Grimaud

Hair Follicle Damage From Fraxel Laser - Houston, TX

You have to understand - if you have thick skin there is not a doctor alive who can give you a thin,defined nose like Angelina Jolie or Kiera Knightley. A plastic surgeon explained it to me: You can refine the tip (the bone) but if you have thick skin it is like laying a bed comforter over that tip - as opposed to someone with thin skin. Thin skin is like layering silk over the tip - the definition is quite evident. Hope that helps.

I have been using (for the same problem 2 YEARS after last Fraxel) SkinLaboratory: Salicylic / 20 Gel Peel. (Super Keratolytic)
Unlike the instructions that say apply and peel and wash off - I use a Q-Tip and apply to trouble spots and LEAVE ON overnight.
It dries and clears very well. It is quite strong so you might want to test a single spot overnight.
I have had clear skin my WHOLE life until my Fraxel laser treatments. Now a day doesn't go by without a breakout or small lump. Damaged hair follicles? That is my best guess. I have extremely tough skin (meaning highest laser intensity - highest glycolic concentration ) so you might want to be conservative until you find how long to leave it on. Good luck!

I began this thread 3 years ago this month. I am 56 now- never had breakouts as a teenager - I have olive skin with average pores - and in these last three years have NEVER had a blemish free face since my 2 fraxel treatments. I believe the fraxel damages CERTAIN people's hair follicles in the process. My lower jawline develops a small bump under the skin - not acne - and over the course of a week a facial hair will emerge. I know this sounds gross - but you NEED to be aware - these bumps started 2 days after the fraxel treatments and have NOT stopped in 3 years. I have been on oral antibiotics - as well as topical. As it is NOT an infection there is no reaction to the antibiotics. I now have scars ( like acne scars on people who suffer with acne) along my jawline and under my chin. I KNOW this condition was precipitated by the Fraxel treatments - I just happen to be one of the people who sustained damage below the skin. The dermatologist is baffled - my Doctor who performed the Fraxel is excellent - she is baffled. I had FABULOUS, dewy skin for a year following the treatments (save for the eruptions on jawline)and I was complimented. Now after 3 years the glow is gone - if I weren't the wrong candidate for Fraxel I would be ready for another treatment. I wish I could tell you if there was a "test" to determine if you are a bad candidate - but there isn't. It is a risk. Would I have done it had I known I was a bad risk? Absolutely NOT. I would have done chemical peels instead. Now - 3 years later when the "glow" is gone - I will have small cysts along my jaw line the rest of my life. Just BE AWARE of the risks!

Your nose now fits your face perfectly! It is still swollen - looks EXACTLY like my daughters did. That swollen tip will shrink and fall so your nostrils will not be so noticeable head on. It took a good 9 months for my daughter. (She kept applying the surgical tape nightly for 3 months to keep the swelling at a minimum. It helped!) You will be over the moon in a few months - your doctor did a great job!

My daughter felt the same way when her cast was removed - she cried. In 90 days it had dropped - and is still gradually dropping 11 months later. Listen to your Doctor. It WILL drop. Looks amazing now at 11 months.