43 replies to this topic

[DudleyDoRight]

I have just returned for my 3rd Fraxel Repair, and I am still a bit shakey. I acutually experienced more pain with this procedure, but so far I have had less bleeding and oozing. My prodecdure was again done at 70 mj -60 % .

[MrObi]

I have just returned for my 3rd Fraxel Repair, and I am still a bit shakey. I acutually experienced more pain with this procedure, but so far I have had less bleeding and oozing. My prodecdure was again done at 70 mj -60 % .

Wow congrats Dudley! Hope you heal well!!

[Datura]

Thanks for the update, Dudley!

[Minty Peas]

Congrats, Dudley! I hope everything goes well.
Just in time for Halloween, too! j/k

[DudleyDoRight]

Day 2 and I can't imagine how easy this Re:pair has been. It appears the more you have the less bleeding, oozing and sweling you get. I am not even seeing the customary redness yet. Right now I have no scars, but I know that can't last. I tried to take pictures, but as usual they didn't show the problem.

[wenc3160]

Day 2 and I can't imagine how easy this Re:pair has been. It appears the more you have the less bleeding, oozing and sweling you get. I am not even seeing the customary redness yet. Right now I have no scars, but I know that can't last. I tried to take pictures, but as usual they didn't show the problem.

[wenc3160]

Day 2 and I can't imagine how easy this Re:pair has been. It appears the more you have the less bleeding, oozing and sweling you get. I am not even seeing the customary redness yet. Right now I have no scars, but I know that can't last. I tried to take pictures, but as usual they didn't show the problem.

I'm surpised to read that you had it done again. Didn't you have it done a few months ago. I had it done on September 23 and am just now seeing some of my scars closing up. I think I expected to much. I want 100% and that just isn't possible. Derm told me it takes up to a year to see the results. I give you credit for doing it again. Maybe it just to soon for me but I looked liked a monster when she was done and all the things you have to do afterwards are worse than the procedure. My derm had me use Aquaphor 24/7 for 10 days straight. I couldn't wash my face and had to be very careful waching my hair. The aquaphor gets in your hair and makes it so greassy that I had to use Dawn dish soap to cut the grease. The hybernating also sucked. Not be able to go anywhere (and I didn't want to anyway the way I looked) was hard to bear. But it is amazing how fast the skin heals. I have alot of scars on my nose and chin from cysts and the derm said that the nose and chin take the longest to heal. Did you have a problem with scars on your nose and did they heal before or does it take it take several treatment to get better results. My derm charges $3,000 for the procedure so I won't be doing it again anytime soon. Let me know how your doing. I know what your going through.

wenc3160@yahoo.com if you want to send a PM.

[DudleyDoRight]

Wenc, I always post the dates of my procedures at the bottom of my postings. I wash my face every 2 hours and also use vinegar water and then follow that with the Aquafor. I usually switch from the Aquafor around the 2nd day to Cetaphil Moisturizer. Actually it was a non-acne scar on my nose from an auto accident that first let me know Re:pair worked. For some reason, which I don't understand, the Re:pairs get easier the more you do. Most Docs will give big discounts for subsequent, treatments. I paid 5k for my first, 2k for my second and my third is 1k and we forgot to collect the money Friday. I had considerable oozing and bleeding from the first and not as much with the second and even less with the third. If needed I will do #4 late in May of 2010 and tie it in with my 2010 Flodrida vacation. I am leaving for Florida next Saturday so I have over 2 weeks off to recuperate.

[AcnePwns]

Good luck on your treatment. What do you do for a living by the way?

[Frax1]

Good luck, Doodley!

After your first two treatments did you experience good improvement for wrinkles too?

[DudleyDoRight]

AcnePawns, I am an auditor now, but I am also a federal retiree. I actually spend most of my free time on financial sites, and of course the Detroit Red Wings. I am the oldest poster on here, and in all likelyhood I will be fading away when all of my Fraxel Re:pair is finished. I suffered for so long, through so many worthless treatments that now I have found something that works for me(ever so slowly) that I want to let others know.

Frax1, interesting question. When I first started my routine a woman I worked with asked me where I was getting my Botox done. Another woman recently came up out of the blue and said I had smooth skin. Now understand, I don't think I have smooth skin. And another asked what I had done. Women notice things that guys don't even think about, so it must be more effective than I had thought.

I almost forgot to add that this is day three, and there is increased redness and swelling remains. I am applying Cetaphil Moisturizer in place of Aquafor now(I hate Aquafor) and still doing vinegar soaks and icing down with my ice masks. I am also using Optive Eyes drops on a regular basis. I have not taken any pain pills at all. By the looks of the red area the doctor did an excellent job of evening out the laser. I had full face and neck done again, and I think that works out better.

Edited by DudleyDoRight, 01 November 2009 - 09:34 AM.

[wenc3160]

Wenc, I always post the dates of my procedures at the bottom of my postings. I wash my face every 2 hours and also use vinegar water and then follow that with the Aquafor. I usually switch from the Aquafor around the 2nd day to Cetaphil Moisturizer. Actually it was a non-acne scar on my nose from an auto accident that first let me know Re:pair worked. For some reason, which I don't understand, the Re:pairs get easier the more you do. Most Docs will give big discounts for subsequent, treatments. I paid 5k for my first, 2k for my second and my third is 1k and we forgot to collect the money Friday. I had considerable oozing and bleeding from the first and not as much with the second and even less with the third. If needed I will do #4 late in May of 2010 and tie it in with my 2010 Flodrida vacation. I am leaving for Florida next Saturday so I have over 2 weeks off to recuperate.

Your derm allowed you much more leneincy than mine did. I wasn't allowed to "wash" my face. I had to use a saline wash to clean my face and then reapply Aquaphor. I haven't seen any pictures that you posted so I wasn't sure if you scars on your nose or not. Also, I'm sure my derm would give a discount if I had it done again. I mentioned having punch excision done on the holes that don't heal and she quoted me $50.oo for one. Another derm that I went to charged me $164.00 for one excision. Did you have this procedure done in Canada? Just wondered cuz of your name, the mounty and all. I had mine done in Ohio. I'm sure differnet regions even in the states charge different amount depending on the demand. My derm is only one of two who does laser surgery in this area. I called the other derm and he charges $5,000.00 for the same procedure. Course I went with her but I really like her anyway, am comfortable with her, and trust her anyway. I do have a question. Have you noticed your skin is thinner since you had it done the first time? Did your skin get back to its original thickness or does it stay that way. I have many months of healing yet and forgot to ask my derm about that? Also, I'm curious if I can use a self tanning cream. I am pretty fair and want a little color and will no long tan my face in the sun or in a tanning bed. Derm told me sun exposure will undo everything she has done. I will have to call her on that.
Good luck and thanks for your response.

[DudleyDoRight]

Wenc, I never had any nose scars, just that one from an auto accident. I have had all of my procedures done in Oklahoma. I haven't noticed any thinning of the skin so far, although I can get pretty thin skinned about some political issues ; ) I walk a lot in the sun and I always wear sunblock spf 50 and a wide brimmed hat.

[Vanzzzz]

Damn Dudley is your age a mystery? You are making it sound too mysterious.

I must commend you for still pursuing scar treatment even though u sound like you are 100+++ years old lol.

[wenc3160]

Wenc, I never had any nose scars, just that one from an auto accident. I have had all of my procedures done in Oklahoma. I haven't noticed any thinning of the skin so far, although I can get pretty thin skinned about some political issues ; ) I walk a lot in the sun and I always wear sunblock spf 50 and a wide brimmed hat.

Okay, now I too am curious. Do you like in Oklahoma. After I asked if you had the procedures done in Canada, I noticed your post about a Detroit team. Detroit, Michigan? Do you travel to have the procedures done? None of my business, just curious cuz I first thought about it when the derm told me how much she charged and other people have posted $800.00. It would have been worth it to travel but not for all the times one has to go back for the derm to check your skin. I didn't realize that when I had it done. I travel approximately an hour to my derm which really isn't that far. I have been back twice and now I need to go back again in three months for another check. I'm guessing up to a year from what she has indicated.

[DudleyDoRight]

Wenc, I was born and raised in Michigan, but moved to Florida, and then Oklahoma, and soon I hope to move back to Florida - hate cold weather. When people drop a figure of $800 they are either talking about a spot treatment of something other than Re:pair. I paid the high price tag the first time because it was brand new and nobody had the machine. Re:pair wasn't released until early 2008. I wouldn't have wanted to travel after my first or second Re:pair, but I could of after the 3rd. My PS is only 4 miles away.

Vanzzz, Obama is the first President who was younger than I was at the time. Younger people have superior healing powers so whatever I can do the younger people should have even better success. I wish I were in my 20s today with the great leaps being made in medicine. Oh well, back to my checkerboard.

[DudleyDoRight]

Day 4, I have experienced no pain. I am still doing the vinegar washes although I question that they are needed once the oozing and blood goes away. I still have swelling and much redness, and I go back to the Doc this morning. I am using a ton of Cetaphil and eye drops, and still applying ice masks(these come in very handy and they are available through MakeMeHeal.com).

http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=13733

[DudleyDoRight]

Day 5 and all is going well and I even went out yesterday to grab some groceries. Saw the doc yesterday and she is pleased. I have a few laser streaks on my forhead and possibly a couple of laser marks on the forhead and under my nose, but none of this is unusual. There has also been some shedding of dead skin. I am down to just washing every 2 hours and applying Cetaphil.

[MissElegia]

Hello Dudley,
I had a TotalFX a week ago. I was writing to this forum last summer when I had a TCA cross and dermabrasion. Even if that treatment helped a little bit, I wanted more results so I decided to try lasers. Like my doc said, there are at least 20 different fraxel-type of lasers in the market, and the consumer/patient can't know which one is best. Lumenis lasers are very expensive and are supposed to be very good.

I think my healing is going ok. At least downtime has been shorter than with tca + dermabrasion. I was at work today, on 7th day after the procedure. I'm covering the redness with make-up.

One question for you: how long after your treatments have you started to see changes? Do you see them right away or does it take weeks or monts?

I mean, I can see some, very small changes already, but I'm hoping my skin still to improve.

[jack3100]

any pore reduction, after each time and