susanml

Recent comments

• Posted to Adverse Effects Fraxel Repair on 26 Apr 2012

  @goodskin: i am 49 and had treatment at 42. i also had fraxel by a reputable doc. 3 treatments were recommended for acne scarring. at first i thought i looked better. it wasn't until after the treatments that i was told i would need additional treatments yearly as maintenance since the results are not permanent. well, they tell you that your skin will look better and better as time goes on. but my skin started looking worse. i started developing hyperpigmentation areas on my face and worst of all my upper lip. certain scar areas developed hypopigmentation and my skin has a different texture. i had co2 in 96 with little lasting effects but no adverse effects either. this fraxel treatment has ruined my face and self esteem. it takes me an hour to apply makeup and i am looking in the mirror all day to check and see if my "moustache" is showing. I have been back to the same derm and she suggests fillers and another laser. other derms give me lightening creams that do not work. i have used almost everyhting imaginable to "fix" my face. the last dermatologist suggested a cosmetic surgeon. i guess when i can afford one i will. for now it is camo makeup and antidepressants!

• Posted to Fraxel Ruined my Face on 12 Sep 2011

  I would like to know if you had Fraxel yourself since you seem so knowledgeable on the subject. Melasma is not only hormone related. It can be due to thyroid conditions, heredity, etc. Look it up! I had two pregnancies and never developed melasma. So much for the hormone theory. I refer to my spots as melasma but they look more like "burns" because they are more like grey areas not darker brown. I also have hypopigmentation in the form of depressed white "scars" and what we refer to as "tracks". There are broken blood vessels, enlarged pores and orange-peel looking skin. Hundreds to thousands of people could not be making this up.

• Posted to Adverse Effects Fraxel Repair on 17 Jun 2010

  After hearing about Fraxel from an aesthetician I decided to have the procedure for acne scarring. Over the years I have had numerous microdermabrasions, an Obagi Blue Peel and a full face CO2. I have used Accutane and Retin A. I am very self concious about the look of my skin and have always been hoping for something that really works. I know scarring is one of the most difficult if not impossible to treat. I was advised of 3-4 treatments which I was under the impression that the improvement would be permanent. After the second treatment they told me that following the initial course I would need yearly maintenace. I don't know why this was not explained initially but I went ahead with two more because I had started to see an improvement. I was also advised to use a 60 spf sunscreen and be very careful of the sun. My face did look better and they said it would continue to improve. Months later, I started to notice hyperpigmentation. I developed brown spots on my forehead, cheeckbones, etc. My upper lip is much darker that it looks like a five 'o clock shadow 24 hours a day!I also noticed hypopigmentation. My cheeks are much lighter and I have one indented scar that is totally white. The sun is my worst enemy. Seems like even thinking about sun makes my skin worse even with a high spf sunscreen! That explains why I look worse during the summer. Makeup adds some cover but not totally. I am embarrased to look at people face to face because I don't want them to notice. I feel unattractive and at times ugly. The worst part is that I paid $5,000 to look this way. I wish I never had Fraxel. I would advise anyone considering it not to do it. The negative results may not show for months and months. I am going to schedule an appointment with a derm where I live now. I hope he can help. mirror. I have joined a gym and changed my hair a bit hoping people will not notice my face. I hate to look in the mirror. I declined my 30th HS reunion and all other invites of get togethers because I don't want to see old friends. I can just hear them talking behind my back and asking each other, "what happened to her? she was such a beautiful girl". DON'T DO FRAXEL. DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE. You will look at yourself in the mirror every day and regret it!!!

• Posted to Fraxel Ruined my Face on 9 Apr 2010

  I had a co2 full face laser in 96, microdermabrasions and an obagi blue peel. In 2008 I had 4 fraxel laser treatments. First I was under the impression that the results would be permanent after at least three treatments. My skin did look good and the scarring appeared much better and less noticeable. But I was extremely dissapointed in being told during the treatments that I would need treatments every 6mos to 1 yr to maintain the effects. Weel my skin did look good for a while. Then sometime after I developed hyperpigmentation in different areas on my face. I had patchy areas on my forehead, upper cheek bone at he corner of my eye, and the worst was my whole upper lip. It looks like a 24 hr 5 o'clock shadow. My cheeks seem "white" and a shallow scar has turned into a white spot also. My whole face is different shades and makeup doesn't completely cover or even out. I feel like I look "grey". I wish I never did this. A waste of looks and money. I should have done a co2 again.