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3 Days into Laser Pixel Resurfacing (Alma Pixel Fractional Ablative Skin Resurfacing)

  • posted 3 years ago
  • updated 3 years ago

I had pixel last Saturday @ 2pm. About 8 hours...

  • 28 Jul 2009

I had pixel last Saturday @ 2pm. About 8 hours later, after the numbing cream wore off, I was in SEVERE pain, and my skin looks like a roasted peanut. Felt like 1000 fire ants all over my face. I was so swollen, it looks like I've had a nose job, weird. (My skin was pretty good before the treatment, I've had 3 photofacials in the last 3 months, and been using Obagi Nu Derm for about 8 weeks. I did this because I'm determined to do away with makeup forever, but my pore size is stopping me.) It hurt so bad, my husband bought me a bottle of Jack Daniels to shut me up, but it didn't help. I hardly slept that night. (It's hard for me to sleep on my back anyway.)

In the morning, I took 800mg of ibuprophen and I called their office, and they told me to use ice water and a fan, but that's all, not to put ANYTHING on it. I think I look worse than the day before at this point, and still swollen. So . . . I went to my primary physician and got a small perscription of vicodin. (10 pills) I'm at 24 hours in at this point. I take one as soon as I get it. They didn't help. I progressed to another 2 ibuprophen and 2 beers, didn't help. Fooled around with my husband, felt better for 2 minutes, but then the pain was back. Holy crap. Took another vicodin before I was supposed to, and went to sleep. Relief at last! I'm rambling, but I was not expecting this.

On day three, I can barely open my mouth to eat. My skin is so tight, it breaks when I open my mouth too wide, or laugh. The burning is gone but the tightness is driving me nuts. My post pixel instructions are to wash my face with cetaphil, and do not put anything on it. ???

I called Bill again to complain that I could not talk or eat, and he told me I could put aquaphor around my mouth and eyes to loosen it up, but that it would take longer to heal that way. So now I'm torn. I put it on to eat, and wash it off afterward. It's so tight that I'm worried it will cause scars from splitting. I have red lines down my face where it has cracked. I hope they'll go away.

How long should I wait to have microdermabrasion after this?

After laser pixel, will letting your skin dry out and crack cause scars? Also, will picking off the dead translucent skin cause scarring?
Great review?

My Doctor:

They have an excellent staff, the newest technologies, and alot of experience. They also have the most competetive pricing in the DFW area. I drive 45 minutes to visit them exclusively.

Comments (15)

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Michelle575 10 May 2013
you are not supposed to drink alcohol after C02 laser.
mic123 26 Feb 2012
I am day 4 after fractional CO2. They had to turn the intensity down twice or I would have walked out. I did have 1 mg Xanex, a vicodin and anesthetizing creme, but it still felt like a 1000 bee stings. On day 2 i flew back to my home town and took more vicodin and wine. That combo worked well, but alcohol is not good for healing, so I am taking vicodin q 6 hours. My ski is a deep purple-red color. I have used ointments q 3 hours around the clock, but my skin keeps getting redder, tight and inflamed. I am naturally very pale and freckled.
I am doing this because of extensive actinic keratosis on my chest, to eliminate residual disease. I will not go through it again, it was too painful and is still painful. I had this procedure on my neck and chest, but would NEVER risk my face, there are too many reports of poor results.
Maroo 13 Feb 2012
So sorry to hear of everyones' bad experiences. I had my pixel Co2 just 5 hrs. ago and already am having minimal discomfort. The reddness is less as well. Grid apparent of course and slight swelling. I am a RN and work for a board certified plastic surgeon who has plenty of hands on with this laser. In our office the doctor or one of the RN's does the procedure. We always do a pre-op consultation with each patient. All our patients are put on a antivirial and antibiotic prophylactically beginning the day prior to the procedure. The meds are continued for 3-5 days post procedure. You must keep the skin hydrated and moist immediately after the procedure. Aquaphor is superb, and has soothing, healing properties. We also dispense camophalage make-up (Proderma). The Proderma is breathable, has excellent antioxidant properties, and transfers oxygen into the cells to aid with healing. Helps collagen production. Remember the swelling and reddness will typically peak in 3 days. Keep using your doctors recommended products for the first week. No retin A or VitC, or glycolics for 3-4 weeks after the procedure. Our office sees all the CO2 patients 3 days post treatment, and 7 days post treatment. For this reason alone, you should never have a CO2 laser procedure done in a Spa. You must be followed up with. Also keep in mind that if the price is too good to be true, something is wrong. Shop around, do your homework, ask questions at your consultation. Remember it is your health, life, and impacts your future. Finally choose a American Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, or Dermatologist. Make sure they have done many of these procedures. (There often times are payment plans available.)

Also please realize there is a big difference between a pixel CO2 and the older complete alblative CO2 lasers.
My best to you all.
Abby324 16 Jan 2012
Dr Oz just had a demonstration of this on his show today, and I was all excited about doing it until I read all of your reviews. Thanks for posting! The dermatologist doing the demonstration said there was zero downtime and NO pain!
BubbleB40 6 Aug 2011
Thank you so much for your quick reply I'm a black female and I need this done for an old scar..Did this turn out the way you like it?

Or did this turn out to be not worth the effort..and may I ask who was the person that performed your pixel....

Thank you so much

Arlington Tx
Nessie 6 Aug 2011
Sona med spa
Nessie 31 Jul 2011
Thank you for the posts. After 10 days, my face returned to normal, other than a slight finish tone. They are also working on a surgical scar on my neck, which is still healing. The part of the scar that has healed, looks greatly improved. I am going in for a 2nd treatment the end of August. This time I will have the numbing cream, & use cetaphil face wash & cream. Have the laser gel but I think it aggravated my skin more than it helped. While this is not major surgery, any one contemplating this needs to plan on 7-10 days of down time.
Worried about results 31 Jul 2011
The Aquaphor caused me more problems because it contained the heat in the skin. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone. Ask the doctor/clinic for the post-gel they put on your face when you leave - it is oilier but your skin can still breathe while staying moisturized. I'm now using Cetaphil and when the itching is really bad, I put some Aveeno on it for a while.

I think the Aquaphor may be more of the problems than the actual laser. It's kind of like the myth to put butter on a burn - it actually causes a deeper burn. Same with Aquaphor.
Nessie 20 Jul 2011
I am six days in after ablative laser and I am a mess. My face itches beyond measure. The redness has subsided in some places, but on my fore head and cheeks its very red and bumpy. I have been washing with Cetaphil cleaner. I was using Visual Changes Post Laser Get, but think its irritating the skin further. I have switched to Cetaphil cream. Is this normal. I am miserable.
st louis9955 20 Feb 2011
Well, i had my treatment done last Friday(2days ago) and I was really red on the area of my cheaks and swallen a little. When the numbing cream stopped to work (even when it worked I could feel a lot) - about 2 hours after I walked out the doctors office- I had my face really hot and painfull. My doctor prescribed me the medicine for cold sores ( in the past I had them so as preventing complications you should have the prescribtion) so I started taking it right after I pick them up. Then the ibubrofen- I was taking every 3 hours of 400 mg, 3 times before the bed time, and once I woke up the pain was gone. The tightening is the worse part:(... My doctor recomend to use a cetaphil moisturizing cream for sensitive skin(she gave me few samples, included the cleanser) each time I feel the skin tightens so it is less uncomfortable and not itchy at all. Besides she told me to use just water 2 first day to wash my face, and on 2nd-3rd the mild cleanser(cetaphil). Well, I already have some peels around my mouth, I massage it with water and wait till the rest of the face will be ready to exfoliate as well. It takes patience. I think that alcohol makes it worse, I didn't try but i know that alcohol will not help to heal the skin, it is an opossite effect. The cammomile tea helps to heal from inside out, so if you drink it, it might help. I had a really lots of laser repeatitions on my right side under my eyes where my caffe-ou-latte birth mark is starting, so it was a really painful there. I hope my scars after acne will disapear and my face will go lighter:) I am going to repeat the whole thing in 5 weeks. I wish all of luck and get to normal soon. ( the ice pack should work fine for the swelling areas)
piperbaby 29 Dec 2010
Sorry hon, but I hate reviews like this. There is no follow-up to tell you how it turned out and what kind of cracker jack doc did you go too? I have Pixel done 3 days ago, but amwaiting to post my review until it is all said and done. I have NEVER heard of not putting anything on your face through the process. He should have given you a balm to wear on it for 48 hours and then, after that period, you should be slathering your face in a deep moisturizer. Plus, at least my doc (a plastic surgeon) said I could gently massage my face in the shower to get rid of the preliminary peeling AND I can use a mild scrub on days 4 and 5. I am not understanding what your doc is telling you -- make no sense. I agree with what you are saying -- this tightness is driving me CRAZY and I cannot wait for it to be over (to the point that I might never do this again and I am only 37). However, I will post my review when I can give a complete picture of the process.

I hope everything turned out ok for you -- bless your heart!
piperbaby 29 Dec 2010
I just noticed that you went to Advanced Skin Fitness in Dallas (I am also in Dallas). That is a chain med spa and you only paid $200. Now, none of this is surprising to me. If I have said it once, I have saitd it a HUNDRED times. Do NOT got to silly med spas for more serious procedures --even botox. Go to a real doctor (not just someone who has a doc on staff whom you will never actually meet). I paid $600 ($500 for procedure and $100 for after care items) at a very reputable plastic surgeon's office here in Dallas (who has done this procedure hundreds of time) and it seemes worth every penny to me based on comparing my experence to your's...

I don'tmean this to be harsh to you at all, but I do want people to reasearch and choose a p;ace wisely...
BubbleB40 6 Aug 2011
Who was the Doctor?
sunnyday 14 Nov 2009
Oh you poor thing, I just had my pixel done i am in day two. I look horrible. I look as if i have been involved in a real bad domestic violence case. My like you i have taken alot of advil by the handfuls might i ad. My head hurts so bad even after the advil. How long could you say i have until the swelling goes down and the pain subsides. They told me at the office i could go right back to work, i if i worked at a carnival as a side show i cant go anywhere looking like this. Advice please.
Pc88 8 Oct 2009
No comments

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