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“Don't Get Fraxel Lazer for Treatment of Basil Cells”

kathy g 10 posts

Comments (10)
Updated 12 Mar 2009
Posted 11 Mar 2009

Not Worth It

Spent: $4,000 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

NOT WORTH IT. (Cancer treatment )Too much money, too much pain and 2 years later, still have cancer cells on my face and even needed surgery. Also, now my neck looks worse than when the fraxel lazer was done. My neck looked better before. It was Dr. recommended too.

I wasn't looking to get rid of wrinkles, but was told that would be a plus. HA HA. I have more now than I did then.

I absolutely would not recommend this procedure. I also think the lazer or the numbing solution caused my eyesight to worsen. Don't do it !!!!!!

Kathy G

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

My Doctor: Name not provided

It just seems like it was a lot of pain and money for disappointing results.

Vote: 4 members found this review helpful

Comments (10)

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awalk (338 posts) 12 Mar 2009

Please tell me you wore eye protection... This laser causes DNA Damage you need to ask your doctor about the levulan light traetment it works on cancer.... The reason your skin looks worse is this laser causes DNA damage like the sun x 10000 = more wrinkles hyperpigmentation,,cancer cells ect...

kathy g (10 posts) 13 Mar 2009

I wore eye protection if you want to call it that. They put a little cotton pad over each eye, but I could still see light. I even asked them if that was enough protection, at the time.My eyes even look different. My kids who are adults all noticed the changes in my eyes. What I ended up with on my neck, really is noticable and when I asked my doctor what is was, she said "oh it's normal, but it should have gone away by now". She gave me a product called Kojilac-C HQ. I have no idea what I have, or why I have it. All I know is I had some sun spots on my neck and chest and now I have a whole new problem. Is the levulan light treatment as expensive as Fraxel Laser? Since the $4,000.00 I spent on the Fraxel was out of pocket, more procedures will just mean more big bucks.I go in for a follow up exam for the squamous cell carcinoma I had removed on the side of my nose under my eye, next week and after that I have to start back on the Aldara cream all over my face for the basil cells that didn't go away from the Fraxel. That honestly was the most painful thing other than childbirth that I have ever gone through. I have an idea now of what it is like to have a serious burn. You are totally miserable. It's definitely like THE WORST SUNBURN you will ever have and then some.I really did think my skin looked better after all the swelling and flakiness and redness and soreness and actual open sores went away, but why shouldn't it. Only after time did I find out i still had many of the same basil cells visible and no eyebrows and a neck that gets so red and blotchy and itchy that it looks like a disease.I have to draw my eyebrows on now! It must be 12 years now since I first had to use Aldara on my face and from there I started getting the basil cells removed individually, then I moved on to Fraxel ( as recommended by my dermatologist) and now here I am full circle going back to Aldara. There may never be an end to this for me, but I will never be convinced that the Fraxel Laser treatments did anything for me other than causing other problems.

awalk (338 posts) 19 Mar 2009

Kojilac-C HQ is good it is to get rid of hyperpigmentation/Dark spots.... The levulan light treatment should be covered by your insurance..... It should have been recommended by your derm first before an expensive procedure that hasn't been proven....Did she give you treatment options other than Faxel....It sounds like she was more interested in making money from a procedure that hasn't been proven effective than helping your cancer.... This is not a first line treatment..... You should ask for your money back and or report her to the board of medicine..

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD (1,276 posts) 31 Mar 2009

Was this woman a board certified dermatologist? Do you have insurance? Any plan, even the skimpiest, would cover a basal cell carcinoma. Maybe I am missing something in your story but there may have been other things at play here than your best health interest.

View answers from Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD

kathy g (10 posts) 1 Apr 2009

Hello Dr., Yes she is board certified. I have been going to her for the removal of pre cancer spots for some time. She said to me "aren't you getting tired of coming in and getting all of these areas treated individually"? I was having them cut off or taken off with the freezing method, (can't think of what that is now). I just know it was not pleasant, but very quick. She said "Fraxel laser would be a great alternative for me and at the same time i would benefit from it cosmetically too, because it reduces wrinkles and age spots. Although, insurance covers none of it, because it is considered completely cosmetic". She never mentioned any other procedure that would be as good at treating my problems or better at it.So I had it done,( four treatments).It was so painful and I had to have injections in my face and forehead. I swelled terribly. My eyes were even swollen closed and the lids filled with fluid. I cried a lot. Then just about 3 months ago I went in for my complete body check with her and I pointed out a spot on my face along side my nose. I asked her if she thought it was a new pre cancer and she said " are you sure it isn't just a blemish"? I said "I think I have had enough of these by now to know the difference". She cut it out and it ended up being a squamas cell carcinoma. What would have happened if I'd said yes maybe it is a blemish. Afterall, she is the doctor and she wasn't worried about it. I had an area the size of a dime cut out and the scar has healed nicely as scars go, but it's still swollen and I can feel the scar tissue in there. What procedure do you think I should have gotten done instead of fraxel laser in the beginning? Now by the way I am back to square one. Years ago when i first started getting treated for pre cancers on my face and neck, I used Aldara. Now I am using it again, per the same doctors orders. I have had a lot of sun damage, and I know I will probably always have these problems, but after talking to people on Realself.com I really think I may have thrown away $4,000.00. Please let me know what your thoughts are. Thank you, Kathy G

awalk (338 posts) 11 Apr 2009

Hi Kathy Did you have an opportunity to speak with the Doc and let them know your unhappy and feel like this procedure made it worse.. Please encourage your doc to let the FDA know at a minimum, this wasn’t effective for your skin cancer There identity isn’t disclosed on the report….Only that it was doctor reported… I don't think this laser should be approved for the treatment of skin cancer..... (510K)is nothing more than a letter to the FDA stating there is similar technology already approved... How can this be a breakthru and get approval under 510K at the same time... The concept/patent is based on normal transdermal elimination...And your individual immune response to remove the tissue it damages..Since there is no ablation. (It kills but doesn’t remove the tissue.) If you have skin cancer you obviously don't have normal transdermal elimination,or immune response.. The FDA relies on Doctors and patients to let them know when something isn't working as intended.. Academia where are you?? You may spare another from doing this for skin cancer...There are many complaints already and reports of scarring Hypo pigmentation ect ect...All the things they advertise to doctors and patients that do NOT happen..... It's very easy to do and takes 5 minutes.. I filed a report and wrote directly to the FDA. I was surprised to receive a response..They do listen but responded that this is a prescription and in the Doctors judgment who is a candidate..And refered me to the state ect I would encourage any Doctor who is considering purchasing or offering this to search Maude and sites like this instead of listening to Marketing, biased peer reviews or Sales Reps... Scientists at FDA wrote Obama’s transition team pleading for help complaining of unsafe devices being approved, lack of oversight and corruption within the FDA device division.. Coupled with the Medtronic ruling in 2008, So Doctors you should know any device you buy, prescribe or delegate to staff for those big profit margins they sell you on... Puts your license, reputation and insurance on the line based on the integrity of the manufacture and sales rep, They take no oath, have no education requirements and are held to no standard… I can’t believe every Hospital and Doctor isn’t screaming foul instead of falling prey to them and putting patients at risk in the process.. This is worse than Wall Street and the mortgage mess, You can earn more money or buy a new house..But you can't replace your face

awalk (338 posts) 1 Apr 2009

The hyperpigmentation is an indicator that the laser damaged your skin like 1000's of days in the sun without sunscreen....Get your money back... She made you more likely to get additional and worse skin cancer with the damage instead of helping..... Wrong on so many levels Doctors will keep offering procedures that are not effective and even harmfull if they have large profit margins on them and the manufacters advertise and start a buzz..... We need to ask for our money back so they stop doing them based on profits not effectivness or safety..... This laser is a prescription a doctor has to give you.... Why send someone to the pharmacy for a cream when they can get $5000. for 20 min procedure.. Insurance companies need to pony up so doctors aren't tempted to resort to these types of treatments Everyone needs to make a living but not at anothers expense.. When it comes to skin cancer as opposed to a few crows feet,,, the most proven treatments should be first line,,, It is unethical to use the most income producing least proven procedure as first line against a disease that can result in disfigurments and in some cases death..... Skin cancer is nothing to be taken lightly... The rate of Deadly melenoma has increased 50% in women since the 80's .. But NOT in Men....They spend more time outdoors fishing golfing ect and don't wear make-up daily with sunscreen..... Basal and Sqauamus cell cancer has tripled in women under 40 They can't explain it away with tanning bed or UV exposure... They need to do more studies relating to IPL/hair removal ect and other laser/ light services women are using to assure our safety... This is the only thing I can thing of to attribute it to... I spoke with someone who sells lasers and she says they have 20 years of studies that they don't cause cancer.... I say the numbers and math don't lie....And have no financial incentive These statistics are only what is tracked/reported.. I would imagine it is worse... The rates of skin cancer in the over 64 age group have remained the same between the sexes..Pre lasers ect Sounds like the industry is making money like the tobacco companies did.... But using unsuspecting doctors while they get supreme court decisions exempting them from liability if the device is FDA approved.... Wake up Folks!!!! Follow the money...

awalk (338 posts) 2 Apr 2009

The levulan therapy is not expensive I've never had it but I would guess it's 100-600 for a treatment and would probably be covered by most insurance policies Look at your policy and see what they cover if your doc thinks the treatment is neccasary insurance should cover it... This is cancer not a wrinkle.. You need to get your money back ASAP

awalk (338 posts) 5 Apr 2009

Kathy Dr.Oppenheim is an excellent doctor with the upmost skill and integrity...I used to see him years ago before I moved.. I developed skin cancer after Fraxel Restore and had a squamas cell removed as well, the scar it left isn’t pretty and I went to a plastic surgeon… This is not unusual.. 72 ERUPTIVE SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA FOLLOWING FRACTIONATED CO2 LASER RESURFACING OF PHOTODAMAGED SKIN Whitney D. Tope, Edward Szachowicz, Whitney Tope, Facial Plastic Surgery, Advancements in Dermatology, Edina, MN I am considered very low risk for Skin cancer and believe this laser had a lot to do with it.. I am 39 have olive skin, Indian in my heritage, never burn. And I’m diligent about sunscreen.. I was getting ti-silc sunscreen from my derm years ago and had a friend bring me Anthelious from Canada before it was even available in the U.S.. I’m not sun worshiper..And actually work hard to keep my skin light because I lighten my hair…. My family doctor actually warned me that I may have a Vit D deficiency because I am so diligent about avoiding UV exposure.. With the olive skin I’m prone to hyper pigmentation with any skin injury so I’ve used retina a for 18 years on and off to avoid it as well as the best cosmecuticals from my derms office on the market… You need to ask for your money back at a minimum she needs to give you a credit for the appropriate treatment… In case Dr. Oppenheim doesn’t see your question I’m attaching a link that is good resource regarding available treatments for skin cancer..Fraxel is not one of them http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/prevention-2156-109.html?ic=4003 You should have had the LEVULAN PDT first line and then If you were going to go thru a resurfacing procedure it should have been regular CO2 that is proven with multiple studies...

awalk (338 posts) 11 Apr 2009

Kathy Hope the cream is working for you... I saw another doctor this week about my issues and asked about aldera.. Another women who Iv'e been emailing with is using it to help with scarring she developed from fraxel...She doesn't have skin cancer.. He said they use it off label sometimes to prevent scarring....So it's probably a good thing you are using it after as well.. Did your doctor work with you to find more treatment options?? How long have you had skin cancer?

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“Don't Get Fraxel Lazer for Treatment of Basil Cells”

My Doctor: Name not provided

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