Fraxel Laser: Stories

I'm 60, female, history of oily skin and pimples, not cystic acne. Still have active T-zone: oily, occasional whiteheads, milia, seb. hyperplasia, large pores, mild scarring. Worst area is chin and below mouth corners: bumpy, crepey, lots of tiny wrinkles, scars, large pores, thin skin, easily irritated. Also frown lines on forehead even after Botox. These are areas we targeted.

So, laser was set fairly high, several passes mostly on T-zone area, also lots around perimeter of face. Took about 20 minutes. Needed 1 and 1/2 hour numbing beforehand second time, as 1 hour wasn't quite enough first time. Feels like lots of tiny needles, you really feel it by third or fourth time over an area.

Side effects last about four days, mostly in T-zone area and where she did multiple passes: red, puffy, inflamed, irritated areas, sandpapery, active breakouts, whiteheads, coarse looking, red/brown dots, mild flaking.

Needed antibiotics for an infection first time. Prevented infection second time by using topical antibiotic around nostrils for two days before, and then after. Edema in morning, worst around eyes, you look like Michelin Tire guy. Solved that second time by sleeping with head and shoulders elevated.

Used lots of Cetaphil, mild cleanser, aloe gel and ice packs first day, SinEcch for swelling, ate pineapples to reduce swelling.

Was told would see no change after first treatment, and I didn't, although was told skin looked a bit "fresher." Chin area looks the same (day four after second treatment.)

May or may not get one more. Will update results monthly and include some before and after pix. Stay tuned !!

Had third one at month three. Doc and I decided to do just the problem areas -- between eyebrows, nose and chin, for $400 instead of $900. Used even higher settings. This time, seriously red irritated areas persisted two weeks on forehead, and chin area is still darker pigmented and is still breaking out. I'm patient, willing to see if any long term improvement. The pores do look smaller on my nose. But my chin is still wrinkly, crepey, bumpy, easliy irritated, red after washing or hot shower, and darker colored. Forehead still healing. I'll check in again in one month with update.

So far, I've had treatments in January, February, March and May of this year, 2103. The third one, in March, was just T-Zone, and this month's (May) was the entire face again. This will be my last one. Friends' comments on my skin so far have been: "fresher," "improved texture," "look younger, " "smaller pores." I see less bumpiness and depth of wrinkles on my chin and forehead, less oily, more even skin tone with less redness in T-zone area. Breakouts have entirely stopped (also helps to use Clindamycin and Salicylic Acid.) This fourth treatment was very aggressive, so I'm quite red, crusty, blisters, swollen, edema, breaking out on chin, but I know this will all settle down about 5th or 6th day. Will update in two months, July 2013.