“Looked Good for About a Week and then MUCH, MUCH Worse - Concord, MA”

I had the Sandstone Fractional c02 laser on May 25, 2011 to address melasma. I went to a board certified plastic surgeon in Mass. The procedure itself was pretty painful, but I figured "no pain, no gain".

For about 5 days after I had the usual bleeding, crusting, and peeling that I had been advised to expect. After all the dead stuff had come off, my skin looked very "full", kind of red and inflamed. I had hope that the brown pigment wouldn't return.

About a month later, I noticed that there was a brown pattern all over my forehead, NOT by the way where my original melasma was (which was on my cheeks). You could literally see the pattern that the laser took! I also developed excess pigment on my upper lip, and under both eyes.

I also noticed that my skin TEXTURE had changed, as many others have noticed, to looking like the peel on an orange.

Additionally, I have developed one large cyst like formation on my jaw. I believe that this is SCAR TISSUE. There are also several small areas on my chin that seem to develop excess skin. These are not red, nor are they pimples... more like too much skin is building there and isn't shedding like normal skin. It's kind of like psoriasis.

I went back to see my PS who was perplexed and referred me to a dermatologist.

The derm suggested that the brown discoloration is Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation - a condition that is very difficult to treat. He has me on a combination of Hydroquinon (4%) and Retin-A every other night, which causes extreme dryness and flaking. He doesn't know what to do about the scar tissue or the chin 'psoriasis'.

Please be assured that I have been hyper-vigilant with my sun protection since having the procedure. I wear a super strong zinc sun screen, I spend minimal time in the sun - just walking to my car and back, and I always wear a huge hat when I am outside for any longer than that.

I followed the post-op care to the letter and still had HORRIBLE RESULTS. I sometimes look in the mirror and don't even know who is looking back at me.

Please, please reconsider having this procedure. There are so many people out there who have had similar results to mine. This is your FACE you are gambling with!

So just to recap: worse hyperpigmentation, disgusting orange-peel texture, formation of scar tissue on jaw line, and strange excess skin growing on chin. Was it worth it? Nope. Do I wish I could go back in time? You bet.