Fraxel Laser Reviews
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“Could Be Badly Scarred. This is Serious.”

Not Worth It
Spent: $1,500 in NJ

Comments (14)

Updated 25 May 2009

Posted 24 May 2009

Some brown spots, acne scars and light wrinkles. Doctor recommended 2 treatments 3 weeks apart. Swollen for 3-4 days, red in places for 9 days, still red in areas raised bumps look like chicken skin! Ugly.

Is there a chance that these bumps and rough skin will soften or diminish? Is there anything I can do to help it? Been reading horror stories that in 1-3 years I could experience infections and discoloration on my face, is this true?

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

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My Doctor:

They were not honest about the recovery time.

Comments (14)

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awalk 2 Jun 2009
See my post and pics two years out... This is no defferent then the Fractionated radiaton they give cancer patients..... We have radiation dermatitis and burns...It kills oil glands,,stem cell and breaks elastin strands.... research radiation dermatitis..Once skin is compramised so deeply it is almost impossible to repair...
drom 25 Oct 2009
No, infections and discolorations are not common with Fraxel 1-3 years out. People write some crazy things. 9 days out isn't a whole of time you know. I have heard about some people getting little bumps that go away, but if you are worried about it, I would certainly go see a dermatologist/laser specialist. If you aren't happy with the physician who performed the Fraxel, then see someone else who is experienced and respected and put your mind at ease.
drom 25 Oct 2009
BTY-I am assuming you had a Fraxel Restore treatment. That is the one I am referring to, not the Repair
new.bie 8 Nov 2009
I don't understand. I just read an article that says that laser helps with raduation dermatitis. Also I don't think that radiation for cancer patients is like laser radiation
drom 8 Nov 2009
It's not. You're correct.
Carla D 17 Jan 2010
Drom Are you a doctor by any chance?? You are so wrong! Where is your research to back it up? You also posted comments on Awalks post, questioning her validity on her findings (She passed away in Oct.2009, 2 years after her damage, and she was trying to expose the dangers of these machines to help save other victims from this horrific ordeal.) I too, along with hundreds have seen the scientific results, IPL and Fraxel both emit radiation and when it is combined with thermal heat it damages the dna way under the skin and it is like radiation damage, that is why the damage is still surfacing. Scientist say it takes 18-24 months for dna damage to surface, then the skin will continue to get worse as there is NO REPAIR for this kind of damage. People really need to wake up!!!! Do not do any more Fraxel of IPL! I had IPL 6 months ago and like many, it caused severe of damage. Fraxel and IPL seem to be causing the same damage when they are done in the wrong hands. I have fat loss in my entire face, eyelids, cheeks, jaw line, along with scars, bumps in my skin, vision problems, pain in cheek, jaw and brestbone (my chest was done also), broken blood vessesl and more! There are suppose to be NO Burns, NO fat loss, NO permanent scaring, NO eye problems, No permanent redness, NO hypopigmen-tation,NO depression with IPL or Fraxel!! That is what the medical community around the states are telling their patients, but they are only out to protect this Billion dollar industry. Hundreds are suffering the adverse affects more frequently now because doctors aren't admitting this is possible, and they are treating us too aggressively and using higher settings, which are resulting in the burns and other damage. They tell us we are aging--ha--you don't prematurely age 10 years in a matter of 4 months!! There is tons of research out there proving these machines cause this. There are hundreds of victims on various sites telling their stories of burns, fat loss, vision problems, hypo scaring, etc. I am one of them and I had this done 6 months ago my story is here under IPL-Destroyed-my-face-and-chest. There are serious side effects happening, most irreversible, that doctors, esthetians and the manu- facturers are NOT telling us about. For those who do experience damage, Please make sure you file a complaint against this person with your State Medical board and TAKE PICTURES weekly to have proof if things get worse. Several us are researching to find an way to get this out to the public. If you are already experiencing any adverse reaction, please cancel future appointments, I don't want you to end up like hundreds of us with permanent damage. For those with positive experiences, great, you don't even know how lucky you are, but for the hundreds of us out there with damage, please heed our warning.
TashaCC 14 Feb 2010
Carla are you a Doctor? How do you explain that this procedure has worked on thousands of people, and that only a small percentage of those treated have problems?
Carla D 15 Feb 2010
TashaCC No I am not a doctor, are you a doctor? How do you explain that thousands get great results, while hundreds have permanent damage, not problems? How do you know that it is only a small percentage? Your wording, you are giving yourself away, "this PROCEDURE..only a SMALL PERCENTAGE of THOSE TREATED" you sound just like a "real" doctor to me! Funny, you don't talk like that on Awalks forum. I can't wait for this to get out! You don't need to be a "doctor" to have knowledge about Laser damage, again, I need not tell you that, you already know, but in case you have forgotten, the information is all over the place, FDA, Mayo Clinic, AAD, ASDS, Medicalspamd under physician to physician discussions asking for help after they have burned someone, and especially places like Pubmed, linkinghub, you know the places where Scientific Evidence is written proof that this is occurring, but only "doctors" are suppose to be privy to that info. The general public is not stupid, and this will be exposed. Mark my word.
drom 20 Feb 2010
No, I'm not a doctor. I am a person who has had two Fraxel Restore treatments and I just disagree with what you are saying because my experience ( 2 years out) with it has been different than what you seem to be claiming happens to almost everyone. And every time I Google DNA damage from lasers, the only hits I get are back to these threads at this site here. Some of the people who are posting comments like yours don't seem to understand the difference between RF and Lasers, Erbium and CO2. But perhaps more importantly, your claims are not simply that the FDA needs to regulate the use of the devices more closely, or that only licensed Physicians should be operating these devices; both reasonable concerns. You seem to be claiming that all the manufacturers and the thousands of doctors across the globe are aware they are destroying and disfiguring women's faces and there is a vast conspiracy among all of them. Presumably all the Insurers are aware of it as well, and have decided to continue to insure these doctor's practices in spite of what would be a completely unacceptable amount of risk and liability for any insurance company. I think there are botched procedures and I am for strict regulation of the devices, but I can't find any evidence of the claims you are making about the technology. Sorry, I am not trying to offend anyone, I just question the validity of what you are saying.
Carla D 21 Feb 2010
Drom , it is ok to disagree, I respect your opinion and you should respect mine. We are not trying to sway anynone's opinion as to what we have experienced, either good results or bad, we are just stating facts as what has happened to all of us with bad experiences and would like the pubic to be able to make an "informed" decision, as these serious risks are not advertised, nor have they been mentioned at any of our consultations. I would not have had this done if it had been marketed or advertised that there was even a slight risk that I could end up with permanent vision problems, swallowing problems, dry eye, painful dry mouth, nerve damage, muscle loss, etc. As far as proof of my research, this site won't let you post links, so if you would like validation, you can pm me your email add and I will gladly give you the links. Like I said, and this is MY opinion, the conspiracy is to protect this multi Billion dollar industry at any cost, and that includes not letting the public know of these serious risks that have been happening to anyone, because really, would you still do this if you knew in advance you could be permanently disfigured? Of course not, I would hope, and myself and hundreds of other women around the world were not given that option, because we were all told these were completely safe procedures, minimum risks, nothing dangerous,no permanent damage. And of course the entire industry knows, and for those who don't, wouldn't a "concerned" doctor offer to help their patient when they came back with damage after the treatment, and if they were totally unaware, they would research and help in any way they could? Why is that not one out of hundreds, maybe thousands, have been helped after the damage? Why is not one doctor on this forum, who is now aware of serious complications by reading the 100's threads is offering any help for repair or improvement to those so are desperately seeking it? Except for Dr. Lam who will do a fat graft After IPL damage. Why, because if they acknowledge this is happening, it would have a backlash across the Nation, and they might lose prospective clients. Think about Drom, why are all the doctors on this site not getting involved and answering questions about how to repair the damage? Because there is nothing they can do for permanent damage, and they don't want the public to know that. If they would help, they would have plenty of eager, prospective clients just from this site alone. Oh well, the day will come.....Until then, there is no reason to argue or dispute experiences, it is what it is, we are all entitled to our opinions. Thank you.
Cherry Lane 23 Feb 2010
Because the damaged ones are humiliated and traumatized and hiding at home praying this is a nightmare they will wake up from. Who wants to go on a forum and say .... DANG I let this Doctor do a lunch time procedure on me and DANG now I am scarred and burned and my health is deteriorating daily..... so some doof can come on here and call them names and discredit there selfworth even more so. In hopes to promote there nice little procedure that turned out JUST RIGHT FOR THEM..... (time will tell) No one claims to be Doctors here they are VICTIMS of a medical device ..procedure looking for answers to repair the damage some unscrupulous Doctor. Assistant did to them. If only a small percentage of people have damage... this is because the ONES this has happened too have passed on or they are in hiding and living with self torture of their demise. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO JUST A FEW !!! How many Doctors in small towns KNOW people they have done this too and they just lose there files......... GET REAL!!!
Amazing Grace 22 Jan 2010
I had the same experience as Carla. I lost all the fat (volume) in every area treated. This was confirmed at the Mayo Clinc, for those who are skeptical!
Carla D 22 Jan 2010
Amazing Grace Thank you for your validation! I am so sorry that you have experienced the same thing. I pray things have gotten easier for you and you have found some healing. People need to understand that this really is a nightmare you can't wake up from. Carla
FSRB (RealFriend) 15 Jun 2011
Any updates?

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