POSTED UNDER Fraxel Repair REVIEWS
Fraxel Re:pair, Re:store & Long-term Effects - Washington, DC
ORIGINAL POST
I had a fraxel re:pair treatment performed about...
$3,000
I had a fraxel re:pair treatment performed about two weeks ago to treat severe acne scarring (primarily rolling type) by building up collagen under the skin. I am satisfied with the result as of today. For the first week, I was elated because the post-procedure swelling improved the texture of my skin a great deal. Much of that has settled by now, and the overall effect is improved compared with the appearance prior to the laser, but of course not as improved as it appeared during the post-procedure inflammation.
I've been through this before with several Fraxel Restore treatments (four, I think, between 2009 and 2012). The re:store treatments worked better than I had expected; however, I've been increasingly self-conscious as I'm aging because the skin texture has begun to decline again. It may also be important to note that I have Lyme disease and a coinfection called bartonella, which has caused skin problems all over my body. I decided to do this now as I am recovering in order to improve my confidence overall. (I did it with my doctor's blessing.)
Now to the point of this post: I had never read about what many claim to be serious long-term side effects of fraxel lasering until after I had the re:pair procedure done, and then as I was looking at more posts here, I discovered that dozens of people have complained about scarring and fat or collagen loss in their cheeks years after having had fraxel procedures done. That terrifies me. I am 37 years old and as can be seen in my "before" photo, my cheeks are my problem area and recently my cheeks have been lax and gaunt, and I have attributed this simply to the acne scarring. However, in retrospect, I don't know whether my cheeks were this severely damaged before the fraxel restore treatments. I don't have any old close-up photos from before those treatments to compare with. So now I am concerned that the more aggressive re:pair treatment may potentially do more damage in the long run than the short-term benefits are worth.
At the same time, I am very confused by these discussions. In every case here on realself in which people have stated that fraxel damaged their skin in the long run, multiple doctors have commented that that is impossible because of the superficial level of treatment. And I haven't found a single post in which people who say that they suffered significant facial fullness after years have included photos to back up their complaints. I've checked other sites and even YouTube, where there are plenty of fraxel testimonials, and I can't find any evidence. Still, the sheer number of complaints about fraxel "ruining lives" years after the procedures is compelling. If you are one of those people, please share photos to support your complaints. I've seen pictures of small pinprick scars from IPL lasers, but none of fat loss caused by fraxel.
Next question for anyone: worst-case scenario--the fraxel re:pair will cause my cheeks to improve temporarily for a year or two and then they will hollow out. (I'm really scared now.) Would any treatment at all be viable? I imagine it would take thousands of dollars of fillers to fill in entire cheek areas. Would a face lift even be a viable last resort? I'm a 37 year-old male and I did this to bring me back to life--I can't walk around with a mask or even a face full of makeup should this go wrong in the long run. I had no idea that people were claiming that fraxel caused cheek hollowness and now I feel like an idiot for not having done more research, even though I simply assumed that it is safe due to board-certified doctor recommendations, YouTube testimonials, before and after photos and even celebrities claiming they "do lasers." I thought that once the collagen has been stimulated, it would be there for good (subject to normal aging). I know that doctors will say it doesn't cause skin laxity or fat loss in the long run--that's a given based on what I've seen here--but for anyone who claims you have experienced otherwise, please post photos and show the damage you've suffered so that I can know what to expect.
I'm going to include a before and after photo of my worst cheek area in the worst light from the worst angle. It's bad. Note that this is several years after my last of several fraxel re:store treatments, and the "after" photo was taken a week after my recent fraxel re:pair. As I said, I'm content with the immediate result, but now I'm afraid of what may happen in the long run.
I've been through this before with several Fraxel Restore treatments (four, I think, between 2009 and 2012). The re:store treatments worked better than I had expected; however, I've been increasingly self-conscious as I'm aging because the skin texture has begun to decline again. It may also be important to note that I have Lyme disease and a coinfection called bartonella, which has caused skin problems all over my body. I decided to do this now as I am recovering in order to improve my confidence overall. (I did it with my doctor's blessing.)
Now to the point of this post: I had never read about what many claim to be serious long-term side effects of fraxel lasering until after I had the re:pair procedure done, and then as I was looking at more posts here, I discovered that dozens of people have complained about scarring and fat or collagen loss in their cheeks years after having had fraxel procedures done. That terrifies me. I am 37 years old and as can be seen in my "before" photo, my cheeks are my problem area and recently my cheeks have been lax and gaunt, and I have attributed this simply to the acne scarring. However, in retrospect, I don't know whether my cheeks were this severely damaged before the fraxel restore treatments. I don't have any old close-up photos from before those treatments to compare with. So now I am concerned that the more aggressive re:pair treatment may potentially do more damage in the long run than the short-term benefits are worth.
At the same time, I am very confused by these discussions. In every case here on realself in which people have stated that fraxel damaged their skin in the long run, multiple doctors have commented that that is impossible because of the superficial level of treatment. And I haven't found a single post in which people who say that they suffered significant facial fullness after years have included photos to back up their complaints. I've checked other sites and even YouTube, where there are plenty of fraxel testimonials, and I can't find any evidence. Still, the sheer number of complaints about fraxel "ruining lives" years after the procedures is compelling. If you are one of those people, please share photos to support your complaints. I've seen pictures of small pinprick scars from IPL lasers, but none of fat loss caused by fraxel.
Next question for anyone: worst-case scenario--the fraxel re:pair will cause my cheeks to improve temporarily for a year or two and then they will hollow out. (I'm really scared now.) Would any treatment at all be viable? I imagine it would take thousands of dollars of fillers to fill in entire cheek areas. Would a face lift even be a viable last resort? I'm a 37 year-old male and I did this to bring me back to life--I can't walk around with a mask or even a face full of makeup should this go wrong in the long run. I had no idea that people were claiming that fraxel caused cheek hollowness and now I feel like an idiot for not having done more research, even though I simply assumed that it is safe due to board-certified doctor recommendations, YouTube testimonials, before and after photos and even celebrities claiming they "do lasers." I thought that once the collagen has been stimulated, it would be there for good (subject to normal aging). I know that doctors will say it doesn't cause skin laxity or fat loss in the long run--that's a given based on what I've seen here--but for anyone who claims you have experienced otherwise, please post photos and show the damage you've suffered so that I can know what to expect.
I'm going to include a before and after photo of my worst cheek area in the worst light from the worst angle. It's bad. Note that this is several years after my last of several fraxel re:store treatments, and the "after" photo was taken a week after my recent fraxel re:pair. As I said, I'm content with the immediate result, but now I'm afraid of what may happen in the long run.
artistlike1978's provider
Replies (16)
August 17, 2015
It seems like you had a positive outcome from fraxel. Most people who have been damagaged knew something went wrong within the second week of healing. You should be fine. Try not to worry about it.
August 21, 2015
Thanks, LV. Do you mind if I inquire, then, about your name--laservictim? In what way have you been victimized by lasers? Your username alone kind of makes me worry...
November 16, 2015
Sorry, don't mean to scare you..Within 8 months my face completely deflated and lost all elasticity. I also have a unique grid pattern of lines and tiny holes that is extremely visible in daylight. I'm am now considering a cheek lift and fat graft to correct some of the damage... How is your skin doing now?? Are you satisfied with the results from Fraxel??
September 14, 2015
Honestly, I believe that if your main concern is fat loss due to the acne scarring (not talking about potential fraxel damage) I think you'd be better served with fillers like Voluma or fat grafting. You look very slim, which accentuates acne scarring. As some one who also suffers from acne scars, I find that subcision + suction and fillers can give much better and predictable results than lasers.
September 14, 2015
I would add that you cannot judge the results just 2 weeks post op. There is still swelling that makes things appear better than they really are.
September 15, 2015
I have a thin face similar to yours, so I know where you are coming from. I weigh barely 100 lbs at 5'3 and always have..... and am 46 yrs. old. Your face will start slowly losing fat no matter what you do (especially if you are thin) sometimes starting in your mid-late 30's. Technically, lasers do not penetrate down to the fat and are not supposed to cause fat loss. I think people who claim it does just happen to have laser done around the time that their faces start to age or they are hypercriticizing/paranoid. I have had one Fraxel Restore (I didn't do further because I could tell it wasn't going to help my mixture of boxcar, rolling and 2 icepick scars.) I am going to have fractionated Co2 done in three weeks. I am not going to worry about potential (if even possible, laser induced) further fat loss for multiple reasons. 1) I already have facial fat loss (under my eyes, upper cheeks and under my mouth especially) and I don't look freakish. It's a natural part of aging, especially if you are thin. If you hate it, get fillers or fat transfer, as I plan to do. Fat transfer will last the longest and not need to be re-done like fillers. 2) My scars are the worst thing about my appearance and I want them disguised as best as I can. 3) Scars will look worse or more evident as you age. And some types of scars cause fat loss anyway. Take care of scars at as young of age as you can afford to. That being said, I think you have a great result, thus far. I'm surprised that your rolling scars were helped by the laser as much as they appear to at this time. A lot of rolling scars need to be subcised and filled if they are tethered down, even after laser. I know that I am going to need some subcision done after my laser. Another thing, drink lots of water. It makes a world of difference in gaunt faces. I have a low thirst mechanism and frequently allow myself to get dehydrated and it makes my face look skeletal (IMO.) Sorry for the novel ha ha. Don't worry and enjoy your good results.
UPDATED FROM artistlike1978
6 months post
Six Months Later, HD Photos, Considering Dermal Fillers...
Hi, all. Thank you for your comments. I had no idea anyone had replied or else I would have followed up sooner. (I don't get notifications in my email when people reply, but I'll try to turn on that feature of it's available...)
I'll try to be briefish. My scarring has improved, although I do have some hypo pigmentation and little raised dots now, presumably because of the laser treatment. That's ok; my self-consciousness always has been my acne scarring, and any improvement in that respect makes me more confident.
HOWEVER, I just had to have new staff photos taken by a professional photographer for work, and through some great mystery of life, his photos make me look about ten years older and far bumpier than my own carefully orchestrated iPhone selfies, which I prefer to imagine I look like in real life. :) Seeing these ultra-HD pictures was a bit of a shock--admittedly partially because of how old I look (I'm almost 40; it happens. I don't care much, but not looking at myself objectively often, it's a shock to see "me" as "that aging guy.") and in large part because of the skin texture that makes me so self-conscious, even when illuminated in relatively flattering light.
So here's where I am now: last summer, my doctor recommended Fraxel Re:Pair followed by an injectable filler (Belotero, I think?) that she said will distribute evenly. I scheduled an appointment in late July to have the procedure done but came down with the flu and a 103.5 fever the day before, so I had to cancel. Now I have photos that I can offer up for public opinion.
Looking at this close-up, can anyone comment on whether fillers would be a good option to even out my skin texture? I have a mix of gravelly bumps on both cheeks and my chin and a big, lax skin fold on my right cheek. I know my face doesn't (always) scare small children, but I nevertheless feel like a monster on my most self-conscious days.
Two concerns about fillers: First is cosmetic. As I age, I'm noticing that I'm looking more and more like my older male relatives (duh), and my head is appearing overalls rounder and fuller (think Carroll O'Connor) than it used to. So if I inject volume into my face, I'm a little concerned I might end up like some reality television stars who to me look like their faces have been stung by a thousand bees and are chronically inflamed. Is my face too round (and chin too short) to make it even wider with fillers? I also have a very large forehead, with most of my features on the lower half of my face, which could lend to a pretty goofy outcome, or at least in my imagination.
My second concern is medical--so doctors, please weigh in if you can. I have Lyme disease, along with bartonella (a variant species of the one that causes "cat scratch fever," and which has left my skin marred all over) and babesia, a malaria-like parasite. These infections are very prevalent but not widely known or understood, and they cause immune system dysfunction with a lot of inflammation, hives, and too much to discuss here. The most common misconception is that Lyme can be easily cured with 28 days of doxycycline, but that's not true (or even close) in the case of late-stage persistent multi-systemic Lyme infections. So I'm wondering about the safety of injecting fillers...I think the natural acid should be OK (?), but I don't think I am willing to risk synthetic fillers. I doubt many cosmetic surgeons know much about Lyme--because why would they, beyond the basics?--but on the off chance, any input would be appreciated.
I'll try to be briefish. My scarring has improved, although I do have some hypo pigmentation and little raised dots now, presumably because of the laser treatment. That's ok; my self-consciousness always has been my acne scarring, and any improvement in that respect makes me more confident.
HOWEVER, I just had to have new staff photos taken by a professional photographer for work, and through some great mystery of life, his photos make me look about ten years older and far bumpier than my own carefully orchestrated iPhone selfies, which I prefer to imagine I look like in real life. :) Seeing these ultra-HD pictures was a bit of a shock--admittedly partially because of how old I look (I'm almost 40; it happens. I don't care much, but not looking at myself objectively often, it's a shock to see "me" as "that aging guy.") and in large part because of the skin texture that makes me so self-conscious, even when illuminated in relatively flattering light.
So here's where I am now: last summer, my doctor recommended Fraxel Re:Pair followed by an injectable filler (Belotero, I think?) that she said will distribute evenly. I scheduled an appointment in late July to have the procedure done but came down with the flu and a 103.5 fever the day before, so I had to cancel. Now I have photos that I can offer up for public opinion.
Looking at this close-up, can anyone comment on whether fillers would be a good option to even out my skin texture? I have a mix of gravelly bumps on both cheeks and my chin and a big, lax skin fold on my right cheek. I know my face doesn't (always) scare small children, but I nevertheless feel like a monster on my most self-conscious days.
Two concerns about fillers: First is cosmetic. As I age, I'm noticing that I'm looking more and more like my older male relatives (duh), and my head is appearing overalls rounder and fuller (think Carroll O'Connor) than it used to. So if I inject volume into my face, I'm a little concerned I might end up like some reality television stars who to me look like their faces have been stung by a thousand bees and are chronically inflamed. Is my face too round (and chin too short) to make it even wider with fillers? I also have a very large forehead, with most of my features on the lower half of my face, which could lend to a pretty goofy outcome, or at least in my imagination.
My second concern is medical--so doctors, please weigh in if you can. I have Lyme disease, along with bartonella (a variant species of the one that causes "cat scratch fever," and which has left my skin marred all over) and babesia, a malaria-like parasite. These infections are very prevalent but not widely known or understood, and they cause immune system dysfunction with a lot of inflammation, hives, and too much to discuss here. The most common misconception is that Lyme can be easily cured with 28 days of doxycycline, but that's not true (or even close) in the case of late-stage persistent multi-systemic Lyme infections. So I'm wondering about the safety of injecting fillers...I think the natural acid should be OK (?), but I don't think I am willing to risk synthetic fillers. I doubt many cosmetic surgeons know much about Lyme--because why would they, beyond the basics?--but on the off chance, any input would be appreciated.
Replies (0)
UPDATED FROM artistlike1978
6 months post
Trying Belotero Balance Dermal Filler
So I need to feel more confident and I decided to try out a dermal filler, finally. Here are before-and-after photos, in unflattering and slightly more flattering lighting.
Replies (5)
August 6, 2016
I think you look fine before and after however am considering this procedure myself and understand the scar issue :(
October 8, 2016
I think you look good! Certainly not old. As an unbiased third party, that's my view.
October 16, 2016
Thank you. That's very kind. I am dealing with serious complications of Lyme disease now, so all the cosmetic stuff has taken a back seat.
December 24, 2016
I'm
About to have Fraxel restore for my acne scars. My skin texture sucks. What do you think of that treatment? Any input would be great. Thank you
About to have Fraxel restore for my acne scars. My skin texture sucks. What do you think of that treatment? Any input would be great. Thank you
December 19, 2017
I think you shouldn't worry so much. You have a nice face and good jaw line. Don't mess with it!
Welcome to the community, I am so glad that you found us and decided to share your story. I thought I would share the following faq and video with you: Fraxel Laser and Long Term Damage?
I also thought that you may find these videos helpful:
http://www.realself.com/video/skin-care-after-frax...: <rs-video-player video='{"id":"7935","external_id":"4218651054001","uri":"video\/skin-care-after-fraxel-repair-here-s-what-you-need-to-know"}'></rs-video-player>
http://www.realself.com/video/see-why-this-doctor-...: <rs-video-player video='{"id":"9765","external_id":"4396261530001","uri":"video\/see-why-this-doctor-prefers-fat-grafting-over-facial-fillers"}'></rs-video-player>
Thanks for your reply. I did read that FAQ/thread; it's actually one of the reasons I posted the question I posted. It unfortunately does not answer the question, though, and so I was hoping for people with personal experiences to comment and potentially post photos of the damage they claim the Fraxel caused--either collagen or fat loss over time. So far, I have yet to see a single photographic testament to those claims, but there are very many of them. The primary reason I needed Fraxel is because of collagen damage (perhaps fat loss? Honestly, I'm not sure how to differentiate.), and so if loss of volume is a long-term consequence that many people have experienced, then I potentially made a huge mistake, effectively risking to make much worse the very problem I am trying to improve upon.
So to iterate and clarify:
1. I understand that every doctor on this site says that it's physically impossible to cause volume loss via fat loss as a long-term result of laser light therapies.
2. At the same time, dozens of people have said here "don't listen to the doctors--it happened to me and it happened to dozens of other people here, so don't do it." And dozens of people, indeed, echo those sentiments.
3. But I haven't seen any photos here of such long-term damage. I've seen plenty of photos of hyperpigmentation, enlarged pores, and small white bumps resulting from laser treatment, but none of volume loss over time.
4. So, given number three, I am less inclined to believe those claims without evidence...*except* that I had several Fraxel restore treatments over several years myself, the last one in 2012, and the reason I just had Fraxel repair done is because of the significant volume loss and gravelly texture of the skin on my cheeks--which I've interpreted as acne scars. I am presently 37 years old, and was 34 when I had my last treatment...I don't think, biologically speaking, on average, I am an age at which a person typically loses a great deal of volume in his or her face. However, now it occurs to me that my cheeks have lost quite a bit of volume as compared with before I had the Fraxel treatments; and I've posted the most recent "before" photo, which shows that, and then a post-Fraxel repair photo, which has improved it. What I want to know is, is there evidence that I should expect volume loss over the next several years as a result of this more-aggressive laser treatment? If I know what to expect, I'll be better prepared emotionally for the consequences. That's all I'm asking--for photographic evidence of the claims of volume loss as a long-term result of Fraxel treatment. If none exists, then there's nothing concrete to refute the doctors' statements.