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POSTED UNDER Portrait REVIEWS

Portrait PSR3-Scars, Eyelid Damage, Enlarged Pores

ORIGINAL POST

Rhytec Portrait PSR3. I had this treatment 18...

C.C.
$5,000

Rhytec Portrait PSR3. I had this treatment 18 months ago & would not recommend it to anyone. It has been one of the worst experiences of my life. I am 68 & had lovely creamy ivory skin with a few brown spots & fine lines. I was told I would be pink for about two months. After the treatment I looked like I had been seriously burned & by day two the pain was intense. For several days I soaked my face every three hours with vinegar & water compresses & kept it moisturized the rest of the time per instructions. As my face began to peel the problems started to appear. One side of my face was not healing & looked like it was scarring. I received steroid injections on an open wound to help diminish scarring. The redness in my cheeks would not subside so I was given a series of V-beam laser treatments over seven months to diminish the redness. Why would intense heat be applied to eyelids? That's what I wondered when my eyelids were ruined by Portrait. One eyelid pulled up into the socket leaving a hollow eye & the other eyelid drooped.

Fortunately, I found an outstanding opthamologist who specializes in hollow eye repair & he fat grafted both upper eyes with an excellent outcome. My nose looks like it was boiled. The pores are three times larger & on each side of my nose collagen lumps have formed so my nose is thicker than it was before the treatment.

I sought out a top office where they are performing many Portrait treatments.

Pros: The brown spots are gone.

Cons: On one cheek I have a two inch by two inch scarred area that has hypopigmentation & my nose has enlarged pores & bumps. These areas have to be covered with makeup all the time.

Ten months recovery time for redness, scars & nose. No change in fine lines. Surgery required to correct upper eyes. New permanent makeup.

Cost: 400. to replace the permanent eyebrow & eyelid makeup that was removed, 5,000. for Portrait and 8,400. to fat graft upper eyes............ Total cost: 13,800.

C.C.'s provider

Dr. William F. Groff

Replies (14)

December 5, 2008
Had a very similar experience with intense prolonged redness and scarring that never goes away. My skin looks like it has been melted in cheek and around the eye area. The skin texture has been completely changed and not for the better. I will be undergoing several subsequent procedures to correct the damage of Portrait. Like C.C., I have undergone a series of V-Beam treatments to reduce the redness, but it is along process. I will now face another (safer) laser resurfacing procedure to try to return my now melted skin to a normal appearance. I completely agree with her $$$ assessment as I will be in the same boat.
February 20, 2016
Can you give me information of which treatment or laser that can help return the melted skin to normal appearance? I had this portrait done on my eyes and the skin looks worse than it was. Thank you.
March 22, 2009
Did La Jolla Skin Cosmetic Surgery Center do this procedure? Thanks.
July 15, 2010
Yes. A dermatologist at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery.
December 4, 2010
C.C. i'm sorry this happened to you. There's a derm at this practice (looks like they've closed the dept and the drs have gone elsewhere) that is considered one of the best laser derms in the country. He used a CO2 for scar revision years ago, and I ended up with hypo & hyper pigmentation. I had to have some of the skin surgically removed because of the damage from the steroid injections. Like you I have to wear makeup all the time. The v beam treatment did nothing to reduce the redness. I know he has done the same to someone else. People should understand that adverse reactions happen in the best offices. I felt safe because I thought I was in the best hands. My recovery was expensive and took years. I was researching new lasers for my face and was considering the treatment that you did because it sounded safe. Thanks for posting...I'll pass.
December 7, 2010
Thank you for your kind words & I am sorry that you had such a stressful & prolonged recovery. Our
experiences have a lot in common and I totally
relate to what you have been through, physically
and emotionally. I'm sorry that you may need additional procedures. After my poor outcome I consulted with several physicians who advised me
that any heat or laser procedure carries with it the
possibility for serious skin damage.
I wish you the very best.
June 25, 2011
Oops, I think I emailed my comment to C.C., rather than posting it. C.C., would you mind posting it for me?
February 8, 2012
hi, did anyone find a solution to the skin damage and permanent redness?

any advice greatly appreciated
UPDATED FROM C.C.

Eight Years Post Portrait

C.C.
I am left with 2 one inch white scars on the left side of my face from the open wound and gross over treatment of the Portrait procedure All of the pores on my nose are permanently huge and there are several small, hard lumps on each side of my nose. Even though I use sunscreen daily and wear a visor or hat all of the time the brown spots have all returned. I have more damage to my skin than I had before I had the Portrait procedure.

Replies (2)

February 20, 2016
Hi C.C. I have recently done a plasma procedure, almost 3 weeks post op, but it is called Plexr not Portriat. I think it is quite the same technology; it uses something from nitrogen and forms heat. The effect of the Plasma was very very very bad. I have uneven eyelids. It was more even before the procedure. The doctor said it would look unnatural if it is even. Show very low responsibility. My skin looks very burned and the texture is not smooth at all. Even with make up on anybody can see it. It's like the skin that has been treated with plasma has shrinked. Anyway, how long after the Portrait Plasma treatment have you decided to fix your eyes? I have been told by other doctors that I have to wait and see after 6 months. And i was told by other patients and a sale of this tool that my eyes will look the same as before the procedure after 6 months. Have you waited after 6 months? And did you find any treatment that could help with the burned skin?
September 25, 2021
HI Clair, Did you ever find any treatments that worked to repair the skin? I had a neogen psr treatment that I was talked into 5 weeks ago, I now have deep red marks all over my face. The skin around my eyes looks weirdly tight and shiny and when I smile my entire face looks so different. I had great skin before and am horrified, it feels like being in a nightmare. I hope you found recovery. If you have any tips I would be most grateful. thanks.