Permanent Hyperpigmentation Due to Fraxel! - St. Louis, MO

Permanent but treatable hyperpigmentation diagnosis... I was doing great until I went outside for Mother's Day. Even though I was slathering on the sun screen every hour, and ducking into buildings on and off all day, my efforts didn't help. My hyperpigmentation came back full force and continued getting worse. I went back to the doctor this week and was told that I have photosensitivity dermatitis. There is a more technical name for it if you google. Unfortunately, I was told that this skin condition is permanent. Once the melanocytes are "excited" that's it, and thanks to Fraxel I have lots of "excited" melanocytes! Joy!! So now the only way to fix it is to move into a cave and become a coal miner. ANY indoor light as well as out door light will aggravate the skin. I'm suppose to stay in doors from 9am to 6pm in the summer and 9am to 4pm in the winter. I love the outdoors, so this news was absolutely devastating. I have to make a complete lifestyle change to look "normal" or I can look "abnormal" and try to live my normal life ...and cake on the makeup. I haven't decided what to do yet. In the meantime, I'm on the more "cost effective" yet still expensive approach of flying out of state to see a top doctor, following a 7 step skin care regime, and praying by butt off. There are other things that may help out there, but they are extremely expensive and may not work at all.

As far as Fraxel goes....I kind of wonder if there isn't a certain amount of "risk" that companies like Solta are allowed to take. If most people are having "good" results, and only a few end up with bad results like me (or some off the other bloggers on the internet), than it's worth the risk right?... Like any kind of treatment out there for anything...The problem is when there are lot's of people with the bad experiences. So hopefully everyone who's like me turns their story over to Solta and/or the FDA. As of now I see no way of finding any recourse from the damage being done by Fraxel.

I had Fraxel on both my face and chest a year and a half ago. I wanted to lighten melasma on my face and to smooth scars on my chest. Worst decision I could have made. After Fraxel I appeared to age significantly. My face looked dehydrated, pigmented and porous. My nasolabial folds were a lot worse. My chest looked awful too. Between my breasts I had "grooving" which was not there before, and my scars looked worse. The grooving appeared red and felt bumpy to the touch. I finally did my research and flew out of state to see a well known dermatologist who is finally helping me get my skin back on track! He says it is indeed post procedural hyper-pigmentation, skin dehydration and texture shifts. I am on a strict skin care regime and some topical prescriptions. As a result my hyper-pigmentation is significantly better, my pores are smaller and my face has a little of its volume back. Although I still have pretty significant nasolabial folds, and my chest is still awful. I have to go back to the doctor for this, but I don't have a lot of hope for my chest at this point. I contacted the manufacturers of Fraxel, the FDA, and even Erin Brockovich. I am that upset. Fraxel needs to be forced to be a little more forthcoming about potential complications. I think there are probably better laser alternatives out there. If you chose Fraxel understand the risks!!