Fraxel Restore - Had 4 Treatments - Improved Texture, Color, Pores - San Jose, CA

It's August 31, three months after fourth treatment. There is noticeable improvement from pre-treatment. Skin tone is even (no redness around chin, nose, cheeks). The texture overall is more consistent and less bumpy. I still have fine lines around mouth and chin and eyes, but is ok for my age! However, definitely not as lined or wrinkly as before. I'm not breaking out. Care instructions: 1)When I take a hot steamy shower, I always slather moisturizer on my face first, otherwise dries out horribly and gets red. 2) Splash with ice water always to close pores after gentle washing. 3) Always use sunscreen 4) Use Retin-A gel and glycolic acid alternating nights. 5) Use salicylic acid (Effaklar K) and/or benzoil peroxide if anything remotely looks like it's going to be a zit! :-) Dr. Deng suggested a bit of filler in some small areas that are still a bit wrinkly, so I will do that in coming months. Bottom line: it takes months to see improvement as collagen fills in. It won't give you perfect 20- year-old skin, but you will look better, fresher, younger.

So far, I've had treatments in January, February, March and May of this year, 2103. The third one, in March, was just T-Zone, and this month's (May) was the entire face again. This will be my last one. Friends' comments on my skin so far have been: "fresher," "improved texture," "look younger, " "smaller pores." I see less bumpiness and depth of wrinkles on my chin and forehead, less oily, more even skin tone with less redness in T-zone area. Breakouts have entirely stopped (also helps to use Clindamycin and Salicylic Acid.) This fourth treatment was very aggressive, so I'm quite red, crusty, blisters, swollen, edema, breaking out on chin, but I know this will all settle down about 5th or 6th day. Will update in two months, July 2013.

Had third one at month three. Doc and I decided to do just the problem areas -- between eyebrows, nose and chin, for $400 instead of $900. Used even higher settings. This time, seriously red irritated areas persisted two weeks on forehead, and chin area is still darker pigmented and is still breaking out. I'm patient, willing to see if any long term improvement. The pores do look smaller on my nose. But my chin is still wrinkly, crepey, bumpy, easliy irritated, red after washing or hot shower, and darker colored. Forehead still healing. I'll check in again in one month with update.