2 months Post-Fraxel Re:pair: Red, Brown and Purple Skin Around Eyes - London, UK

I am in my late forties and had full-face Fraxel Repair for general skin rejuvenation.

The procedure was quite painful despite a topical anaesthetic and sedative (I was crying). I still look as if my face has been in a deep-fat fryer. The main problem is that the clinic's view of "downtime" and mine are completely different. I understood this to mean, not just that I was physically able to return to normal activities, but that I would be able to do so without people I knew exclaiming, "What the hell happened to your face?!" Sadly this is not the case.

Day 18 and I'm feeling really depressed. The redness hasn't abated at all, there is a large area around my eyes that is a purpley-red colour, like a port-wine-stain birthmark. A thick layer of very obvious makeup only takes it down to a weird lilac colour. Also I have bags under my eyes that weren't there before. Don't feel like going out or seeing anyone.
This procedure is sold as a quick and easy alternative to a facelift, but I have had a facelift and the downtime was shorter and less traumatic. Am now wishing I'd gone down the surgical route.

It's now day 20 and the colour has gone down a fraction. Last night I went out socially for the first time, wearing lots of mineral makeup which I got from the clinic (the regular stuff won't do the trick). I think it looked ok! However, the skin around my eyes is so fragile that removing mascara, as gently as possible, caused some broken capillaries and bruise-like marks.

Today I had a consultation at another clinic for laser hair removal. The contrast between that and the Fraxel people could not be more marked! The practitioner spent an hour with me, went over the procedure in great detail and talked through all the possible adverse reactions, illustrating each one with real-life photos of clients. Whilst these were worst-case scenarios, I was left in no doubt about what to expect.

Conversely, my reaction to the Fraxel took me completely be surprise as I was totally unprepared. The doctor had shown me a photo of a client of a similar age to me, supposedly taken on day 7, whose face looked completely normal, saying, "Look - it's only 7 days downtime." It was only when I returned 2 weeks later, in some distress, that I was told that the redness can last for up to a month.

Recovery clearly varies enormously form person to person, depending on age, skin sensitivity, agressiveness of treatment etc. Also the eye area is particularly sensitive and takes much longer to heal. I just wish my doctor had told me this!!