“2 weeks post!”
Fraxel Repair: Worth it
Pain: Mild
Reviews on realself have helped me decide on this process (Fraxel re:pair) and upper bleph surgery (as well as my dcotor of course!) and so I wanted to share with others my journey.
Having had a series of PIL fotofacials with Vbeam and been very pleased, I was ready to attack the saggy skin under my neck and the crepe-y-ness under my eyes, esp when I smiled. My skin is generally really good, esp after my IPL/vBeams, but laxity and some lines were beginning to bothe me. I will also say I've had two Sculptra injections spaced a year apart to fill in my cheeks (tear throughs ) and give me some nicer cheekbones and been very pleased with them as well. All my work is being done by the same doctor and aestetician, so it's not a cobbled together look, but address the bits and pieces for my particualr face....
Anyway, I'm 41 female, german scottich descent, and have been pretty good about not sun worhsipping too much, but was seeing my skin thinning and losing elasticity, esp around the eyes and some near the throat. hence, my decision after medical consult to go with fraxel re:pair for face and throat and Active FX around the eyes along with an upper bleph. Many of my friends expressed their opinion "you don't need that" but I think it's best to do the work before you look like you need it!!
I live in Austin so waited until fall to have this done, since our sun is so strong and fianlly this morning was the morning! I had some nervousness, but had some chemical help in the form of valium and percocet. The nurse put numbing cream on most my face, save around the eyes since the Dr. was doing those first. No general anesthetic needed--my blephs were done with local injecitons and I felt nothing. Nearly went to sleep.
The Fraxel Re:pair was more intense. Along my hair line I could feel it more, but passes were quick so it wasn't prolonged pain. Near my eyes was the worst. He did three passes in each area of my face and neck and it could be comaprable with getting a tattoo.
Both procedures took about 2 hours. and I had a friend drop me off and one pick me up--no way could have driven. Right after I noticed my face swollen and more oozing blood that I expected. My eyes are taped together (no stitches) and were puffy. The blood oozing got progressively worse after I got home... After being home a couple hours we did a vinager/distilled water gauze soak andlight cleaning followed with aquaphor/vaseline and it feel a lot better. Eye drops in eyes help that and have ointment for the night time.
NO BENDING DOWN AT ALL!
and I'm on so much stuff--omnicef, valtrex, surgery vitamins, bromlain, arinica, percocet and not alcohol 4 days before and 14 after. Great reason to explain my rejuvenation...
Feel good enough to chat with people, write this blog, can't go outside, and find I'm needing more clean towels than expected!
Definitely get all the stuff the post op that's advised--you'll use it all.
And even though I have lots of swelling, I htink the supplements are a good thing to invest in.
more tomorrow. I hope I can see in the moring
Updated: Nov 27, 2008
72 hours post -op
(note--I revised the cost to include my blephs--2200 for upper bleph and 300 for face and neck fraxel re:pair with active fv peri-orbital)
well they say the turning point is Day 4, but I don't know if I'm Day 4 or Day 3--I am 72 hours post op. The swelling has gone down, although not very quickly--I'm a big sweller anyway. The day after my treatment my eyes were so swollen (more due to the active FX than blephs I think) I could barely see. Still now I wouldn't trust my vision to driving, but who's going out of the house--not me!.. Word to the wise, you won't be able to read, so all those books I thought I'd get to are still unread. Get your podcasts at the ready or books on tape! (also blaming that on all my typos)
Beginning to peel (hooray) and my eyelashes are becoming visible again. Unfortunately, after getting the blood clots (yes) out of my eyebrows, I've seemed to have lost a piece of one of my eyebrows, the hair maybe burned out. And have gotten a few whiteheads esp on my chin. That is the least of my worries! ha.
The vineager washes are the best--Vineager is an antimicrobial as well as a feel good. I'm not tugging at any of the skin flakes, but swabbing with gauze soaked in water vineager seems to help.
My neck seems to be very smooth underneath, and the skin on my face seems quite red/pink under the scabs as well.
I'm writing all this because it's a process to go through and not easy to be so patient, so I hope it helps someone else.
I took benadryl tabs last night and the previous to help with swelling (check with you dr) and I think it helps. Been sleeping bascially sitting up. and have put neosporin on the tender areas near my eyes. They were oozing a bit and it seems to help. I like how it feels better than aquaphor or vaseline.
more to come...
Updated on Nov 29, 2008:
Improvements are more gradual now, and almost all the way peeled, red face, pink neck, still swollen, especially in the morning.
Went out to dinner (still no drinking for me, darn it!) with good friends last night. Like the episode of Sex and the City when Samatha gets the laser treatment and ends up with red face having to wear a veil. No veil, and no make up for me. Obviously looked like I was recovering from something, but it's a personal level of comfort how you feel going out in public. My eyes got tired, I got tired, but didn't get any weird stares or comments... except ran into a woman I worked with this spring and she didn't recognize me. oh my. I attribute it to my hair pulled back, as usually I have bangs.
Still doing some vinegar wipe pat downs--will until the last flakes come off today. Graduated to Remergent products, but still putting neosporin on the delicate bits. Used zinc/titanium oxide sunscreen yesterday and it didn't sting, but since it's white with blue base I looked a little purple. My skin is feeling quite tight--surely partly due to the swelling and partly to the redness (like a sunburn feels tight)
One thing, this is traumatic to your body. You will feel tired and need naps and sleep and rest. 5-7 day recovery is seeming appropriate for me, but it won't be total. Still will need a few more days to get back to normal.
Updated on Nov 30, 2008:
Whew--had a day yesterday that was rough. My eyes were really dry and red and making the swelling feel worse. I had slept the night before without the eye ointment and that was an error.
And the tightness around my eyes wasn't helping with the dryness. So I resorted (on my own devices-not doctor recommended) to my favorite skin product, olive oil. Started with it near my eyes and then just ended up smearing it all over my face and neck. (I do this anyway--I love it and no, contrary to what you'd think, it clear ups zits rather than creates them and makes skin sooo supple. Some people think it increases hair growth but I don't think so.. digression..)
Then last night put the lacrilube ointment in my eyes and went to bed with a warm cloth on my eyes and woke up today great! Eyes still get tired, but better. And my skin much less red! Olive oil helps with the tightness (I'm still using the Remergent Barrier repair and sunscreen--Blue Lizard is my favorite. I work outside a lot and it holds up through sweat, water, long hours. I use the one for sensitive skin that is only zinc and titanium oxide, no chemicals. personal preference).
I cancelled a date today, more due to the stitches in my eyesthan anything else, but getting close to date worthy. ha.
And I bet I'll get carded (when I can finally have a glass of vino!)
Updated on Dec 9, 2008:
2 weeks post now. Still peeling and pink. I blush super easily, too. I can feel my face get buring red (and see it) No hiding any emotions anymore.
Humidity is higher, which is helping the dryness. I feel like my skin doesn't absorb moisture very readily, but seems to be improving. Right now the worst is my eyes--still feels like another layer to peel off.
My bleph scars are heeling nicely, but still affected by dry eyes (the worst side effect of it all--I had Lasik 8 years ago and maybe that affects the severity)and occassional significant (to me at least) swelling at night. My eyelashes still feel numb (yes, a side effect) but today were a little sore, so I think the nerve is waking up.
here's pics--note my eye dynamic wrinkles--much smoother I think!
Updated on Dec 9, 2008:
One more thing--except for mascara and blush (believe it or not, seems to help with overall look-I'm using a more peachy color but sometimes a light pink highlight looks good on the cheekbones) and lip gloss --- I'm really not wearing make-up. Tried mineral powder over my moisturizer/zinc oxide sunblock and it didn't work out well. With the white over the pink it looked odd.
And the good news is--I don't need any. My skin is beginning to take on a nice texture and glow (maybe that's the pink!).
If you're trying to cover the red with make-up, you may get the same bad result as I did--all my colors were totally off.
Nov 29, 2008Comments and replies (50)
15 posts
25 Nov 2008
Dat Two and I woke up with eyes swollen shut nearly. Still very blurry vision just due to amount of swelling. Yikes. I'm still looking forward to the Day 5 when things will resolve. Was prepared for this, so don't freak if you look like you were attacked by a swarm of rabid jellyfish.
11 posts
25 Nov 2008
that redness and scabs came from Fraxel? I've had 7 fraxel treatments and never had that look. What exactly did the doctor do. I only looked mildly sunburned
23 posts
26 Nov 2008
I really wish doctors would not say 5-7 days down time. It's not reality. By day 5 you'll still have some swelling and you'll be raw and red. Perhaps you can hide it with make-up but who would really want to put make-up on such new and fragile skin? Just give people the facts so they can plan appropriately. Plan on needing at least 11 days. REPAIR is a GREAT treatment and adding stress to people's lives when they realize they really can't return to work on Day 5-7 is only adding anxiety where's it's not needed. Bad for healing.
314 posts
26 Nov 2008
I have several clients go out to dinner at 5-7 days. Just this AM, a patient that is just shy of 5 days was healed. She is pink, but ready to go outside, back to work, or shopping with make-up. I feel the complete healing (resolution of pinkness) can take 2-3 months. There are some that heal a little slower and take 7-10 days (do the procedure on a Thursday and go back to work on the Monday about 10 days later.).
11 posts
26 Nov 2008
Thanks, I thought it was just the simple Fraxel treatment
1 post
26 Nov 2008
Rebex, thanks for picture and sharing. Would like to see a picture of your face at one and two weeks post procedure.
15 posts
27 Nov 2008
glad this is helping--will continue to post with pictures. and yes, this is fraxel re:pair--one treatment, more intense recovery.
136 posts
27 Nov 2008
Great. Keep posting photos every few days. So valuable to us!
15 posts
28 Nov 2008
by the way--really haven't mentioned my upper bleph recovery--because it's so easy! I had some swelling, no brusing, now have little pink lines for scars right in my eyelid crease. Dry eyes but used drops drops drops. Could easily return to social/work life now--with exception of physical activity--too delicate for that still.
23 posts
30 Nov 2008
Wow, your Day 5 picture looks like my Day 9. The crusting was all over in 4 days and the smooth skin appeared but my face color was intense red. I mean intense until Day 9. I'm very fair skinned Irish decent(= ghost pale)so perhaps it makes a difference in the recovery time or perhaps the contrast between my pale skin and this new skin is just extreme and is visually unsettling. I put makeup on yesterday and went Xmas shopping and didn't scare any small cildren so that's a positive, must be on the road to recovery! Thanks for sharing, very helpful.