62 Years Old Sun Damage and Wrinkles - Exeter, UK

My lines and wrinkles are making me look older than I feel. I am considering a facelift but don't have enough down time to do that till the end of the year. So I am going for the fractional laser resurfacing tomorrow. I may have another session after the facelift (if I go ahead with that.)

I am having a full face resurfacing, and now it is imminent I am feeling scared!!

As the lines around my eyes are the deepest ones, my surgeon wants to go deep with the laser here. This involves anaesthetic drops in the eyes and shields put into the eyes (like contact lenses)

I am worried about this, but I have confidence in my surgeon, and have to trust his experience and judgement.

Things worrying me are the pain during treatment, as patient's experiences seem to range from mild discomfort to severe pain! So I am prepared for the worst!!

The procedure is scheduled to take about an hour.

Another worry is how long it will be before I look normal enough to go out, and also gridding lines and spots etc.

I will post daily, good or bad, so hopefully this will inform others considering this treatment.

I think Real Self is a great idea and has helped me to get informed about the risks and benefits. Like everybody contemplating a procedure, I am hoping for a good result....but who knows?

Susie

I had the laser treatment this morning. It took one hour. The eye shields in the eye were not a problem. As I was dreading this bit, that was a relief. I found the experience more painful than expected, and the hour went VERY slowly. The burning smell was disconcerting, but the nurse assured me this was just little hairs burning off, but it smelt like burning skin to me! Cool air was blown over my face to cool it. This was very soothing, but when blown around the eyes and nose I found it hard not to flinch. Especially as I was blind, due to the eye shields, and didn't know when the puffs of air were coming.

Dr Downs began on the forehead which wasn't too bad, so I was lured into a false sense of security.

The upper eyelid and area around the nostril and lip were the most painful bits. Pain felt like being pressed into with a sharp needle and I felt a sort of pressure/pulling sensation.

Dr Downs moved down the left side of my face, across the lip area (but not on the lips) and then up the right side, leaving my right eye area till last. So I was dreading that. Just tried to concentrate on the thought my wrinkles are (hopefully) going away.

I didn't want to look in the mirror, so I asked my husband what I looked like. He said pretty much the same as before, but my wrinkles were worse!!! He is very honest!!

After 15 mins recovery I was ready to go home. I was quite shaky and cold and surprisingly hungry and thirsty, so accepted the offer of tea and biscuits before I left.

So glad of my husband's support. He not only paid for the procedure, but is sweetly looking after me right now.

I feel like I have a bad case of sunburn, but have taken 400mg of Ibuprofen and 500mg of Paracetamol simultaneously, plus Arnica tablets. I have chilled the Aloe Vera gel given to me by the clinic, and applied this. Also used an ice pack (a bag of frozen peas in a clean pillow case seems to mould itself better than the gel ice pack I tried)

It is now 4 hours on and the pain is manageable. My skin has dark mottled patches all over.

Hope I can get some sleep tonight.

Will post again tomorrow

Susie

I am feeling very despondent today. My wrinkles look worse! No sunburn feeling though, just tight, uncomfortable and feeling and a bit sore.

Just using Vaseline to keep the skin hydrated. Slept ok, propped up on 3 pillows.

I am hoping this isn't all a waste of money! Still, the Dr assured me I would look worse today, so I am not stressing too much about it yet.

Susie