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Did you ask your doctor if she used Total FX or just Deep FX? Have you looked at my thread for my Total FX treatment? It's here:
http://www.acne.org/...ates-to-follow/
The peeling and scabbing/crusting shown on my post are from the Active FX. With Deep FX, I didn't really peel. I've asked few doctors too, and they said you normally peel with Active FX, not Deep FX. Following Deep FX, my skin flaked a little and was dry & itchy at the one week point. I also had red blocks where the laser hit. It's possible she did multiple passes of Deep FX but used a lower setting over most your skin. Some doctors have their own techniques to treating acne scars, so she may have only used Deep FX. If she did use Active FX, you would certainly know the difference the second the laser hit your skin. Deep FX is painful but tolerable. The pain from Active FX is intense!
Did your doctor recommend any kind of topical treatment for the redness and possible hyperpigmentation? I'm not sure your spots are truly hyperpigmentation at this phase.
At this point, I still would not worry. Try not to look in the mirror too much. It will get better.
Also, when doctors mention a downtime of 7-10 days, they are talking about the recovery period from when your skin should be fully peeled. Unfortunately, some doctors don't mention or minimize the possible side-effects.
Inspired
When you were healing - were your red marks, also raised? Some of mine are so it looks like i just have horrible inflamed acned again all over my face - thank god it doesnt feel the way. I just want to make sure this is also "normal".
I just cancelled all my appointments for this week due to my skin looking like this....
today is not any different from yesterday as far as the way my skin is looking and I have decided i cant look in the mirror at all today... So I looked this morning, took a shower, lathered with lotion and thank god I work from home.... If I would of gone under the impression that this was a 7 to 10 recovery time til i was back to normal and worked in an office, oh my, would I be stressing. I already cancelled a meeting I had to go to this friday. I have a very important thing to be at on monday afternoon of next week - lets hope im feeling okay to make it to that... If im not, i dont know what im going to do 
wow, what an experience this is.
I go back to the doc in 48 hours 
awe keep us updated on your progress and i think once you are totally healed that you are going to look great. i have been following this thread and seeing all the positive changes in your skin after your procedures leaves me with a lot of hope. you are very brave and very beautiful so stay strong and know that in the end all this suffering will be worth it. take care!
thanks tracy521 - i will keep you posted on how i heal from this. I appreciate your suppor!
you are very welcome and if you ever need to vent you can always email me. i feel for you but please know that you are not alone. you are going to heal it will just take some time. i think your face is looking great and in a month or so i bet you will be so much happier and glad you had this procedure.
Inspired
When you were healing - were your red marks, also raised? Some of mine are so it looks like i just have horrible inflamed acned again all over my face - thank god it doesnt feel the way. I just want to make sure this is also "normal".
I just cancelled all my appointments for this week due to my skin looking like this....
today is not any different from yesterday as far as the way my skin is looking and I have decided i cant look in the mirror at all today... So I looked this morning, took a shower, lathered with lotion and thank god I work from home.... If I would of gone under the impression that this was a 7 to 10 recovery time til i was back to normal and worked in an office, oh my, would I be stressing. I already cancelled a meeting I had to go to this friday. I have a very important thing to be at on monday afternoon of next week - lets hope im feeling okay to make it to that... If im not, i dont know what im going to do
wow, what an experience this is.
I go back to the doc in 48 hours
After Deep FX, I did have raised, red blocks on my face where Deep FX hit deeper. It was just erythema and swelling deep in the dermis. It took a few days for my skin to settle back down. I could not really see those areas after Total FX because Active FX was used over Deep FX and caused my skin to crust & scab. After both procedures, I looked hideous for a good week. After Deep FX, it looked like someone took a square meat tenderizer to my face.
I'm glad you're going to see your doctor. Hang in there! The first 7-10 days are the most difficult.
keep us updated for sure. if you it makes you feel any better when i get ipl's (i know that isn't even close to what you got ) they usually do 3 passes on each spot and a lot of times that causes my red marks to turn into these huge welts that are very swelled up. after 3-4 days it goes away completely but i also take ibuprofen as well to hurry up the process. i think you will be totally fine once your skin calms down a bit. i am sure its all very scary and i would be freaking out too but just know that in even a week or two your face will be so much more healed and look a lot better. hugs to you!!
I hope you are right I think i just need to continue to be patient, continue to just go about my daily routine and stop worrying because its completely not helping at all im very sure. I phyiscally cant do anything to change it and the only one who can is the Doc and luckily i get to see her smiling face tomorrow
Posting a photo today... i think its a little better than a few days ago... sloooowly makes progress? i hope.
okay friend we have good news!
My doctor said im healing correctly, thats she is happy to see my skin this way because it meant that we got to the right levels in my skin and therefore collagen and that it will fade quickly from here on out. She suggested I buy something called Bio-Gel which cost so much money but i put it on a CC and didnt think twice ha and this specific sunscreen because i tend to break out from sunscreen. The Sunscreen is La Roche-Posay anthelios 45 - Ultra light sunscreen fluid
hopefully some of you knows either of these products?
and she told me I can go back to using my differin tonight. Hopefully that will help as well?!
Anyway, things are looking up hehe. I explained to her how this is making me feel - like all my horrible acne is back and she said, well at least it doesnt hurt like your acne did and the outcome is much different! So true - she then said, put make up over these spots, dont think about it and in no time they will be gone.
Im not there yet - i think if i looked in the mirror long enough to paint my face it wouldnt help my emotional state ha (but at least i know that) sooo monday, when i actually have to go somewhere in public, ill deal with that, right now, im staying away from the mirror
okay friend we have good news!
My doctor said im healing correctly, thats she is happy to see my skin this way because it meant that we got to the right levels in my skin and therefore collagen and that it will fade quickly from here on out. She suggested I buy something called Bio-Gel which cost so much money but i put it on a CC and didnt think twice ha and this specific sunscreen because i tend to break out from sunscreen. The Sunscreen is La Roche-Posay anthelios 45 - Ultra light sunscreen fluid
hopefully some of you knows either of these products?
and she told me I can go back to using my differin tonight. Hopefully that will help as well?!
Anyway, things are looking up hehe. I explained to her how this is making me feel - like all my horrible acne is back and she said, well at least it doesnt hurt like your acne did and the outcome is much different! So true - she then said, put make up over these spots, dont think about it and in no time they will be gone.
Im not there yet - i think if i looked in the mirror long enough to paint my face it wouldnt help my emotional state ha (but at least i know that) sooo monday, when i actually have to go somewhere in public, ill deal with that, right now, im staying away from the mirror
Good to hear you're healing well! How much improvement would you say the laser treatment has given you? Also, did it improve your skin texture at all?
Kidrock - right now I do not see ANY improvement... i believe that is because when the laser hits the collagen it takes at least 3 months for the regrowth to happen. Right now all the swelling is gone and the scars look much worse (be prepared) and she said they wll continue to look like this for 3 months or so. The worst part is now they are not just more noticeable but are red to boot... If you are planning on doing a laser treatment - deep fx - i would take about a month off from any social engagements or work functions... its almost impossible to do that, i know. My first "public appearance" needs to be monday...im dreading it.
Kidrock - right now I do not see ANY improvement... i believe that is because when the laser hits the collagen it takes at least 3 months for the regrowth to happen. Right now all the swelling is gone and the scars look much worse (be prepared) and she said they wll continue to look like this for 3 months or so. The worst part is now they are not just more noticeable but are red to boot... If you are planning on doing a laser treatment - deep fx - i would take about a month off from any social engagements or work functions... its almost impossible to do that, i know. My first "public appearance" needs to be monday...im dreading it.
I have a Mixto+Subcision treatment ( my 3rd subcision and my first laser treatment ever ) scheduled for the 29th. I'm hoping to see some improvement in my skin's texture and help smooth out some minor scarring that wasn't picked up in my first two subcisions. My doc said that the downtime wouldn't be as long with the Mixto as it is with other lasers but I'm planning on taking about 10 days off of work just in case. Hopefully it'll be worth the time and money.
I dont think anyone should try this laser treatment - basically she described it as CO2 laser for deep acne scarring - until you hear how I feel in the next 3 months. For the amount of frustration and downtime, if things do not look better as far as collagen regrowth, i wouldnt recommend anyone doing this. Now resurfacing procedures like fraxel co2 I can not comment on because that was not what she ended up doing to my face.
I am hoping since this downtime is so much greater than the other options out there, that I will only need one of these to see results... this we will re-visit in 3 months.
I know what it feels like to read and read and read first hand stories from others and there experience and regardless of their side effects still thinking "im doing this, nothing will happen". So please, dont let me be the deciding factor in laser acne scar treatments. I want MORE THAN ANYTHING to tell each one of you that in 3 months, it was SO WORTH IT... stay tuned for that update - April 2, 2013 
I have applied the Bio-Gel now both yesterday morning and this morning - right now im actually starting to feel a little itchy so I dont know if ill continue to use it - anything new on my face scares me because my skin is so sensative.
I plan to post a photo tomorrow of how I am looking Day 10 after the procedure. Am actually debating going to the grocery store tonight as I am running out of healthy options in the fridge but i dont think im ready to put make up on...
trying to smile and just keep moving forward... happy friday and all of you leaving your house tonight to do something awesome, LIVE IT UP! Im jealous
