“Fraxel re:pair viewpoint as a patient and an employee”
Fraxel Repair: Worth it
Pain: Mild
I am writing this review from the perspective of both a current patient (Day 5) of my Fraxel Re:pair and as an employee of the plastic surgeon who performed my procedure. I will leave his name out because I am not here to promote our practice, only to offer my advice.
I decided to undergo the treatment obviously because I needed it, but also in order to experience what our patients have been going through. Now I can honestly share an unbiased opinion about this treatment. In our experience, no patient has been alike. Every single patient has a different experience.
We use a lidocaine/benzocaine cream along with a nerve block for each patient. Patients typically take a .5mg xanax and a vicodin about an hour before the procedure. This is where I decided to experiment a little. I am prone to anxiety, and don't like the feeling of epinephrine (which is mixed with the lidocaine injections), so I took an extra .25 of xanax. This definitely helped.
I also took an idea from one of our patients and brought my ipod along with a meditation cd which I listened to during the injections. For those of you who enjoy yoga, or have some calming music---this is a great tip!
Overall, the treatment has been what I expected, although I must stress the importance of preparation and emotional readiness. You should really understand that this is not an IPL or a Fraxel restore treatment. There is discomfort, swelling, oozing, itching and just plain irritation!
The things I can stress the most at this point: If you live alone, like I do, PLAN AHEAD. Get plenty of groceries, run your errands and buy your supplies. You can't go out for anything the first several days. Talk to your doctor in detail about medications. What have you taken before for anxiety? How does pain medication affect you? There may be a special combination of medication that will work just right for you.
I am very excited to see my results. Today I am very red and peeling quite a bit. I hope this helps some of you!
Jan 2, 2009Comments and replies (1)
76 posts
26 Jan 2009
Is only 1 treatment required??? I believe I had the Fraxel Restore, I'm having a series of 4-5 treatments for acne scarring. My nurse did tell me that it was Repair but I did not have any oooozzzing, just swelling and redness. The swelling has gone away, it's day 5 but I'm still a little red. I'm pleased with my results overall but just wondering if I'm getting the treatment I think I'm getting!