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“Rough Skin and Lumps After Fraxel SR1500 - Mexico City, Mexico”

sweetcathie

Worth It
Spent: $600 in Mexico City, Mexico

Comments (20)

Updated 23 Feb 2010

Posted 5 Jan 2010

I live in Mexico city. I am 37 y/o with light skin, some sun damage and fine wrinkles around eyes, and some old acne scaring on my cheeks. I had my 1st fraxel 3 weeks ago. It was the realiant SR1500. My settings were 60 mJ /6 (guess this is 20% coverage)/ 8 passes, and less energy for around the eyes, 45mJ I don´t know the other settings for this part. I used Obagi system without tretinoin for almost 5 weeks before the laser and started it again one week after the laser still without tretinoin.

After the laser I followed exactly all recommendations, I kept my skin hydratated and protected from sun and used sun screen lotions every 3 or 4 hours, I avoided heat for 2 weeks and so on. I had very mild edema except for the day of the treatment. The only thing a bit unusual to me was that after only 5 days of the laser I was asked to go to the doctor office for a exfoliation treatment, basically a scrub cream that help me to peel off, but right after that is when I started to notice the lumping on my face )could this be the cause?).

After 3 weeks the dry skin has completely exfoliated but I can still feel my skin rough and I can easily see getting close to the mirror, those small lumps, from the laser. Otherwise my skin has healed fine and improved enough for a first treatment but I don´t like those bumps and the feeling of touching my skin with that weird texture.

Updated on Feb 23, 2010:
What can be done to improve this condition? Would it help if I add tretinoin 0.5% to the blender cream at night in the Obagi system I follow, to smooth my skin texture? I was not planning to repeat the Fraxel until next year, but if the rough of my skin does not goes away would you still repeat the same treatment, what if it adds a new set of lumps? How long should I wait to see if there is improvement of my skin texture before fall in panic and search for an alternative remedy such as chemical peeling? Please any expert help me clear my doubts I am kind of worried. Thank you.

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

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The doctor (dermatologist with laser training) had good practices according to what I read in this and other sites.

Comments (20)

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garreola 11 Jan 2010

I am here to say: Don't do Fraxel!! I just went thru all the postings regarding fraxel, took me nearly a whole day. I did 6 full face fraxel sessions for acne scarring a year and a half ago, still suffering from total HP, used HQ after, have done peels, use 30 sunblock every day, & not only do I look worse, its af I aged 5-10 yrs. (other posts have stated similiar exp) I am 36, mexican with naturally tan skin, now I have HP blotchy skin all over face especially around eyes. Wish I would have found this site before i even thought of doing the procedure!!! I dont think its docs fault, its the companies selling the equipment and the FDA so called approval!! I found many postings from an "Awalk" who sadly seems passed away late last year, but she had posted very valuable info regarding her adverse reactions and battle. Please, please, don't do Fraxel!!

mee 18 Jan 2010

Are you saying Awalk died? Do you know the circumstances? That's really awful.

Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 19 Jan 2010

She passed away unexpectedly in October from a brain aneurysm.

mee 19 Jan 2010

That's really sad. Thank you for the information.

chellamia 1 Feb 2010

Sharon, are you sure Angie (awalk) passed from a brain aneurysm? Does that mean it had nothing to do with the fraxel which was implied elsewhere? Are you sure there was nothing mysterious about her death as seems very young to have died from an aneurysm. I read many of her posts and she was very intelligent and her mission was to help others and I can't help but wonder if there is any mystery surrounding her death as the big money will often go to any length to twist and hide the truth. Many whistleblowers and scientists die under mysterious circumstances so do you know if her family had an autopsy done as that just seems so odd that she died so young. Did she have any other health issues? Thanks for your help.

Sharon at RealSelf (Community Manager) 2 Feb 2010

Hi chellamia - That's what I heard from Christine (a friend of hers here on RealSelf) shortly after she passed away. I'm afraid I don't know any more details, sorry.

Carla D 2 Feb 2010

chellamia and Sharon I am sorry to report that Angie did not pass from a brain aneurysm. It had everything to do with Fraxel, which was not implied, but a fact! If you read all of her mothers "clane" posts you can figure it out. I spoke with her mother on Sunday and she is still deeply grieving her daughters loss. I don't feel the need to give any details except that the deep depression she was in for two years over the damage that Fraxel caused, and the fact that NO doctor would help her, as her face continued to worsen with open ulcers that wouldn't heal, she finally gave up on life, as there was no hope in sight. The depression and "meds" took her life. Read up about cutaneous radiation damage, as Fraxels emit radiation and once the skin is damaged, there is no cure or repair as the radiation just keeps eating its way up to the surface of your skin until you end up with open, painful sores. Look at the pictures of her chin. I don't know why anybody is questioning this, the facts are out there, you just need to look. Matter of fact everyone needs to educate themselvs about the reality of these devices, so maybe then the entire Public could be made aware of what is happening. It's criminal what is going on. Could you imagine this happening to your mother, daughter, sister, best friend, or yourself?

squareone 25 Sep 2010

You're absolutely right. Its amazing how a large company like reliant could bury a tragedy like this yet after this no one helped her. The biggest tradgedy is that she had a young son ( the son she mentioned whos' game she used to watch hiding in the car) . And for fraxel to have ruined her life leaving, is something i can't even imagine the devastation on her son.

Sacramento5224 23 Nov 2010

I know how you feel. I did 7 Fraxel treatments for deep acne scars. The scars are gone but I have a hideous, wrinkly, peeling patch on my forehead that won't go away. It has been 8 months since last Fraxel and it's still there. I went back twice and the doctor can't tell me why it's there. I can't cover it because it's too scaly. I deeply regret Fraxel!

sweetcathie 12 Jan 2010

As an update, I have started to add tretinoin 0.1% to the Obagi blender cream every night and in just one week there has been an improvement in the texture of the skin. There are still the tiny lumps specially around eyes, but they have some how shrinked. The rest of the face feels better. It could be due to the light inflammation produced by the tretinoin itself as there is also an increase in the pink color, so the skin is reacting to it. Hopefully this will help to smooth the skin permanently and make the lumps (micro-dots, same size as the micro-lessions produced by the laser) to vanish with more time to heal. I will keep posting to let know about progress.

cheriem 25 Jan 2010

Fraxel was the WORSE thing I could have done for my skin!!!! It made scars and cystic areas that I am still dealing with. I had 4 treatments; the nurse practitioner kept on saying; that I just needed more treatments. The doctor also; after the nurse had left that business. These practitioners do not know enough about dermatology to be doing such procedures. They are just in it to make the money. I have scars and cystic areas because of fraxel. Do not do Fraxel. See a Board Certified Dermatologist. I have researched what may help; but do not have the finances or time to do it.

sweetcathie 28 Jan 2010

At 6 weeks after treatment my skin has gone back to a normal texture. The microdots or minilumps that I was worried about have gone and I am so happy. It really helped a lot to start using the tretinoin every night, I also added a bit of fluosinolone (spelling?) to the mix as I found that is recomended to decrease the slight inflamation produced by the hidroxiquinone and the tretinoin. My skin is very soft and smooth now. I will keep on the Obagi system to complete the 12 weeks or a bit more if there is still some product left. With my results so far I don´t see why I shouldn´t do a second Fraxel treatment, although it is going to be a year after the first one for sure, no earlier than that. I want to remark that I had my procedure done by a very professional dermatologist not in a beauty spa. My settings for Fraxel seemed to be the right ones, not too agressive, not to mild (check them in my original message), I will ask for the same settings next time.

chellamia 1 Feb 2010

Does anyone know how to post pictures? I think people could get more help and help other's see what they are talking about with pictures but don't see how to do it.

Carla D 2 Feb 2010

Most women will not post pictures or their identity as once you have experienced damage to your face, it is deeply devastating and embarrassing. There is a guilt you carry for having done this "safe" procedure. We all need to forgive ourselves and remember we are victims, someone else did this to us, we should carry no guilt or shame. But that is easier said than done. Your life is destroyed as you have known it, and some never recover, living in isolation and in pain. So to put pictures out there for all the skeptics to see, just adds more excruciating pain to each individual. Yes, pictures would help a great deal, but we don't need to convince total strangers that the damage is real, we need to get doctors to admit what we are experiencing and stop this nationwide cover up.

sweetcathie 5 Feb 2010

Now after 8 weeks of my first Fraxel, my skin looks and feels great. It has definitely improved its condition. I have no doubts that some people is having very bad reactions to this procedure, due to bad choice of settings of the equipment or handling before and after the procedure by the people providing the service or both things. But it could also be due to particular genetic characteristics of the patient that make their skin vulnerable to such a disaster result. In which case there is an URGENT need to open a research line to study each of those cases that went wrong. This is clearly responsability of the companies that make this equipments and I guess also the FDA is responsible for authorizing this procedures knowing that there is a certain percentage of patients with very bad results that endanger severely their health. Physicians and practitioners should develop a kind of "test" with the settings they intend to use on the patient on a small hidden area of skin to have a look of what the outcome will be. I know it sounds like a lot of work, time, effort and even money, but because of the multiple bad experiences,it is something that may worth to try. I am very happy with my results, I consider myself very lucky for having reacted the way I was expected to. But I am aware that things could have been so different and I would have prefered to be sure of the outcome before doing the whole procedure on my entire face. I think people affected by this procedure needs to gather their voices and proceed legally agains the companies that lauched this equipment, asking not only for a compensation of dammages but also for further studies of their cases to find out exactly what went wrong in order to find a way to prevent it in the near future.

KdDaisey 7 Apr 2011

Hi SweetCathie,

I had Fraxel 3 weeks ago around my mouth and my skin has that weird texture too. I also have tiny holes that align in a diagonal across my face. I read in your post that you had them too. I am terrified that they wont go away. PLEASE, Can you tell me at what week did your tiny dots go away. I am living in devastation right now and need to know that someone who had these lines made up of the tiny holes went away. Also, what was your texture like after the procedure and what did you do to restore it. I am just horrified, right now. I really really really hope to hear back from you. THANK YOU. Kim

Cherry Lane 22 Feb 2010

Yes Angelas autopsy reads aneurysms..... it also states the scars and caveated holes in her face the length and depth of the holes and burn scars. Her corneas which we donated to the Lions bank and Life Net could not be used due to scars from burns to her eyes. So yes she did DIE from and anuerysm.... but Fraxels took her life and soul many years earlier. The spiral of health related results from fraxel will continue being studied to see what degree and impact they had on her death. As her Mother I am Happy God spared her anymore misery and pain that she was having. If God could give her back today..... with her mental health and physical pain and anguish and lonliness and quality of life AFTER fraxel.... I would tell God to keep her safely in his arms as I know she is home and whole! Clane

squareone 25 Sep 2010

I am so extremely sorry.

Carla D 23 Feb 2010

I am sorry Cherry for misquoting in regards to Angela's death. I only wrote what I had read, and never knew about the aneurysms. I apologize for any misconceptions I may have caused.

mbauman 14 Jul 2011

i had fraxel 3 days ago , i also have now more damage that before, wrinkled skin , holes and pits in face, scarring type creases in skin, worse discission of my life, my life is destroyed from this, my name is Mike Bauman live in kentucky and my life is ruined from this, went to inprove some scarring and was left worse, doctors says give it more time, but i know the damaged to be permenant, devastated to say the least, lost my relationship over this, self esteem, cant find work, out of time and money, will end this life with no hope at all, doctor sugar coats everything of course. they should out law this device for sure, where or what can i do, nop money to fight this?

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“Rough Skin and Lumps After Fraxel SR1500 - Mexico City, Mexico”

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