“Don't get fraxel lazer for treatment of basil cells”
Fraxel Laser: NOT worth it
Cost: $4,000
Pain: Severe
Pain: Severe
Fraxel Laser satisfaction: Poor
I do not recommend my Fraxel Laser provider: Name not provided
Why: It just seems like it was a lot of pain and money for disappointing results.
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
Mar 11, 2009Comments and replies (10)
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
This review is the subjective opinion of a RealSelf member and not of RealSelf, Inc.
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465 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...
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.
465 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..
465 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
465 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...
891 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.
465 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...
465 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?