2 Sessions of Fraxel Laser-wouldn't Recommend, Laser Marks Left on Skin - England

I've had two fraxel lasers done, four weeks apart-the last one was roughly 3 months ago. I'm not sure what fraxel it was (it just said fraxel on the sheet I signed- not if it was repair or restore) but it's the one you have a few treatments of rather than just one. I'm not sure what setting the doc used either, but he did say that he'd go all out on the high setting so I'd see more improvement. I'd read some bad reviews of fraxel (on here) and asked the doc about it but he said not to worry, I was probably reading the reviews of the other fraxel treatment not the one that I was going to have. He said that no one had a bad experience at the clinic and I'd be fine, if it didn't work we wouldn't do another one, but it definitely wouldn't result in worse skin and most people got about 90% improvement after all of the sessions.

I was meant to have 3 but I've only had 2-I don't want another one, it was a complete waste of money. I was still slightly sceptical having read the bad reviews but for me it didn't matter too much as I only had it done to three scars-two little ones on my face and one on my arm from surgery. The scars on my face I have to hide anyway, so it wouldn't matter to me too much if it made them worse, I just wanted the chance to make them better so I didn't have to hide my scars anymore.

I had the treatment which took only about a minute-he didn't use any anaesthetic because it was only a small area, it hurt definitely, I wouldn't want it done all over my face! But it was over very quick so it wasn't too bad. After the first session I didn't have any problems and it looked like my scars had definitely flattened so I was pretty pleased. Roughly a month later I went and had the second session but afterwards I've had more problems. Soon after the first few days, when the peeling and scabbing was over, I noticed that I still had the laser marks on my skin-sort of like "orange peel" or a scaly rough effect. This is 100% down to fraxel, you can see exactly where the laser went. The most frustrating thing is that the worst bit is a patch of previously healthy skin that the doc lasered as well next to the scarred area. From what I've read this is permaneant and I'm not very happy- it looks anything but natural. Thank god I didn't get my whole face done (I didn't need it, I'm only 24 but I've heard of some people being convinced to).

If I had have had my whole face done I can imagine my life being pretty much over right now. I'm already depressed about the patch of orange peel skin, in some light it looks really odd. It would be awful to have my whole face like that. It's not too obvious unless close up because it's a small area and my hair covers it, but if it was my whole face it would be obvious. I guess the first time it worked but then the second time the doc put it on too high a setting and that's why this has happened. Another thing is that the skin stayed red for way longer than it was supposed to, it's almost back to normal colour now 3 months later. So if you are going to get your whole face done be very careful because you don't want to be left with red skin for months as well as the possibility of orange peel skin.

If the rough skin does go away, the fraxel was probably worth it, I think my scars have gone down. but it's not been worth it to be left with this odd skin texture. from what I read it could just get worse, I wish I'd not had it done at this point.