So Far, So Good! - Beverly Hills, CA

It has been 6 months since my last Fraxel treatment and I am very happy with the results. My skin is smoother and my scars are less pronounced. My brother even randomly said I had nice skin, and I never thought that would happen. I've have acne for over 12 years and I was used to the idea that I would be scarred skin for the rest of my life.
I still have deep ice pick scars that didn't go away with the Fraxel, but the rest of my face has gotten smoother and overall I look healthier. After reading reviews on this website I was hesitant to try it, but I'm so glad I did. I am still self conscious about my skin, but I feel a lot more confident than I used to.
For those of you wanting to try it, I think it's worth a shot to look into it and find a reputable office. Find someone who has administered many, many treatments and who knows what they're doing. Ask for referrals when you can. I've struggled with acne scarring all my adult life, and Fraxel has been the single most beneficial thing I've done for myself.
After 6 months, I can confidently change my rating from undecided to Worth It. For everyone out there, follow your intuition when making your decision about whether you should do it and what office to choose. All the best to you!

It’s been a month since my third (and last) Fraxel treatment and the results have been great so far.

My scars are still very visible, but they've gotten softer overall. In certain lighting, my scars disappear completely and my face looks as smooth as glass! This is completely shocking to me.

Of course, my rolling and ice pick scars are still visible in all other lighting. They’re especially bad in harsh lighting, so when I’m in that kind of lighting I feel extra self-conscious. A weird side effect of the Fraxel is that my scars have taken a different shape. It looks like the collagen underneath the scars changed position because some scars are deeper, while other scars are lighter. I’m not sure if that’s even medically possible, but that’s what it looks like from the outside. I’m not sure what kind of party is going on underneath my skin.

I also want to mention that I purchased hydroquinone from my Fraxel office and I’ve been using it on my hyperpigmentation. My face overall is darker than the rest of my body, so I use it sparingly on my entire face. I use it more often on my forehead and temples, which for some reason are darker than my cheeks. The hydroquinone has helped lighten my skin and I’m glad I no longer feel like a floating head.

I wish I could post pictures to show my progress, but I didn’t take high quality pictures before I started Fraxel, so it would be hard to do a comparison now. My doctor did take pictures of me before every Fraxel session and I’m going to see if they can send them to me.

I also want to mention that I’ve changed my diet recently and I’ve noticed a vast improvement in my skin. I eat more fruits and vegetables and I’ve cut back on sugar. Since then, any existing acne cleared up and I’ve only gotten one pimple in the past two weeks. My face also looks generally healthier and glowing, so this is a lifestyle change that I want to maintain for as long as possible. But sometimes dark chocolate truffles call to me and I can’t help myself! Everything in moderation though, right?

Overall, I’m glad I got Fraxel done. My face seems to be healing fine (fingers crossed!!) and my scars have improved. I’m going to wait 6 months (so June/July 2012) before I make any decisions about the outcome or any future treatments. I’m glad to say that I can now go out without any powder or foundation on my face… and that’s a liberating feeling!

Good luck to everyone out there!

Here's a quick breakdown of my progress, treatment by treatment:

After the first treatment, I didn't notice a vast improvement. That was expected, but it was still kind of a disappointment.

The second treatment resulted in a dramatic improvement in the depth and look of my scars. Even my Fraxel lady was surprised at how well my skin was doing.

The third treatment didn't produce very dramatic results, but more of a general smoothness of my skin.

The settings were bumped up each session, once we determined that my skin could handle it.

I was also told that I'll probably need 4-6 treatments, depending on my medical endpoint.

Anyways, this is just something to keep in mind for those of you who are deciding. Good luck!