =)
mimosakitty (18 posts) 16 Dec 2009
Thank you for putting up the pictures. It really helps. I am going in for this procedure in three weeks and I am getting nervous about the down time. I can take 10 days but that will really be pushing it. What do you think was the most effective product used during your recovery? Thanks Again mimosakitty
nightpanda (7 posts) 17 Dec 2009
hi mimosakitty... my doctor gave me a range of products for recovery... they are probably mostly more expensive versions of aquafor etc...if you're interested one was called "silkses" by a company called sesderma and "bio-cream" by neocutis. but for me it really was a combination of keeping the skin moist at all times and taking presnidone (sp?) for swelling and benadryl for itching... it seemed really important to keep my face very clean and not touch or fuss with it. i also slept slightly elevated the first couple of nights which really helped the swelling. i had to be in public after 5 days which wasn't really enough time... i wore a ton a makeup....10 days should be alright -- i STILL have residual redness where the doctor did deep but apparently that's not common (lucky me). i'm not worried though -- it continues to get better every day. best of luck with your procedure!
mimosakitty (18 posts) 30 Dec 2009
nightpanda, thanks for getting back to me. I got very distracted over the holidays and am only checking back just now. Hope you had a wonderful holiday and happy new year! I'm going in for the deep fx in a couple of weeks and I am SO nervous almost sick to my stomach...argh, but excited too. I will get the Silkses cream any recommendation for make up? I have had other procedures Sculptra injections and Thermage and never found a make up that really did the trick all that well. Something with sunscreen probably?
nightpanda (7 posts) 14 Jan 2010
hey! might have missed it -- perhaps you already got this done? hope all went well if so. in response to your question... nothing is going to look good on your face for awhile... when you do go out in public be religious about sunscreen or everything will come back. i used something called "solar" protection formula... it is an spf 60 with all the right protection.. it comes with tints that you can adjust to your skintone..... it is awesome stuff and i use it everyday! good luck!
mimosakitty (18 posts) 12 Feb 2010
I had my treatment and I am about a month into post treatment. Still a little splotchy but not pink anymore. I did scratch myself and those marks are taking a while to go away. I did get windburned one day and maybe too much sun on another but it's looking pretty good. I have 3 sunscreens, Revision 50 spf which is tinted and works pretty good, Cepaphil makes a 50, and Olay makes a 45. So I'm pretty covered up. I see the doctor next week and we will see what he says.
Sheree (8 posts) 6 Feb 2010
I am scheduled to do the deep fx in April. I hope you will post again. They say that the full benefit-via collagen production etc isn't realized until 4-5 months out. I would be interested to hear how you feel about the deep fx in a couple of months. I am doing deep fx as opposed to Obagi Blue Peel because of what i've been told are the deeper and longer lasting results. Was very happy with the blue peel, but am looking for something more.
mimosakitty (18 posts) 12 Feb 2010
I am one month out, the swelling is gone and most of the redness. But my skin is still splotchy so I'm wearing make up. My age spots are still there but lighter, my fine lines around my eyes, mouth and cheeks are still there too. I am 56 and had pretty good skin going into this. So unless I see more improvement in the next 3 to 4 months I will have to say I did not get the results I had hoped for. The social down time for me was a solid 2 weeks and then the past two weeks I have gotten by with out too many funny looks. My best girlfriend has not said oh my god you look great, I can't wait to do it...But if in the next couple of months my skin tone evens out and my pores are tighter that will have made it worth it even if I still have all the lines..
nightpanda (7 posts) 15 Feb 2010
now that all the redness is finally gone: i'd say the sundamage is still there about 65%-- i was really hoping for more. the deep fx part around my eyes really did work-- the lines are gone and the color/texture is better. i plan on keeping the lines away with botox. bottom line: it isn't a miracle process but there is obvious improvement. my skin is much softer too and although you can still see the sundamage it is much lighter and all i have to put on is a tinted sunscreen and my skin looks flawless. all the best!
janelatchford (4 posts) 16 Feb 2010
I am 4 days after procedure and I am wondering what my results will be. I didn't really have that oozing, so I wonder if my results will be less because of that, but have been very uncomfortabe and can not get a good rest. I have followed all the doctors directions. I have a post op tomorrow. My face is so itchy I can not stand it. I should have been taking benedryl. I was planning on going back to work on Thursday. Tonight my face is less swollen and very red.
Boston9280 (10 posts) 20 Dec 2011
Nightpanda - thinking about this procedure for around my eyes and for some acne scarring on my cheeks. Thanks for the pictures and the updates!
Mal
SueZQster (1 post) 8 Apr 2011
When I had my first CO2 resurfacing 10 yrs ago, I had a huge problem w/ itching. I found pure EMU oil to work like a charm. Health food stores usually carry it and it is high in Omega 3 and Omega 6 EFA's. Tomorrow I go in for a fractional lazer treatment and have my EMU oil close at hand.

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