Nightmare I Can't Undo - Seattle, WA

I asked for high. DOT laser set on high 25. Dr. said I will have really great result, and red for 2 weeks. It has been 9 weeks (63 days), and still red. Blood red if I wash my face, go outside, or lower my head. I have tried hibernating, for it is so embarrassing. My skin looks like I've aged 5 years, especially around my mouth, which is what I wanted to smooth. Dr.-taken before and after photos also verify I look worse. So embarrassed, I broke up with my BF over the phone, afraid he'd see what I had done to myself. I am 59yo Female, Caucasian, very slim and athletic. When I try covering the redness with makeup, I just break out. I feel my life as a decent-looking gal is over for good. It certainly has ruined my social life, and given me months of crying. God must be punishing me for being vain enough to try this. All the doctor could say is to try injectables. Don't be fooled by those before & after shots. They are no more true than the over-the-counter cream's photos. Save your money and your love life. Find your hope somewhere else.

Honestly, I thought the idea of burning the crp out of my skin would improve its appearance. My neighbor still pokes fun at me over this. It's now 3 months after procedure, and redness is finally gone. So are all my hopes. Good news is the occasional pimple no longer looks like a bloody volcano. I saw Dr. J R cut the cost of the procedure by 1/3. Maybe she is lowering the intensity, since now she's saying one WEEK of downtime (my downtime was 2 months). With lower intensity, when one does not see results, its then easier for Dr. to say, "it takes many procedures to see results".
The doctor has had this procedure done to herself many times, and posts a chin and neck shot in her waiting room showing results. I've seen photos of many types of procedures have displayed improvement in the neck. But I did not have the neck done.

That is, my face the 2nd month would have required heavy makeup to cover the redness and square DOT pattern on my face. I worried about makeup causing more of those blood volcano pimples, so I wore a ski mask almost all day, every day. Ski mask also kept my face moist.