Ouch! - Melbourne, Australia

hello all, my experience.

i am a 55 year old male farmer and have worked outdoors most of my life. i always tried to cover up from the sun but over a lifetime my face was very sun damaged. basically every part of my face had some degree of damage. along with the sun damage were also the ravages of time making an appearance particularly around my eyes, lips and forehead.

After researching various options available to me i decided on pearl co2 fractional laser. i made an appointment with a reputable clinic for a consultation to clarify what choices/options were suitable for me. i have pale skin so the pearl co2 fractional was decided upon.

arriving i was shown to a room and my face was slathered in local anesthetic to numb lips and face. the first part was brief and relatively painless. despite the numbing the second part, the fractional laser really hurt. It was a bearable though very unpleasant experience. when my lips were done i thought i'd faint. it really hurt and i would never have my lips done again.

after the procedure i looked in the mirror and was mortified at the bloodied swollen mess in front of me. the first photo is me on the way home about an hour after the treatment.

day 1. after a very restless and sore nights sleep my face now really swollen though apart from my lips i experienced no real pain just a lot discomfort. very tender face and lips and talk about UGLY! i looked like a spoiled black olive with vague facial/farcical feature. i was now bruised around the eyes and jawbone. all the sun damage is black and falling off.

day 2. face had soothed somewhat though still uncomfortable with very regular vinegar and water rinses which eased the burning face. again, my lips were the worst part... dry and sore and now scabbed and peeling *sigh* my face all over is starting to peel. i am looking a bit like a patchwork quilt done by crack addicts.

day 3. a marked improvement in my skin wretchedness. i still look like a robbers dog but i felt okay about showering today and the tepid water and very mild cleanser was wonderful to experience after the yukkiness of blood, weeping skin. pain, discomfort and just generally really ordinary days. peeling has continued a swelling reduced but still marked swelling around eyes and jawline. i expect this to lessen rapidly from now. stir crazy!

the second photo is of me at the start of day 4. although i still look bloody terrible i feel a heap better and am glad and pleas to see most sun damage fallen or falling off. i will keep adding to this every few days.

your comment or questions are most welcome.

just to clarify it was the pearl co2 fractional ablative laser treatment i had.

day 4. for me was all about being relieved that the discomfort has largely gone. swelling has reduced greatly on my face and the skin sloughing on face and lips is almost over.

day 5. even at this early stage i can see and feel vast improvements in my skin. previously my forehead was rough, pitted and had dozens of highly visible large red spots of sun damage and a deepening lines over my brow. the skin is now smooth and the red spots have gone. my freckles have faded greatly and get less discernible by the day. the brow wrinkles are so much less prominent.. the improvement is ...wow!

around my eyes, oh my goodness! the change and improvement is very marked and i am very very pleased. i shall post a pic in a few days when all traces of swelling are gone. plus, i'll post some before/after photographs.

generally a hideous experience but one (said tentatively) that appears to be paying off. i would still never ever get my lips done again, far too much pain.

hey all, several month's down the track and i have to say i'm generally positive with my results albeit with a few reservations. i have lost 5 years off my mug but my neck which wasn't treated lets me down :-(. however, my facial skin is much firmer and my deep wrinkles are noticeably absent or greatly decreased and my freckles are just about all gone. for these aspects i'm delighted. my whole face has lifted and i was sagging badly after years of sun stupidity.

the disappointments: some of the red sun damage spots are coming back, though admittedly they are no longer sore or bleed at all. also they aren't as deep or rosy and are in much less numbers than they were.i do not expose my skin to the sun without extreme protection in place so i conclude that the damage was very deep in the first place. i have a dark blotch about an inch (2.5cm) under each eye that i never used to have and the blotches become far more prevalent when i'm tired. this is a minor drawback and they may yet disappear.

as you can see in the first photo my face sagged badly when i was tired or when wrecked from a day of hard yakka. my face no longer falls this far and even my eyelids have lifted a little, probably from the tighter forehead.

i really do have more confidence now because my skin was always an embarrassment for me. i didn't look good and looked older than my years. i feel okay about me now and i am feeling good though i'm not at all sure i'd do it again. i guess that depends on how well my vanity keeps up with my aging.

double click the photo's for a larger view and the difference is noticeable.

added 2 photo's taken today 06/01/13.

as requested here is a pic pre-treatment in daylight. comparing this to the most recent... quite a difference.