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POSTED UNDER Fraxel Laser Reviews

fraxel dual/1927

UPDATED FROM meln
3 months post

treatment #2

$1,900
second treatment of fraxel dual.
I seen video and read comments that this procedure is very simple and tolerable, pain wise. As someone with a high pain tolerance, I was knocked on my behind. SO painful during I requested medication for my second treatment and was told to take tylenol. ( thanks )
I had dislocated my finger the week before and was given a weeks worth of Norco, saved a few for during and the night of the procedure.
saved me much agony.
After procedure #1 the pain was so intense I was nauseated, dizzy and my face was throbbing like a heart beat.
I was told to take Ibuprofen, which did nothing.
I almost cancelled the second treatment because I was so afraid of the pain.
( I have a full sleeve tattoo and sat through hours of line work and shading w/o an issue)
This was done at a med spa, run by a board certified dermatologist, but lasers, skin tightening, fillers etc are done by aestheticians.
I would only have this done in doctors office
who offered some kind of pain relief for these kinds of procedures.
It didn’t help the stinging and burning during, but as soon as it was over I noticed about a 65-70% decrease in pain. I could function and didn’t feel sick and dizzy.
I had a friend drive me, and at home I was able to get some computer work done, instead of feeling sick and going to bed.
Do your research!
Don’t cut corners when it comes to your health and comfort.

Replies (4)

It’s been 3 months and I see no difference. I know it can take six months, so I wait. Would do another treatment ONLY with a small Rx of pain killers provided. This procedure HURTS! and luckily I saved some norco from my broken finger. You only really need it during, right after and later that night, but good Lord did I need it! Was not provided by the doctor. I was told, even after the intense pain from treatment #1, that I “could take extra strength Tylenol” Good Grief!
Hi there-Just wondering if they numbed you prior to the procedure? I've had fraxel twice, each time numbing cream was applied for about an hour prior to the laser. I felt almost nothing. When it did start to heat up, I was given a fan and that helped. I have to say, I have a fair complexion and was red after, but no where near as red as your pictures! It does look painful! My derm will also prescribe pain meds for it, but I've never needed it. I have seen a difference (had each procedure a year apart, it's so expensive!) and would like to get a 3rd treatment. I do find my neck is redder than it use to be, but my main focus was on skin texture and not color. Next go round I'm asking what can be done for the redness or maybe I should stop with fraxel....
Yes, I was numbed for an hour prior as well, and had the fan. I was still feeling intense pain. They went full power on me, which is probably why it was so painful. I have a dark olive complexion and thick skin. ( so I was told ) I’ve seen many women who said it felt “like a rubber band” being snapped on their skin, and in the past when I had IPL it felt like this, which I could tolerate. Honestly, if I was to have a third treatment, I would want to find a doctor who could sedate me during the procedure and meds to take for that evening. The next day was always fine. Still very red and swollen, but no pain, or very little pan. The redness comes with the treatment, especially if you have fair skin. I have seen some doctors use light therapy after to speed up the healing time. If your main concern is texture, have you tried peels? I’ve heard good things about the Jessner Peel. Be careful though, some peels are sold in bundles and totally worthless.
Hi . So you are saying the Fraxel dual 1550/1927 is more brutal than getting tattoos? How did you heal after 2 weeks ? The Fraxel dual is supposed to be the less painful one , compared to the CO2 laser, for the face . But after reading what you typed . I’ve also had tattoos and thought nothing is worse pain wise .

Have you noticed significant improvement , since you went ? I read that you need 3 treatments from the dual fraxel to see results? Have you been back ? … Really considering getting this done.
UPDATED FROM meln
2 months post

I have read a lot of horror stories about fraxel on this site. most were from around 2012.

I had no scarring, no side effects, nothing negative happened from fraxel, except the pain and the lack of concern by the treating physician. I have 2 more treatments coming up and I asked for pain meds. one for the procedure itself and one for later, as the throbbing, firey hell of it lasted well after midnight.
I was told to take tylenol.
The pain was so bad after the first session I felt dizzy and a little nauseated.
They wouldn’t even give me an ice pack at first.
I’m looking for another doctor to do my remaining treatments.
( I have a very high pain tolerance, and have seen other people who said IPL was so much worse. I’ve had IPL years ago and it was nothing. I’m so confused)

Replies (7)

I wold df look for another doctor. A good doctor would give you something for pain and even put oh in a antibiotic to make sure there’s no infections. Df look for another MD
I had my first of 2 treatments in January of this year and my experience was the same. My derm's assistant even forewarned me that his fraxel isn't the same as "going to a med spa", meaning it's more intense but with better results and a longer recovery. I had to use a mini battery operated fan on a lanyard around my neck (lol) while up and about in the house and a full sized one to sleep at night, as well as Ultram for pain. The burning was super intense and it was roughly 2 weeks before I could leave the house as my skin remained so red and inflamed that makeup wouldn't really adhere to it if that makes sense. My whole head was a grease pit from all the Aquaphor for those 2 weeks also. I used high end cosmetics (bobbi brown and sisley phyto teint eclat) but ended up finding they just couldn't do the job. By the second week I ventured out of the house and discovered Jane Iredale cosmetics which are recommended post laser treatments. Also, colorscience All Calm clinical redness corrector was the best sunscreen (spf 50), tinted and covered the redness better than anything. After the full face redness resolved, I was still left with red vertical stripes on my forehead and cheeks for approximately 2 months after the procedure but they finally faded as my derm had assured me they would. This was visible really only to me (even with makeup) as friends I disclosed this to said they wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't pointed it out. Anyway, my results were great. Specifically, my freckles and age spots were gone and my skin was super soft and "glowy" in appearance. Now, 6 months later, not as glowy but fine lines gone and discloration mostly the same. Although I wear sunscreen daily, I don't reapply throughout the day and have a few freckles reappearing but probably from vacation in the sun. Still, I get compliments on my skin all the time (I'm 49). I especially had an issue with crepiness under my eyes so that any concealer I used (and I tried so many) settled into those under-eye lines and looked terrible. That issue is about 90% resolved and is the main reason I have the courage to undergo my second treatment in August. I postponed it initially because it was a little traumatizing the first time around not knowing how my skin would turn out, whether the red lines would disappear, etc. then became a scheduling conflict knowing the downtime I would experience. Now that I know what to expect and how to plan for it, and that the payoff is worth the discomfort and downtime, I would definitely entertain the idea of having this done once annually, probably at the end of the summer, in time to heal and look good for the holidays ;-) . Bythe way, my derm used the 1927 wavelength with multiple passes (forget how many exactly) and I think he said he would use that one again for the next one as he feels it gives the best results for the type of issues I had (fine lines, freckles). Definitely go with a physician willing to treat your pain. Hope this helps and good luck.
it was fraxel dual, not co2. so, the pain is gone by the next day, but still...
I made the comments above to"Fraxel Dual/1927".. How horrible your doc was. I interviewed a couple of docs before deciding on Timeless Laser in Westlake next door to University Hosp . She and the entire office are a nice team! She did prescribe pain meds which helped somewhat, but still painful. She also gave detailed instructions on care, as well as a facial care kit which helped me immensely! she really does care about you and how you feel! Each time I went there I oly hurt for two hours after procedure then started to feel a lot better. Did feel tight and dry for about two weeks though. Through them I did discover the best moisturizer for my 63 year old skin, daily too! And it is really very inexpensive compared to the crap they sell at department stores - $30 and lasted me almost one year of daily use.Found it now on Ebay for only a few less bucks.
Can you please share the full name of the moisturizer? Thank you.
robyn60544, I can’t see your first comment!? seemed like the person in comment 2 had fraxel co2 because of the aquaphor, down time and the striping on her skin. but yeah, I wouldn’t have this done again at a med spa, which I did. it was run by a doctor and had a PS on staff, but the fraxel was not done by them. 10 moths after my first treatment and about 5? months after the second and I see zero difference in my skin. I’ve herd 3 treatments are the norm to see any real results, so if I have enough pennies in the jar, I might do #3, with a doctor this time.
Nope, I was wrong. Angelas824 did have dual. I wonder why you had the lines from that? I’ve only seen that on the co2. I was never told to use aquaphor, and didn’t need it. I was very red and swollen for almost a week. Peeled very little and none of my brown spots turned darker and flaked off like I was told. Day 2 was always fine pain wise, but during the procedure, after, and all night long was absolute hell. So glad I had two Norco to get me through the second procedure. Pretty messed up when you’re happy you dislocated a finger in order to have meds to make it through a laser treatment.
ORIGINAL POST

fraxel dual/1927

OW!
never in a million years thought this would be so painful.
people say
on a pain scale of 1-10 it’s about a 3.
so, I wasn’t worried at all.
IPL didn’t hurt, but with this I am A LOT of pain with nothing but advil, which isn’t helping.
I have a second treatment in 6 weeks.
I’ll need strong meds.

Replies (1)

Yes, it did hurt a lot. And I am used to pain-have received injections all over my body and burning of nerves (radial frequency neuronomy) due to extreme case of osteoarthritis. But the doctor prescribed pain meds for me to take just prior to my procedure and it helped a little bit-without which I am sure I would have just said 'STOP'.To me the pain on my face was a 10 during the procedure-honestly! It was worse than any tattoo I had in the past-like getting burned with a cigarette on my face.Some docs give Versed (which makes much more sense to me) so the patient does not have to endure such suffering!If I go again (went twice already) I will seek one who gives stronger meds to put me at least into a twilight sleep. About two hours after the procedure the pain disappears though which is a good thing, and the doc gave me a kit of great moisturizers, Avian spray (so cooling!) and told me to perform vinegar soaks on my face every 30 mins then per hour then etc. and by day 3 started to gently exfoliate some .I am happy I did it though as the results were excellent.
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