Fraxel Dual- So Far So Good! - San Diego, CA

First Fraxel Dual 1927 done 2 days ago for age spots, freckles, and fine lines and while it is too early to tell, I wanted to share my experiences before I forget, step by step.

I am 32, fair skinned and noticed crows feet,freckles, and hyperpigmentation from years of sun damage and really wanted a fresh face. I have had microdermabrasion, chemical peels, Dysport for the wrinkles and none of that of course is more long term, so I wanted something more aggressive. For the price of the Dysport and just one microderm and one chemical peel, I could have one Fraxel session and supposedly have better results. So, I went for it!

I went to my dermatologist's office and signed up for the Fraxel. My session was two days ago. I had a numbing creame applied for one hour before the procedure and then the laser began. It was definitely NOT painless! The first pass over my face felt like tiny little needle pricks, which weren't so bad, but then as the procedure continued, it became very uncomfortable, like a blowtorch was being passed over my skin. There were a total of 8 passes and by the 5th one, I was really happy that it was almost over! I cannot imagine doing this without some kind of numbing cream. They blasted some cool air on my skin for about 10 minutes post procedure, which was great, but as soon as I stepped outside into the heat of the day and a hot car, WOW...I couldn't wait to get home to put some ice on my skin. Luckily, the pain went away over the next hour. I was definitely pink, but not swollen or anything and I slept comfortbaly. I was instructed to moisturize consistently, so I used the cream, Biafine, given to me by my dermatologist. It is an emollient, so it moisturizes, while providing beneficial healing ingredients and is commonly used for skin grafts, minor skin conditions, and inflammation caused by radiation. I have read elsewhere that Aquaphor is used and I used that at night to allow it to really soak in.

The next day, my cheeks were definitely red and almost dark like I had more freckles. My face felt very rough, like fine sandpaper. Looking up close, it looked as though my freckles were not solid. It looked as though they had been broken up into very tiny pieces, like small grains of pepper, as opposed to a solid brown freckle. It also looked like they were stuck on the surface of my skin, not deeper any more. It seems as though I could just scratch some of the freckle off, but of course I didn't do that.

I was able to apply liquid make-up on day 2 with a damp sponge, but I had to sponge it and lightly press it, rather than gently rub it on like I normally do. It did make a big difference and I was able to go out of the house without looking freakish, but I had to wear much more than usual for coverage and it just didn't feel comfortable.
I have off from work the whole week, so laying low is better I think. I would strongly suggest downtime rather than having to go into work after the procedure. My skin personally just looks a little weird and I can imagine people would stare.

I have not seen too much peeling yet, but it has only been 3 days and I was told day 3 and day 4 is when I should see peeling the most. Of course, everyone is different, but this is my experience so far. I am really looking forward to the next few days to see what there is to come. Stay tuned!!