POSTED UNDER Fraxel Laser REVIEWS
Hoping for Healing After Fraxel Restore Treatment
ORIGINAL POST
I had Fraxel Restore about 6 weeks ago with a...
$350
I had Fraxel Restore about 6 weeks ago with a board certified plastic surgeon. I'll be staight with you. I have terrible skin. Enlarged pores on my cheeks, forehead, chin and nose, bad texture and discoloration from sun damage and and unhealthy lifestyle. During my first pregnancy I developed a few moles that really bothered me. I had the one between my eyes removed and 2 years later after I lost the weight from my second pregnancy it spread out leaving a long indented mark. I also had a huge ice pick scar next to it and one on the end of my nose. So basically I was already a mess before I attempted Fraxel.
Since the worst of the scaring was on my nose the doctor decided to just do the treatment on my entire nose to keep the texture consistent (should have been my first clue not to do this!) My second clue was when I asked him about adverse after effects he said he could "make a wound, but couldn't control how it would heal". I'm so stupid, I thought he was talking about surgical excision of the icepick scar.
I had the fraxel treatment, the procedure went ok. It didn't really hurt, but I was pretty worried about a couple of things. First, I asked the doctor if he was just going to use a high setting on the scars and a low setting on the non-scarred areas. He said "no, I'm going to use a high setting everywhere because we have to keep it uniform". Second, after the procedure my face looked way worse than a sun burn. All over I had a white sandpaper texture. It was so dry that I couldn't scrub off the ink he had marked the treatment area with.
The next day I woke up very swollen. My skin was so dry it cracked and bled in one place. I was told to just put sunblock and moisturizer on it, and stay out of the sun. Everything looked ok, although in the meantime I had found some scary reviews on here and was secretly freaking out.
About 4 weeks after treatment I noticed that the pores on my nose were looking larger and turning into little vertical slits. A week or so later the skin on my nose seemed to crinkle up and start to look like prune. I should also mention that my skin has never gone back to the same color and has a sort of pinkish brown hue that makes the texture look even worse.
I'm going back to see my doctor next week and I'm hoping he has some answers for me.
I went to sever doctors for consultations and tried to be careful when picking out one to do my treatment. I'm feeling very jaded now and wish I had never done this!
Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated!
Since the worst of the scaring was on my nose the doctor decided to just do the treatment on my entire nose to keep the texture consistent (should have been my first clue not to do this!) My second clue was when I asked him about adverse after effects he said he could "make a wound, but couldn't control how it would heal". I'm so stupid, I thought he was talking about surgical excision of the icepick scar.
I had the fraxel treatment, the procedure went ok. It didn't really hurt, but I was pretty worried about a couple of things. First, I asked the doctor if he was just going to use a high setting on the scars and a low setting on the non-scarred areas. He said "no, I'm going to use a high setting everywhere because we have to keep it uniform". Second, after the procedure my face looked way worse than a sun burn. All over I had a white sandpaper texture. It was so dry that I couldn't scrub off the ink he had marked the treatment area with.
The next day I woke up very swollen. My skin was so dry it cracked and bled in one place. I was told to just put sunblock and moisturizer on it, and stay out of the sun. Everything looked ok, although in the meantime I had found some scary reviews on here and was secretly freaking out.
About 4 weeks after treatment I noticed that the pores on my nose were looking larger and turning into little vertical slits. A week or so later the skin on my nose seemed to crinkle up and start to look like prune. I should also mention that my skin has never gone back to the same color and has a sort of pinkish brown hue that makes the texture look even worse.
I'm going back to see my doctor next week and I'm hoping he has some answers for me.
I went to sever doctors for consultations and tried to be careful when picking out one to do my treatment. I'm feeling very jaded now and wish I had never done this!
Any advice on how to proceed would be appreciated!
Janey44's provider
Replies (12)
November 9, 2013
How are you healing ? Have you had any improvement ? Wishes and healing to you xx
November 13, 2013
I had the same problem the laser left grid marks witch formed into lines. I'm 6 months out. It has really changed my life . I wish I had really weighed up the pros and cons more( although I was garenteed it would be fine! ) guess what it wasn't fine and now I'm on my own !!! I have had thousands of dollars and years of treating my skin like gold washed away in a hour . I think bottom line - more damage - more risk . I think laser is 50/50 . Literary like flipping a coin . I was talked into it, thinking it would be great . It most def was not great . I hope some miracle can heal it . Maybe time , I hear low does of retin used correctly builds collegen . To me my skin looks scarred ?? I will def post of If i have any luck with anything , because sooooooo many ppl on here have the EXACT same reactions !
November 9, 2013
Not really any improvement yet. Tried silicone gel last night and it plumped the wrinkles out for a few hours but as soon as I got out of the shower it's back . I also seem to be forming a long indented scar down the length of my nose and more broken caps are popping up.
August 6, 2015
thats all normal. your skin color can take up to 6 months to resolve. everything u said is exactly what happens and is normal. u will be fine.
August 6, 2015
dont pick at your skin, it is very sensitive as new skin is forming. after my laser i made the mistake of trying to pop a pimple and had a broken cappilary from it. just leave ur face alone and let it heal.
UPDATED FROM Janey44
2 months post
8 weeks...
After reflecting on what could have happened to cause my bad outcome I wonder if I had use a better moisturizer it would have helped. I think my treatment was unusually strong and I should have been advised to use something stronger like they do after repair. Anyway, little if any improvement.
Replies (7)
November 19, 2013
Thank you for your kind thoughts Janey. I cannot use hydroquinone nor harsh methods. I have extremely sensitive skin well the Laserderm realized that wgen it was too late. By the way i had almost 4 treatments free! My asian skin was most probably the "genie pig" and to my amazement I have not been contacted after I did not make my last appointment 8 months ago! you can forward me the website I live in South Africa so I will look at the poduct you suggesting. How is your skin doing now have you been able to salvage the situation?
November 19, 2013
I'm not surprised they didn't contact you! I know that that doctors know full well what can happen and hope that if you are damaged that you never come back. I'm sure they figured out you we're hurt and were glad not to see you for the next treatment. That's exactly why I did go back. You know what? My doctor couldn't even look me in the face while he was talking to me. Kept looking down at his hands. He of course denied seeing any damage. Then he said that I must have a fine eye for these things and said he'd be "floored" if I still saw anything in 6 months. I am definitely going back in 6 months and force him to look at me again. If I'm going to have to live with this he can be uncomfortable one more time. I'm send you the link for obagi when I get back from the store, although if you say you're sensitive it may be too harsh for you. I'm sensitive too, so I'm going the natural way and trying psoria gold. I'll rand you a link for that too. No improvement so far but it's still early. Some days I lose hope but I try to stay on course. You have to keep going. Don't let this ruin your life!
November 19, 2013
November 19, 2013
November 19, 2013
I'm really sorry about what happened to you Babes. I hope something can help!
February 28, 2015
i also got damaged at laserderm, that was morningside branch . i got my treatments in 2009 and since then my skin never recovered and i have orange skin look, melazma saggy skin, they just aged me 10 years . they never phoned me back to find out why i never came back;-) Oh , and they said the swelling i got was the worst they have ever seen, which appears they say to everyone. my mother taught me to use an old fashioned method to lighten my skin which is gentle bleaching with fat free plain yogurt( use like a face mask, every day whenever you can, try preservative free type). try it if you got post fraxel pigmentation, it will help. also msm supplement with big dose of vit C will lighten your skin but it will not take away orange peel look.
UPDATED FROM Janey44
2 months post
9 weeks
Seems to be looking worse today. I went grocery shopping and caught my reflection in some mirrors, my skin looked so lumpy and porus even from feet away. I'm so depressed.
Replies (2)
November 23, 2013
I'm very sorry to hear about your laser damage. You would think board certified = competent. Lasers are too unpredictable :/
November 25, 2013
hi Lefox thanks for your concern, yes Laserderm is very recognized in South Africa. Their website has pic of before and after fraxel but no Indians! I should have picked up from that........but I have seen an Indian demotologist who has given me cosmelan. She has studied in India researching indian skin. She says it is hereditry and its like diabetes. It has bee treated for a long time before one can see results. It's been 2 months very slow progress. I have days when I cannot look at my skin..........but as I said I have prayed just to live my life I am so tried emotionally. Thought about going back to the centre but for what more fraxel? I can't do it anymore.
Hey there, thank you for sharing your story with the community, I am terribly sorry to hear that things didn't turn out how you had hoped. Please don't call yourself stupid, everyone reacts differently to the procedure you can't predict how things will turn ot. You can post a question on the Fraxel Laser: Q&A as well and they should be able to answer some of your questions. Keep us posted on your healing, I wish you all the best.