My Experience: Age 41 and on the Lake Every Summer Since Forever!

My Experience:

I’m 41 Croatian/English heritage with pretty good sun damage, some brown spots, acne scars and broken blood vessels on my cheeks and pretty deep frown lines between the eyes, deep crows feet, and lines around my mouth and starting to get a crêpe neck.

Day 1, Wednesday:

My appointment was at 11 am. I got a ride even though you don't need to have one and can drive yourself. I had my pre procedure talk with the nurse and went in to the little room. She gave me 3 Tylenol (This is where I would have brought in my own 4 Motrin as opposed to Tylenol, My own preference only – no biggie - and I actually would have taken a little weak Xanax or Valium just to be more comfortable, if you do this make sure you have a ride!) Again this is my own preference procedure was pretty easy.

I then laid down and the nurse sloughed numbing balm all over my face, neck and chest and left me to relax/meditate for 45 minutes. Feeling peaceful.
Once we started the procedure it stung a little in certain spots a little (nose, mouth mostly) but I could handle it. Not to bad. I was very numb and it even tickled a little in certain spots (yes, I’m odd) I have a history of anxiety, so I got a little shaky during the procedure but oddly enough I didn't really feel as nervous as my body behaved.

We were done by 1pm. My face felt really, really hot but totally bearable for the next 4 or 5 hours. I just iced it as much as possible 20-30 minute ice sessions at a time. Then I would refreeze the ice packs and put lots of HydraBalm after each icing and at all times keeping all treated areas very, very lubed up. (I think any Vaseline petroleum jelly would be fine to use which is what my mom used for her procedure) Ice as often as possible. I also took Motrin every 6-8 hours just to help the swelling, as I really wasn’t in any pain. About 7-10 hours later my face, mostly my eyes, really swelled up. My eyelids and under my eyes. Skin getting tight. POOF! SWELL! Ice, lube, ice, lube! This didn’t make me nervous because I took care of my mom after she had full laser and knew what to expect and that this is totally normal. It would be really scary if you didn’t know what to expect, so DON’T PANIC, YOU WILL RETURN TO NORMAL!!

Reading these reviews here made it WAY better for me too, so thanks so much everyone!

Day 2, Thursday (Happy Thanksgiving, I’m in hiding):
I’m still very tight and dry. Keep icing and lubing, icing and lubing. Now I’m turning brown and crisp and the grid marks are showing. Spiderwoman! Ice, lube, ice, lube, ice, lube. I added my vitamin regime in: A daily, 2 vitamin e, 2 vitamin c, Omega, Selenium, Chromium Picolinate, Alpha Lipoic supplements. Again, this is my own thing.

Day 3, Friday:
Shower! Whew, that feels so good and refreshing! No direct water on treated area! I gently massaged in the cleanser they gave me to use and gently splashed to rinse. I stayed in the hot steam for at least a half hour softening things up. I washed everything else normally, avoiding getting any drying soaps and shampoos on the treated area. Refreshing! Started the regime they gave me: a hydrating gel and a soothing cream. I’m so brown, tight and grid like it doesn’t feel like it helps but I know it does. Repeat this in the evening. I decided instead of just cleansing my face I would do the 30 minute steam shower each time. It feels good. The evening regime is soothing cream and a hydrating mask that you sleep with on. Again, it doesn’t feel like it helps but the lovely steam showers make it feel good for sure!

Day 4, Saturday:
Repeat day 3. Mouth starting to peel! Can see lovely baby butt skin around my mouth after shower #1! Repeat in the evening; whole face starting to peel revealing lovely baby butt skin!

Day 5, Sunday:
Repeat day 4. First 30 minute shower, my whole face is just about peeled. Still brown and dry around the edges and neck and chest. What is showing is gorgeous. The new fresh showing skin is starting to be a little peely around my mouth and dry again but nothing like the beef jerky it was before! I think this is natural after burning off so much epidermis! ! I hope the edges peel off after tonights shower! I really hope my neck does too. My lines are a lot softer and my skin a bit pink but lookin’ good and healthy.

My lips are really dry and I am using som eburts bees lip balm – it’s the honey one – no peppermint!!!! That might burn.

My lines are very softened, my skin looks even and my blood vessels very light, no pores showing, lookin’ awesome! Baby butt! So sweet. I wish the blood vessel were gone but she said she would go over them again if they weren’t gone - but I don’t know that I will go through with it right now because of recovery time and I don’t want to miss out on more holidays.

I have little tiny pimples on my nose, the side of my nose and my chin. I can't use my Phisoderm face wash so I have to tough this out until I can do my normal regime in 10 days. I still think I should maybe wait longer to use a salicylic wash on my face. I will have to ask about that later. I still have no doubt I did a great thing here!

This is where I am right now. I’m very happy with the procedure and looking forward to a full recovery. I will update more as I move through recovery.

I would highly recommend it to anyone so far!

Namaste! ♥

OK, it's been 2 months now and my skin is dramatically improved! My esthetician is in awe at the radical reversal of sun damage. My skin is pretty thick and tough from so much sun all my life, so though this is considered a one time process, I see myself doing this a few times in my lifetime. Maybe every few years or so? I would have to see how it looked after doing it again.
I will try to post before and after pics showing me at one month. I added some Botox in after one month so I can’t just show what the procedure alone will do. I did Botox in addition to this because I have very, very deep frown and crows feet lines that would be too much for the procedure to improve alone, but anyone with only fine lines, I think those would disappear.I can still see broken blood vessels, acne scars and lines but they are all improved.
Historically when I got in my car to leave work at the end of the day I would look in the rear-view mirror and be like "Ahh"! Scary!  Now I look in the mirror after a long day and think, Wow, I'm no Heidi Klum, but I definitely look WAY better!
I highly recommend this still to anyone with sun damage.
I told my boyfriend he should get it too!
I hope this helps anyone researching! I know things like this helped me! Pay it forward and write a review if you do it please!

Okay, so I clearly loved this when I did it. The last few years I now have pretty severe redness on my neck and chest from doing the fraxel. There may be a better way. My face is okay, so maybe the lady who did mine shouldn't do the neck and chest. No complaints about my face, but not pleased with the neck and chest. I read that this shouldn't be done to the neck and chest, so research your practitioners and make sure they know what they're doing before allowing anyone to perform anything on you. My neck and chest permanently appear slightly sunburnt. I have been meaning to update this for quite some time.