156 replies to this topic

[Weedman]

what is the difference between this and fraxel or pixel laser??

[SouthpoleSP67]

There are a couple of huge differences. And, before I continue, I'm assuming you are talking about Fraxel Re:store and not their newest version, Fraxel Re:Pair, but I'll try and contrast it with that one too. Bear in mind that my knowledge is in law, not medicine, so don't take every word to heart.

First difference is that this is a C02 Laser, while Fraxel is not. Furthermore, the combination procedure of Active FX and Deep FX allows it to treat skin abnormalities superficially (ie. pigmentation) and subcutaneiously (ie. scars, wrinkles).

The problem used to be the C02 lasers, which are commonly referred to as the "gold standard" of laser treatments for their effectiveness, treat skin by shooting their beam and totally wiping out the top layers of the skin. Hence, the word ablative. While the Deep and Active FX lasers are ablative as well, they are part of Lumenis' Bridge Therapy Treatments. They work by shooting smaller beams that are close apart, but not fully touching allowing skin to act as "bridges" between the treated skin.

To better illustrate this, look at this brochure:
http://www.aesthetic.lumenis.com/pdf/PB-10...UPEnc_A2090.pdf

This allows the skin to heal much quicker making downtime much less (I began peeling today!). Furthermore, opposed to Fraxel, which doesn't go as deep and only treats 20% of the skin at a time, this procedure will treat 80% of the skin at the time and goes deep enough (here is the important part) to coagulate the underneath skin, creating heat, which in turns stimulates collagen growth. Therefore, only 1 or 2 treatments would be necessary to "supposedly" achieve the results that 5+ Fraxels could never get you. Although, I won't be able to tell you my feelings on the results until everything peels off and the swelling subsides.

I could say more about differences, but that is all a person really needs to know. I hope my writing proves that you MUST do your research before undergoing and laser treatment. I knew what, when, where, how, and why before I decided to choose this laser.

AJ

PS. If i'm wrong about anything you can correct me, but I feel I'm fairly accurate in what I said.

[SouthpoleSP67]

So, my the scars that I treated are now visible to me. My skin didn't necessarily peel as much as it did, as another poster has previously said, slosh off. From all of the Aquaphor that I was told to put in, the skin was so moisturized that it would really just fall off if you brushed your fingers against it. It was quite interesting and amazing too be honest.

Ok, so now for the semi-results part. The scars are, yes, still visible. BUT they are VASTLY improved from what I can already see. Comparing with the 20 or so photos that I took before the treatment, I can see where the shallowest scars used to be and are not now. Furthermore, the shallow boxscars I had are very improved as the edges have softened considerable and the depth is much more shallow too!

Now I know these are just preliminary results and that it will definitely get worse before it gets better again (as like with Fraxel, collagen will continue to build for the next 3-6 months). Hopefully, because of my young age and maybe even the use of the Neocutis cream, the results will not drop off much. My skin is still very red, and before I forget to mention it, the actual pigmentation looks like it has greatly improved as well.

Don't get your hopes up yet, as I wont, but I can definitely tell you in advance that this treatment is going to help!

Until another update maybe later today or tomorrow,

AJ

PS Ask questions as I am always here to help. BUT please research and figure out answers beforehand while also reading previous posts so I don't have to repeat myself every 10 minutes.

[creative303]

I just had total fx done. The procedure lasted 2-3 hours. I have to say the pain was really intense. Intense like fraxel, I always hated fraxel pain because it was so intense. They put dental blocks around the mouth, and also put little holes with laser throughout the face to add in the numb cream, and added in the numbing cream. I also took this pill that suppose to relax, sedate, numb and make me sleepy, so someone had to drive me home.

I ask the doctor about the settings. The deep fx the doctor said the max setting is 20 kj and the lowest setting is 9 kj, he set it to 20 kj for aggressive treatment. He has my before and after pictures. I don't got it, but maybe i'll ask him for it. My face was bleeding a lot, lots of blood all over my face. It's the same pain like fraxel , maybe a little less painful then fraxel. My face feels like its burning, like someone grab jalapeños and smear it all over my face. Right now my face looks extremely scary... Hopefully that fades away soon...

[SouthpoleSP67]

When you say your procedure took 2-3 hours are you including the time it took for the numbing cream to take effect? For me, the actual lasering part of the procedure lasted about only 30 minutes.

And don't worry about the bleeding. I freaked out as well because at first it looked like someone had rubbed sand paper all over my face! For the most part, the bleeding should stop by tomorrow. It heals rather fast actually: even faster than a strong TCA peel I had done.

Try to stay in an air conditioned room and remember to keep Aquaphor or some equivalent on at all times.

Good luck!

[creative303]

Yea with the numbing cream preparation and everything took 2-3 hours. I stay there for about 3 hours total. The actually lasering for me took 45 minutes, we stop a few times because it was so painful. Doctor ask me if i wanted to go down in settings and I told him no, just leave it on highest. Told him I was ready and we went again. But yea, I'm home now and I'm looking in the mirror right now, I see nothing big huge blood clots all over my face. Lots of blood, mix in with the aquaphor, giving it a peachy appearance. I can't even stare into the mirror, I look scary.

[fraxelwaxel]

Where are the pictures people? Common . . . .

[SouthpoleSP67]

I'm doing a full photo journal. Finally pretty much all of the skin peeled off yesterday and now I am just pink. Results look absolutely amazing at this point, but I expect to see them fall off as there is probably still swelling and the pink skin tone makes them less noticeable as well.

I will begin to post photos by tomorrow as the UCLA game is today, and since I can actually go out and just look like a severe sunburn I have to go see it with some friends.

Been cooped up way too long.

[SouthpoleSP67]

http://picasaweb.google.com/SouthpoleSp67/...XBeforeAndAfter

There is an album. It is definitely incomplete but it will satisfy many of you I'm sure. I want to preface anyone who vies an album with this caution:
THESE AREN'T THE END RESULTS.

First, the redness and swellling (although this I feel has mostly subsided) is definitely not letting you see the full extent of the scarring. It could be better or worse than it appears, so this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Secondly, like all laser treatment, the results will get worse (usually bceause of swelling) and then will get better again (as collagen continues to build for the next 3-6 months).

I want everyone to understand, that because of the extremely inconsistent results with Fraxel I went into the treatment understanding that nothing is guaranteed and any improvement is a worthwhile one. Also, considering my young age and my gender, my healing process is probably faster than most others who undergo this treatment (usually young to middle aged woman, which makes me feel kinda funny haha).

Lastly, always remember how one person responds to a treatment can be entirely different than you respond.

But in conclusion, as it stands as this moment, I am more than pleased. Confidence has hit a new level.

[creative303]

Hey, my face looks like yours but to a worst extend, it has blood on the forehead all the way down to the my neck, like the photo an hour after procedure maybe it's cause the doctor went did it in the highest setting. I have a blood all over my face still and it looks raw in a few places, I don't feel no pain on my face at all. I have a lot of swelling still and its hard to see out my eye. How long did it take for the blood to fade away? Did you take a shower the next day?

[SouthpoleSP67]

Oh, I forgot to mention I only got DeepFX done on my cheeks. Considering the pain and the fact that I really had no reason to do it on my forehead since my scarring was really all on my cheeks. I've never really gotten acne in that region.

I did take a shower the next day, but I did not wash my hair. I left that region alone and left the door open so as to not heat the room up to much, although I do not know if either of those actions really make a difference.

In terms of the blood, I wouldn't worry about it. You had blood all over because you had DeepFX all over. So what I had on my cheeks is what you have all over your face. It was very terrifying and I did not believe there was any way it would heal. The pictures dont even do it justice as the blood was oozing out slowly all night. However, 2 days post treatment, it was not really a problem anymore.

[creative303]

Heya Southpole, thats good to know that the blood and oozing will stop 2 days post. I included pictures of my face. It looks pretty nasty, deep full face fx.

You can check out my photo's here, although it's only been a day. http://picasaweb.google.com/jlee303/TotalFx

[SouthpoleSP67]

Haha I feel like I am looking at a ghost with your pictures. Should I black out mine to make sure people don't notice me? Eh, I don't care that much I think.

EDIT: Almost forgot to say, your skin looks fine. Looks just like mine on my cheeks however it just looks MUCH MUCH scarrier (no offense haha) since you have it all over your face.

I am just glad that we are sharing our experiences thoroughly right now. I understand why people stop coming here after they feel like they have healed their scars: this place is depressing. However, they never really fully explain the process nor answer question nor allow people to hear about their successes (ie. how retardiest, gatorfan, and tampagirl are no longer saying anything nor do I know how they are doing now).

If we do photo journals, people can learn and benefit from our experiences. This was the problem with fraxel too. Since the process took 5 treatments, people would have to be consistent about posting pictures and I dunno that post is so unorganized with the same questions being asked over and over again.

Once I feel fully healed and am ready to for the most part end my daily visits to this site, I will plan to create a new thread organizing and summarizing what we have all said here.

[creative303]

Haha, I black it out cause I don't want someone I know to recognize me. I'm scared looking at myself in those pictures.. Just plain scary. Haha yea man, the doctor went on maximum setting, he said max setting is 20 kilojoules and the lowest setting is 9 kilojoules for the deep fx. The active fx has a whole different set of numbers, I didn't ask too much about that but I assume he went maximum setting on that as well.

Yea I guess your right, we just hear about the complaints mostly and not the successful stories. I think all the people that finally healed their scars left this depressing place. I wanted to ask retardiest some questions but he hasn't login in awhile.

I hope the photo journals help some peeps. I got the same type of acne scarring like you Southpole. Mostly icepick, rolling and box scars, and pigmentations.

[SouthpoleSP67]

Today, well, I'm still healing. Redness is still very strong. I mean it looks like a bad sunburn but how long will it be like this? I feel like forever, but then again it still hasnt even been a full week since treatment (6 days including day of) so maybe I'm just wishing for too much too fast.

But ya, i'll keep you updated.

PS Who likes this linear mode of viewing threads? its unpractical. Those who don't switch it back to classic view mode in the option box. And for those who don't eve know what i'm talking about, disregard this as it it doesn't pertain to the treatment.

[stellarmagic]

Hey guys,

Well, it has now been 2 days since my TotalFX treatment. Pain and bleeding is pretty much non-existent. My face, on the other hand, still looks like a mess. I've had a couple TCA peels before and I say it looks like a more severe version of this. My skin is super tight and it appears as if it will start peeling tomorrow or the day after.

In terms of after care, I am still just putting Aquaphor on the treated regions and just trying to eat healthy so I don't hinder the healing process in anyway.

I will post again tomorrow.

Goodnight.

AJ

I was thinking about geting totalfx as well, and I am from southern california too. Would you mind telling me where you got this procedure done and how much did it cost? thanks so much, and goodluck. I hope you see great results!

[SouthpoleSP67]

I went to Skin Nirvana in Anaheim and the doctor's name was Stephen Han. The price he charged was $3950.

After contacting all of the doctors around the area, I found there were many that had ActiveFX, but not many that had DeepFX, which is what you want to treat scars. The only other doctor I was considering was Dr. Abregel in Santa Monica, which was actually much closer to me.

Dr. Abregel charged a $5000 and charged $250 for just a consult, which could be used towards your procedure. He was much more reputable than my doctor, not that mine was a pushover because he certainly wasn't as he was the first in So Cal to actually get the DeepFX laser. Also, I heard he doesn't even do most of the procedures in his office, although I won't say that would've been the case.

I originally only went to Dr Han to get a free consult so I could figure out if I wanted the treatment, but after meeting him, I found him to be very personable and knowledgeable.

[bluemorpho]

http://picasaweb.google.com/SouthpoleSp67/...XBeforeAndAfter

There is an album. It is definitely incomplete but it will satisfy many of you I'm sure. I want to preface anyone who vies an album with this caution:
THESE AREN'T THE END RESULTS.

First, the redness and swellling (although this I feel has mostly subsided) is definitely not letting you see the full extent of the scarring. It could be better or worse than it appears, so this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Secondly, like all laser treatment, the results will get worse (usually bceause of swelling) and then will get better again (as collagen continues to build for the next 3-6 months).

I want everyone to understand, that because of the extremely inconsistent results with Fraxel I went into the treatment understanding that nothing is guaranteed and any improvement is a worthwhile one. Also, considering my young age and my gender, my healing process is probably faster than most others who undergo this treatment (usually young to middle aged woman, which makes me feel kinda funny haha).

Lastly, always remember how one person responds to a treatment can be entirely different than you respond.

But in conclusion, as it stands as this moment, I am more than pleased. Confidence has hit a new level.

good luck! and thanks for posting photos.
just wanted to say though that it looks like you are outside taking these pics...MAKE SURE TO WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!!!
since your skin is olive-toned you want to be especially careful because you can get hyperpigmentation that shows up later. i am dealing with slight hyperpigmentation from fraxel.

[madadam]

Thank you so much for posting pics and updating your recovery!!!!!!!!!

I am going for Fraxel Co2 and I wonder if it will be like this?

Keep updated after x months so we know how the scars improved (when microswelling etc all gone).

Determined to death to improve my scars!!@

[SouthpoleSP67]

Hi guys,

Well healing is stillgoing on right now. For the most part, I am still very red. Looks like an extreme sunburn. My scars have definitely reappeared a little, but there still seems to be a major improvement hiding behind all this redness!

I'm trying to still be skeptical about the improvement,considering all the many let downs of the past that members have gone through, but maybe I shouldn't be. Maybe this new generation of lasers really does work. Maybe my young age has allowed the process to be much more effective.

But hey I really won't know until all this damned redness goes away. I am now 7 days post treatment & does anyone know when I might be able to expect to have the redness go away? Or at least when it will be less severe? Is there anything I can do to speed up the transition back to my regular skin color without harming my new skin?

And yes, I was outside taking those pictures as you can see the scars the best in true outdoor light. I am hiding from the sun & putting on major sunscreen, BUT is this the reason I am still so red? I know pigment & melatonin production are increased when your skin is comes into contact with the sun.

Well, I await your responses and until next time,

AJ