Does Fraxel Dual look worse before it looks better?

Hello and thank you for your question. While Fraxel Dual is an effective treatment to use on the delicate skin underneath the eyes, it does take some time for the treatment area to heal completely and for full results to become apparent. Some patients have a coffee-ground peel from the Fraxel Dual if they have a lot of sun spots on the face.  I encourage you to wait a few more weeks before deciding whether you are completely satisfied with your Fraxel treatment. Keep in mind that many patients also require more than one treatment session to achieve an optimal outcome. Other options that are good for tightening the skin under the eyes include fractional CO2 and Erbium:YAG lasers. Make sure you are working with an experienced, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist who can produce the best possible results for you.

Thank you for your question.  Congratulations on your recent Fraxel treatment and investing in your skin health. Results are gradual and do not become visible for several weeks.  Also you may need more than one treatment to reach your aesthetic goals.  Here are some instructions straight from my post treatment instruction sheet which is given to all my patients to ensure the best healing experience and minimize downtime.
Downtime:

The intensity and duration of your downtime depends on the treatment aggressiveness, on your skin’s health and daily use of cosmeceuticals and on your skin’s healing characteristics.
Generally, the more aggressive the treatment and the more damaged the skin health, the more intense and longer the downtime.
However, some patients who receive a less aggressive treatment may experience side effects of greater-than-expected magnitude, while others receiving more aggressive treatments may experience side effects of less-than-expected magnitude.
Face Treatments- Downtime is usually 5-7 days.
Heat Sensation- Starts after the treatment and may continue until the first night.
Redness to Browning- Redness starts after the treatment and is gradually replaced with bronzed skin on the second or third day.
If you were treated with 1927 nm wavelength for hyperpigmentation, the bronzed skin then gets darker and becomes brown dots.  Brown dots are the micro-treatment zones coming to surface and being replaced with new skin cells. Once at the surface, brown spots start to slough off with regular cleansing starting on the fourth day.
If you were treated with 1550 wavelength for texture and wrinkle improvement, you will not experience browning phase as much but will experience more swelling.
Swelling- May start after the treatment. It is at its worse on the first day after treatment, particularly under the eyes. It usually lasts two to five days.
Dryness- Starts the first day after treatment and progresses to a feeling of sand paper which may or may not be visible. These grainy particles are the micro-treatment zones working their way up to the surface of the skin before sloughing off.
Pinpoint Bleeding- May occur at the time of the treatment and heals completely.
Itching- May occur during the healing phase and is completely normal.
Pink Skin- May occur after the initial sloughing is complete. This is part of the healing process and resolves.
Abnormal Healing- If you notice any blisters, cuts, bruises, crusting/scabs, areas of raw skin, ulcerations, active bleeding, increased discomfort or pain, pigment changes (lighter or darker than usual complexion), or any other problems that do not follow the normal healing process discussed above, please contact us as soon as possible.