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POSTED UNDER Fraxel Repair REVIEWS

3 Months Since the Fraxel:Repair

Name: 3 Months Since the Fraxel:Repair
Item: Name not provided
Author: Lori - New patient

ORIGINAL POST

I did the Fraxel:Repair 3 months ago for minor...

Lori - New patientJanuary 2, 2009

$5,000

I did the Fraxel:Repair 3 months ago for minor wrinkles and mild acne scarring. I am a 34 year old female.

I was told I would be able to go back out in public after 5-7 days, it took two weeks before I would even see friends. It was six weeks before the redness could be covered by make-up and at 3 months my skin is still pretty red and you can still see a few "track marks".

At 3 weeks, even though I was still very red and dry, the wrinkles around my eyes disappeared and my skin seemed smoother. I was very excited. Now at 3 months the wrinkles are back and my skin texture seems to have gone back also. Everyone I ask says they cannot see a difference except of course the people at my doctors office. The only thing that seems to be different is my make-up goes on a little smoother.

They are trying to convince me to get another one at half price saying the second one will yield more dramatic results because the skin has already been treated. Has anyone experienced this? It is another $2000.00 and six weeks not wanting to be around anyone because I am so red and dry.

If you have done a second Fraxel:Repair please let me know how it went, thanks!

Replies (25)

Boston Girl

January 3, 2009

Lori -Did you and/or your Doctor take close up digital photo's? I ask because about 20 days into my healing I thought, "ok somewhat better, not huge." THEN I compared the digital close up pics I took before my procedure to one that I took that day. Then I saw a big difference. I think we get so accustom to looking at ourselves in the mirror that we can miss some change and/or we truly forget what it really looked like in the past. There is a question posting area in this blog that the doctor's respond to. You should post the question about multiple Fraxel repairs and see what advice they have regarding timing, risks and so forth. I'm so sorry to hear that it isn't what you hoped for because it is an expensive treatment.

FairestOfAll

January 3, 2009

How about your scars? Have they returned? Did you look at any before and afters? Tract marks?? Your Doctor should be doing you for free. I was also told that a second treatment would yield better results and that the downtime would be much quicker. It would definitely be hard to fork out another $2k if the $5k didn't do much. Goodluck to you. If you do have a second treatment please do keep us posted.

cyn0430

January 16, 2009

Lori, I just read your response to the Fraxel Repair and your disappointment.. I must agree with you. I had mine on November 17,2008. My recuperation period was long... almost 4 weeks before I could put makeup on that would look acceptable.... I was very red! Now that the swelling had gone down and the redness has subsided, I feel my skin looks like it did before the procedure.. if not worse. My skin is blotchy.... and the imperfections that were present before REPAIR are returning. ie broken blood vessels and 'fine wrinkles'. Considering the cost and the down time of REPAIR, I would say it is NOT worth it. The results are so minimal.

California Crookedteeth

January 26, 2009

If you aren't getting a good result at the young age of 34 (with all of that collagen-producing capacity), that doesn't give older patients like me much hope. I'm two months post-Fraxel, and I'm feeling that my skin has a bumpier texture than it did before the procedure. The wrinkles around my eyes are returning. I know that I am not considered to be fully "repaired" at this stage, but I feel that I am not just reverting to pre-treatment mode, but that I have actually harmed my skin.

Dr. P

January 27, 2009

Hi All,

Fraxel re:pair does work, sometimes it may take a second treatment. Ask your physician if they will perform the second treatment at their cost (about $1000 for full face and neck). I have seen remarkable improvement in two of patients who had a second "lite" treatment after their first full re:pair. The Lite treatment is done at very low settings (5-10mj, 10-20%) so that the down time is much less. Patients may also have a full 2'nd re:pair treatment if they wish.

As for make up, patients can use a quality mineral make up like Jane Iredale after 6 to 7 days and look very good. We began to carry Jane Iredale for this purpose, and patients are very pleased.

Lastly, the Fraxel re:pair is not a commodity, but requires both the technology and a skilled physician. If patients are not healing as expected, then the laser should be checked to make sure that it is not over heating the patient's skin.

See my full answer here on RealSelf.com at (http://www.realself.com/review/fraxel-laser-horrible).

Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

dontdofraxel

January 9, 2010

Dr Pesky, my skin and underlying fat/muscle structure of the face began sagging and showing signs of rapid premature aging after Fraxel. I am of the opinion that Fraxel should really be banned by the FDA because of the strong visible damage it has done to me. A friend and I had 3 sessions with one of the researchers for Fraxel. After a year, BOTH of us started noticing that are skin looked badly aged and worse we had ever seen it. We only went for Fraxel for smoother complexion. I was 40 when I did Fraxel, my friend in her mid 30's. I now have the skin of a 60 year old, with deep drooping jowls, the elasticity of the face is dropping, deep vertical lines in rows, and deeper and more prominent wrinkles than anyone I have seen my age. All this within 3 years of my last treatment. How many people do you know that age that fast in a short 3 years? When I see 55 year olds with better skin than me, I feel so sad. I don't smoke, have never used drugs and don't live on junk food (I seldom have fast food) yet I am starting to resemble Keith Richards after his hard life of boozing, drugging and orgying. I am trying to get the doctor to send me before pics so I can post them here and demonstrate the truth of my statements. Interestingly enough, the first session I had (20%) actually had excellent results. It was consequtive sessions at 40% that contributed to the damage which I now battle with to try and somehow reverse and correct - and as a doctor I am sure you know how difficult it is to reverse signs of aging and with good and natural results. I really think doctors should think twice of the long term consequences of Fraxel before recommending it to anyone.

FriedaFoxworth

January 11, 2010

With all due respect Dr. Persky, I think you discount these women who post on here continually about RUINED faces, RUINED lives and undermine their stories of not just financial loss but personal injury and suffering due to a product that clearly has had devastating results for many people. Rather than act as a resource or offer guidance for what we can do to fix the damage we've suffered from a product the medical establishment continues to promote, defend and make money off of, you prefer to act as an apologist for an industry that has caused great harm to many. You sit here and tell us it works when our faces tell a different story; clearly it does NOT work for a large number of us and we are stuck to suffer the consequences of poor FDA regulatory practices and a medical community that has clearly not ensured the safety of its product or the public. Cite one long term clinical study (longer than 6 months) that demonstrates the safety of Fraxel over the long term; one epidemiological study that charts the long term effects of fraxel in human populations; I've yet to find one, yet the medical establishment continues to promote Fraxel as safe without the citations to back up their stance.

melsh73

January 20, 2010

These procedures damage skin! This industry is unethical and is ruining peoples lives. When doctors are confronted they deny, deny, deny that the skin damage is a result of treatment! I look like crap now as a result of treatment! My face hurts all the time and feels like it was injected with acid! What goes around comes around eventually. Karma is a b**tch!

melsh73

January 24, 2010

You Go Girl!

squareone

September 29, 2010

I have the EXACT same case as 'dontdofraxel' 9 months after fraxel , my skin was very tight lifted and made me look younger. over night it sagged and created hollows and jowls on my face i aged back within hours.it seriously enhanced my nasolabial folds I could actually feel the difference the deep hollows are just reay deep and make me look very old . I can quote you ateast 30 cases here that mention the same thing, the FDA NEEDS TO MENTION this as a possiblity on their site , so that people can proper weigh their options. because it CERTAINLY is an option. I understand it fraxel doesnt want their machines true side effects cutting away on all their profit margins. IF the worst fraxel could do was , give no results, then OK, they can use their tactical marketing to make it seem like it is perfectly safe. But when it can make things worse , FDA SHOULD not let them use marketing to HIDE its true dangers! This is someones FACE you're talking about you could potentially ruin their lives.