Laser Resurfacing: Stories
Write a ReviewDisaster :::: Hypo & Hyperpigmentation and Raised Scarring - Fla
- catparkmor
- posted 4 months ago
- updated 1 month ago
- Not Worth It
- Cost: $5,000
- Sarasota, FL
It has been a year and I still have raised...
- 25 Jan 2013
It has been a year and I still have raised "whisker-like" horizontal marks on my cheeks. 2-3 on the left side and 4-5 on the right cheek. You can feel them easily. The "marks" standout visually when I put on make-up. :(
My skin is really blotchy -there is a ton of hyperpigmentation issues. I have been out of the sun for a whole year!! "track marks" vertical ones on my forehead and horizontal ones around my face and jawline. I work from home and have been out of the sun the whole recovery time. I put on 90 broad-spectrum sunblock diligently. The worst part are these hypopigmentation scars on either side of my face. It has been a year and they are sooo bad still. They are permanent. The melanin is gone. The laser did little or nothing for my wrinkles around my eyes and creepy skin. My skin is just worse. I am not imaging this. Friends and family have seen me all the way through and see the different changes. My pores have enlarged greatly and have not decreased in size. It has been a year since this procedure. The doctor gave me my money back but my face is ruined and a whole year lost as well as my confidence.
My Doctor: Name not provided
My rating:
Overpriced and not experienced with Laser surgery. Scarred for life. Lost a whole year with recovery. :(
I'm glad I read this thread. I am on my way to Thailand on the weekend, and was fairly certain I would have treatments with the CO2 fractional laser to lessen deep acne scarring. Now I am having major second thoughts.
OMG. I am so sad to read about your experience. I had a Fraxel like treatment done several years ago now (it was called Dot and my doctor said it was more gentle that some others). I had a terrible experience. I know what it means to have terrible anxiety attacks and to be a vampire (in other words, avoid the sun at all costs). My face looked like I had been playing waffle iron tag for at least 3 months. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't look in the mirror, I was ashamed to be seen in public. I went into deep depression, wondering if I would ever be the same again and cursed myself for being so vain as to hope to remove my freckles and improve my skin tone! I went to other specialist (dermatologists and mostly they prescribed hydroquinone). I had to even go on a steroid creme for close to a month after my initial treatment (probably because my treating doctor didn't know what else to do). He seemed a bit shocked (but he tried to hide it from his expression). I had before and after photos taken. Photos were taken at 1 week, 3 weeks, 1 1/2 month. After that I started buying crazy sunblock, big hats, protective clothing and hiding from the sun like a freak. The good news is that I am 3 years out and although I do still have hypo and hyperpigmentation issues (expecially on the sides of my face, at the jaw line and some on my forehead), I can say I am finally doing a bit better. I have come to accept a bit of the aftermath. But I do look better than in that first year after the treatment. Hang in there. I do know how you feel. The same thing happened to me. It took many months to heal. My best advice....... Sun protection (hats, sunblock, avoidance). Over time my situation did get considerable better, but it nearly wrecked my personal life in the process. I couldn't sleep, I had major anxiety, I was fixated. I pray you try to relax and don't look in the mirror so often. Keep your skin clean and hydrated and try to focus on something else for now. I just recently (after 3 years) started a very gentle laser (ND yag) to remove some of the pigmentation. This has helped some (as well as hydroquinone 4%, I use obagi C C-clarifying serum). Back to what your going through now, I would make sure you are getting some rest (even if it requires sleeping pills, possibly an antidepressant/just for the short term). Aso as far as the wierd texture, that eventually will fade (or it did for me). And I agree, it did seem like there were both raised and depressed areas with small bumps in those red whelped up areas, that is new skin forming). I felt so traumatized by my experience. I felt nobody I knew could understand, because it was happening to me. I do know how you feel. Please let me know if I can be of any help to you.
Hahaha... I thought you were on to something epic!!