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POSTED UNDER Fraxel Repair REVIEWS

Fraxel Re:Pair

ORIGINAL POST

Price included: face, neck and chest... Also...

dobefriend
WORTH IT$3,500

Price included: face, neck and chest... Also includes extra $580 for botox two weeks earlier to facillitate healing of forehead, lips, 'bunny lines'.  This was a 'special' price, and I don't kow if this price will be honored moving forward.  It was their Xmas special.

I just had this procedure done on Thursday, Feb 19th.  I am rating this as 'good' so far, b/c I can't tell much at all at this point.

I am 48 years old, and I think most of my skin damage occurred in my 20s from riding horses for many years.  I did wear sunglasses a lot, so the area right around my eyes are ok... it's just further out along the edges of my face and my cheeks that are so bad. I am not a smoker.  I think heredity has a great influence (in addition to sun) on my condition b/c I remember my mother complaining about her neck in her early forties.  She didn't have any wrinkles on her face, though, b/c she kept about an extra 50lbs on her body most of her life, and she used to tell me that if I'd just gain weight, I'd be happier about my face :-).

Pre-op was to slather me with numbing cream, then give me dental blocks - two in the upper mouth, two in the lower mouth. I was then given some kind of block they use for liposuction - the block is put in right under the skin.  They did this on my cheeks and forehead.   They also gave me 2 percosets and an Ambien.  I brought my Ipod with me - best idea in the world!  If the pain got a little intolerable, I turned up my buddy Dave Matthews and I was good to go. 

I had been scheduled to have the 'gold standard' CO2 laser resurfacing with a very well known doctor across the street - but b/c my neck and chest really needed doing too, and they can't do that CO2 laser on your neck and chest, I opted for the fraxel re:pair instead. 

The Dr was very aggressive - she used 60% setting on my face and 40% setting on my neck and chest.  Her staff were excellent - asking me if I was in pain etc - they would lower the setting if I needed them to.  Really, the neck bothered me the most - felt like someone had a ruler with nails sticking out on the underside of the ruler, and they were dragging it across my skin.  When they heard that analogy, they gave me more block on the other half of my neck where they hadn't treated yet.  She also made four passes, so I'm pretty sure I certainly had about an agressive treatment as possible.

This is day 3 - and of course, I was given the 24 hour throw up virus by one of my sons, so last night was not very pleasant. Day 1, oozing blood.  Day 2, My face was extremely swollen, red and started itching.  I've just hit the 72 hour mark now, and I think the swelling is starting to subside a little. I haven't taken any benedryl, valtrex or antibiotic today b/c I am just now able to eat crackers (4pm).

I have not experienced any peeling yet, but my skin feels like sandpaper.  The aquaphor is actually being absorbed by my face and I have to re-apply at this point b/c it gets dry.

dobefriend's provider

Beth G. Goldstein, MD

Beth G. Goldstein, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

dobefriend rating for Dr. Goldstein:

Overall rating

Replies (9)

February 23, 2009
Hi Dobefriend, If you are satisfied why did you give it a "not worth it" thumbs down rating? BTW: I hope you feel better.
February 24, 2009
That was a mistake! I fixed it - I think when I went in to add more pics I somehow modified the thumbs down thing and not recommending her.. anyway, thanks for commenting and hopefully it will stay thumbs up now!
February 23, 2009
Hi, Dobie: Can you please continue to post pics so we can see the progress? I'm really interested in the procedure, but there are SUCH mixed reviews!
February 23, 2009
Hi Dobie. Thank you for sharing your pictures. It looks like it hurts. The brochures in my dermatologists office do not show what fraxel really looks like after coming back from the dr. office. I am 44 and very sensitive skin (lots of freckles), plus I have red spots rosacia and a couple of lines on my face. My dermatolgist suggested IPL and Fraxel; she said Fraxel first and not to plan on going anywhere important this weekend. I am super nervous and after reading all the comments am thinking of canceling this appt. which is Friday. If I come home with a bloody face, my 3 year old son will cry. Maybe I should wait until he's older.
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February 23, 2009
GREAT pictures! Keep us updated, thanks!
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February 23, 2009
Really good pictures Definately want to see your weekley progress.
UPDATED FROM dobefriend

Ok, I'm uploading a couple of collages of...

dobefriend

ok, I'm uploading a couple of collages of before and after.  The 'afters' were taken today - about 2.5 weeks post treatment.  The bruise on my cheek is from an injectable I received a few days ago - Radiesse.  One syringe was used to fill in a little of the nasolabial folds and some issues on my chin.  My face was still extremely dry/raw and my chin was doing some funny things with regards to creasing.  I don't think I absolutely HAD to have the radiesse, but they were offering it for free b/c they were having the nurse representative of Radiesse come to train their folks.  So, yes, I think it probably added to the overall change, but not radically.  Please note the lines on my cheeks before and how much they were smoothed out.  No radiesse was used there.  Also, notice how much better my neck looks already.  I am thrilled!

Replies (24)

(unregistered guest)
March 10, 2009
thank you for sharing all the pictures and the great details regarding your experience with Fraxel Repair, I am scheduled to have repair done at the end of the month, I am planning to work from home that week, giving myself 7 complete days before going out in public, can you tell me when you felt comfortable enough to go out again, even if it was with makeup? BTW - you look great!
March 11, 2009
Well, for me, I HAD to go out in public in 4 days b/c my dog had an emergency situation and I had to take him to the vet as my husband was at work. People didn't say anything, but they were dying to, I could tell. Finally, someone asked me if I'd been on a boat (and maybe forgot to use sunscreen!). I went back to work at about 11 days. My face was still pretty darn red, and I had some mineral makeup powder to sort of help, but my skin was so DRY, that I felt in some cases, the makeup made it worse. I have always had very dry skin, so maybe others haven't had the same reaction. The doctor's office had loaded me down with all sorts of creams and lotions to try, and I went to the store and bought a BUNCH of different lotions and creams of the 'ultra healing' type -- Aveeno overnight healing worked the best for me at that point. I *still* have some redness at 2.5 weeks out around my mouth, but it's not bad at all, and a little powder hides it well now that the skin is smoother. Bottom line - you're probably going to look like you've been doing some serious tanning....
March 10, 2009
What a difference in the before and afters. you look fantastic.
November 23, 2009
How long ago did you have your fraxel? How would you rate your results today?
November 24, 2009
My Fraxel repair was done in Feb 2009. It's about 10 months out now. I definitely got my money's worth as I still am very happy with it. I will probably return to re-do my neck. Even though there was probably 50% improvement, it's still quite bad. They can't do the same level of zapping to the neck as they can the face, so the results won't be quite as dramatic.
March 10, 2009
Wow! You look amazing! Nice, beautiful smooth skin. It looks like you won't have to have any more repairs done. I've heard of people having up to 3 repairs! I just had my 3rd re-store and I'm happy so far, I was a little concerned about the excess redness I had initially and 2 marks that I didn't have before but they are fading away now. Keep us updated on your continued progress!
March 12, 2009
It's been a week today since I had my 3rd re-store, my face still looks slightly red, the setting were set the highest at 70% this time! I'm pleased with my results thus far. I kind of wished I had gone with the re-pair and could have been done now, instead...I have at least 1 treatment that's paid for to go and I may opt for two additional treatments, since most doc. say to treat acne scarring it takes 4-6 and with the repair, possibly 3!
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March 13, 2009
omg you look amazing like 15 years younger!!!