POSTED UNDER Fraxel Laser REVIEWS
Do not do Fraxel ... Ruined my Face
ORIGINAL POST
DO NOT DO FRAXEL ... Ruined my Face
4abebestarApril 11, 2019
$1,500
So I had fraxel restore performed on 11/21/2018, this will turn out to be the worst day of my life. I went to see Dr. McClaren in October to get some fillers around my eyes at that time she said to do a quick fraxel restore for fine lines and wrinkles so without much hesitation I scheduled the procedure. She said I needed three days downtime so I scheduled for around thanksgiving time since I would be off work. I got the fraxel done, it didn’t hurt to much. I was given a pain pill and sedative before the procedure. Numbing cream was applied 1 hour before the procedure I never saw any doctors the day of my procedure. Right before the procedure they took pictures and off to the laser nurse I went. When the procedure was over the laser nurse gave me some lotion to apply to my face and instructions to follow at home. I followed them to a T. As the days we’re going by my face was super dry and rough and with Christmas approaching I scheduled for a microdermabrasion as the instruction paper mentioned that most patients would benefit from this. I went back and had that microdermabrasion done. My face never regained moisture back into it. It had this burnt feeling when I smiled. I called back to the laser skin and surgery center numerous times. They kept saying to keep applying moisturizer. So I did but nothing was working. I went back and saw the doctor 6 times. I had old acmes scars pop up and now am left with really bad skin. It looks like I suffered from horrible acne my whole life. I have really bad skin texture now and can no longer wear makeup since my face is so dried out. I look so old now. This was the worst decision of my life. I have bad wrinkles under my eyes, no moisture in my face, weird skin texture and tone. I have no oil gland production and no sweat glands working on my face. I am devastated that I ever even did this procedure. I have been to numerous other doctors who have never seen something like this before. Nobody know how to fix it. I have hear so many theory's as to why this could have happened. The doctors at the laser center never even tried to fix it, they just sent me to buy more product. For 5 months now I have just been wearing lotion on my face continuously to try to get my moisture back. This is no way to live life.
All I can say is don’t ever do fraxel ... it will ruin your entire life.
All I can say is don’t ever do fraxel ... it will ruin your entire life.
4abebestar's provider
Replies (81)
April 17, 2019
I'm really sorry that you had a poor outcome. I did, too, from a laser procedure I had done 20 years ago. If it's any consolation I think you are still very beautiful. Hugs.
April 21, 2019
Update today, my skin is getting worse, I have zero moisture in my face. Horrible wrinkles around my eyes and around my mouth. My skin is so tight it hurts. It looks like I have suffered from bad acne my whole life.
The place that performed the laser treatment still does not admit anything went wrong. I will be filing with the medical board tomorrow regarding what happened.
The place that performed the laser treatment still does not admit anything went wrong. I will be filing with the medical board tomorrow regarding what happened.
April 25, 2019
I’m so sorry. But thank you for posting. I was seriously considering this procedure. I definitely will not, now.
UPDATED FROM 4abebestar
8 months post
After seeing Dr. Emer two times
4abebestarJuly 17, 2019
So I have now seen Dr. Emer two times, I have had one enlighten peel and one brilliant distinctions and fillers added for volume loss and to rebuild collegian. Here is where I’m at so far. I will continue to post updates as I can.
Replies (24)
July 20, 2019
So your skin handled the procedures well? That is a very big positive if your skin is not (super) reactive anymore...Compared to your earlier pictures of the damage and judging by these pics it is looking a lot smoother! Also you have the most beautiful smile, I hope you can find that smile again. Please do keep us posted and sending you healing vibes, Eve.
August 2, 2019
It still has a lot of damage. Maybe I just held the camera out far enough you couldn’t see it. I also had a lot of fillers injected because I had so much fat loss. I want my smile back and I miss my old self. This has just been a nightmare of face lasers.
August 2, 2019
This whole thing has just been a complete fraxel laser nightmare. I have learned so much about lasers, how many doctors have no fix for this. Some doctors do. Every doctor is different. I have met some really great people on this journey (under horrible conditions of the laser) but we are all just trying to get our pre laser faces back. It is costly to repair with zero guarantee that these treatments will work to fix the damage. We all did the fraxel to try to look more youthful and it has left us all damaged. My doctor dismissed me after she seen what was happening claiming that she didn’t see anything wrong on her iPad never even touched my face. That is more scary if a doctor of 20 years in the industry says that to you, you know the integrity and bedside manners of that doctor is horrible and unethical as a Cosmetic Dermatologist. Be very careful when selecting a doctor to do any laser on you. Make sure they have performed hundreds if not thousands of these treatments daily. Know the risks with face lasers. Your burning the skin. High settings is not good. My doctor went way to aggressive and ruined my texture, tone, oil gland production, dermis, epidermis and major fat loss. PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK VERY WELL BEFORE SELECTING A DOCTOR TO DO ANY LASER. I have seen Dr. Emer two times to try and get my pre laser skin back I feel if I would have seen him in the beginning I would have never ended up in this situation. I feel he actually cares, is knowledgeable in skin and takes great pride in his work. It is just so costly to keep up on all the treatments.
UPDATED FROM 4abebestar
8 months post
Me before Nightmare fraxel
4abebestarJuly 18, 2019
So I never posted before photos of me before I got fraxel restore done. I didn’t have anything wrong with my skin I only did it to refresher my face before my 42nd birthday. What a terrible mistake that ever was. This your your face it’s not like you can but a dress over it. DO NOT DO FRAXEL!
Replies (51)
July 26, 2019
You look great in all of the photos. I feel so sad for you having a negative experience but you still look great.
July 27, 2019
Thank you. But I think you might be looking at my before photos. They do look great. The new face after laser is a mess. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NOBODY DO ANY LASERS AT ALL THEY ALL RUIN YOUR SKIN. MINE IS SO BAD NOW.
July 27, 2019
I can understand, I had a bad experience with a laser over 20 years ago. I hope you realize, though, that you're still beautiful. Most people don't focus on the small details but the overall picture. You have lovely features.
July 27, 2019
Thank you for your sincere comments. I am just really struggling inside with the fact of what has happened. To have paid money to do this to myself is devastating. I was never told that this could even be a remote possibility of happening. I really think these doctors need to advise people what this machine can actually do to there skin.
July 27, 2019
I agree! I was told I'd see a 50% to 75% improvement on some pock marks/scars on my nose. The Dr. rented the machine, didn't own it, and went way too high with the settings. I don't know if the calibration got messed up during transport or if she didn't know what she was doing but everything looked much worse afterwards. It's very distressing to have happen. Hugs to you.
July 27, 2019
I'm afraid to do any more lasers. Mostly just dealing with it. I did some dry needling, saw a slight improvement with that.
July 29, 2019
Hi @4abebestar, Your facial structure and white teeth is naturally beautiful. I see the photos that you aren't smiling in and I think maybe those are the post photos? Either way, your facial structure is great and your teeth are nice and very white.
I have heard of people having Fraxels but I've never looked into it. I saw a facial that is mini ultrasound or some type of radiation done on the face to produce collagen. Is that similar to a Fraxel?
July 29, 2019
^^^ I agree with ccbabe ^^^ that's what I was trying to say in my last reply. I didn't notice anything except you weren't smiling.
July 29, 2019
Thanks for your sweet comments ❤️ My skin is still super wrinkly and holes everywhere very aged but maybe I had the camera far enough away that you couldn’t see the damage. But I do appreciate your sweet words of kindness.
Again anybody considering laser make sure you go to a highly skilled professional not a $$$ money place that doesn’t care about your skin. I got this laser damage from a place here in my home town of Sacramento CA @ THE LASER SKIN & SURGERY CENTER OF N. CA THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!! The doctors there weren’t even willing to help me repair my skin.
Again anybody considering laser make sure you go to a highly skilled professional not a $$$ money place that doesn’t care about your skin. I got this laser damage from a place here in my home town of Sacramento CA @ THE LASER SKIN & SURGERY CENTER OF N. CA THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!! The doctors there weren’t even willing to help me repair my skin.
August 6, 2019
Ccbabe Did you ever have what people call a "vampire facial?" Is there any down time with dry needling?
August 19, 2019
I didn't have the vampire facial, just the needling. There's some slight bleeding and irritation, then light peeling. Looked fine after a couple of days. I had it done a few times at four week intervals.
July 31, 2019
Hi I am so sorry that this has happened to you too!.I had laser four years ago and my life has been an absolute nightmare ever since.I havnt found anything to help although my face isn’t as dry now and I think that might be from using hyaloronic acid.I also have destroyed oil glands which has caused rapid aging,the only positive thing is after two years my face started to sweat again.I have all the things you describe and my heart goes out to you.best wishes chrisxx
July 31, 2019
Omg I’m so sorry you have this too. I’m devastated I can’t even go in the sun.
July 31, 2019
Hi,definitely don’t go in the sun,as you know you can’t do the same things as before.I also can’t wear makeup as it just accentuates the weird texture,holes and wrinkly skin.I don’t know about you but I developed a weird waxy appearance that isn’t quite as bad now but still doesn’t look normal.I have indentations weird lines holes and the fat loss is the absolute worst as it ages me so much.I look in the mirror and it’s not me,it is frustrating to be told that you are imagining it and Oh you don’t look so bad.I do know how you feel and the mental anguish is terrible.I had terrible burning for the first couple of years as the fat dissapeared,it’s not as bad now but it still happens and is always uncomfortable.I also can’t stand the heat as it makes my face flush terribly.I am now dealing with terrible sagging as I have lost so much fat.I try not too look in the mirror too much as I then get obsessive about what is happening.I do all the vitamin and supplement things that I know help skin and just hope for the best.If you just want to chat you can direct message me as sometimes it’s good to let off steam to someone who understands.I hope your damage isn’t as severe as mine. Best wishes from across the seas chrisxx
August 15, 2019
my skin is bad today. Flaming red, no moisture and so wrinkly. DO NOT GET FRAXEL. DO NOT GO TO THE LASER SKIN AND SURGERY CENTER OF NORTHERN CA.
it is getting closer to the one year mark of this fraxel nightmare and it is only getting worse.
it is getting closer to the one year mark of this fraxel nightmare and it is only getting worse.
My face is so tight it’s like I got a face lift even dr McClaren said that. Who wanted a face lift from this procedure. I don’t go out of the house because my face hurts so bad. The texture and tone is horrible. Again don’t ever get sold into this procedure. Some get good outcomes and a lot get bad outcomes. If you get a bad outcome rest assured the doctors will leave you hanging.