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I just got back from my first Fraxel session (Fraxel 2):
Treatment Level 16
5 SL (I forget what this means?)
8 Passes with additional on cheeks
They used numbing cream and 2 Motrin/2 Tylenol and I hardly felt anything. Just some pinpricks near the edges. I'm hardly even red- I assume that will get worse as the day progresses.
Nevermind today I'm much worse. Looks like very bad sunburn and there's a largish patch on my upper cheekbone with some yellowish stuff that leaked out- I guess dried up interstitial fluid.
I remember stating that too! I thought it was aloe that was applied on my face. Thought it was the heat from my face melting the aloe causing it to bubble (yellow substance). Can someone identity what that is?? What is interstitial fluid? I don't think it has made skin worse or anything.
I will stop complaining and bite my tongue if I get frustrated. I know it is a long process and all. Also should definately stay away from this forum if I could for awhile. This forum is so addictive and not sure if its healthly or not. I just think it is worse when we know so much information. We start to question things. I wished my head is hollow right now. I also over-analyze too much.
Troubled
Perhaps you could post link to the hypo/fraxel pictures via photobucket.
Also, my non excision scars are almost 40 years old. What is the probability of fixing them with fraxel? Also, any comment on my proposed settings for Dec 13 fraxel?
Thanks
Billy,
I wish I could give you a more definitive answer about your scars but I am not aware of any solid data for the treatment of scars that old. Even if there was we must consider that all scar remodeling is completely based on individual body chemistry.
I'm from the school of thought that ANY improvement, regardless how small is an indication that your body is capable of scar remodeling. Of course it takes longer with age not to mention we are all battling the laws of diminishing returns but, assuming your scars showed 15% improvement already. I see no reason why you couldn't expect at least another 15%, possibly much more as collagen production tends to boost with each successive treatment. With an end result possibly in 50-80% improvement range. To acheive that much of a response though you must be willing to make the commitment to do Fraxel long term as I do not believe you will achieve nearly the results with 8 treatments as a younger person with favorable healing response. After completion of your treatments any residual scarring should be taken care of quite nicely with fillers so the end result should be the same, it is just going to take you a little longer to get there. 😉
There are a few other options such as re-excision from a qualified P/S followed by Fraxel 6 weeks post excision, Active FX, permanent/semi permanent fillers, Portrait PSR3 ect. If melanocyte migration fails, there is also the excimer laser or micro pigmentation. I have seen beautiful results with micro pigmentation by the way.
About your Fraxel settings. It appears that you have a good strategy but I would add that Dr. Ramsey from Baylor mentioned to me in a recent exchange that he uses a technique which alternates high and low settings to obtain optimal results. Below is an exert from his e-mail to me. Hope this helps.
From Dr. Ramsey:
(I do not have the chart handy) but I believe that I used a blend for her with both relatively low fluence and high density as well as high fluence and low density. For what it is worth, in my opinion (which is more or less all we have), I would probably treat her at this point with 15-16 mj and a density of 1500-1750 mtz/cm2. A key ingredient is technique and small variations in how closely the passes are spaced and overlapped can make 2 practitioners using the same setting have different results. When I have discussed parameters with less experienced Fraxel users who were not getting good results I found that despite similar settings, the total energy used was much lower probably reflecting differences in technique. Unfortunately every face is different and it is not possible for a patient to figure out whether they were given an aggressive or mild treatment (i.e. people should probably pick based on experience of the user as most will gradually become more aggressive over time).
Billy,
As a side note to the hypogimentation issue. I have been doing some more thinking and wonder if melanocyte migration would be more effective with Fraxel if hydroquinone were not used over the surrounding hypo area. The purpose of hydroquinone is to depigment the skin through suppression of melanocyte activity i.e supression of the metabolic processes. It would seem to me this would defeat the purpose of lessening hypo with Fraxel treatments. Ask your doc what he thinks. I have no data to support this theory but it makes sense. The downside would be increased risk of hyperpigmentation but that is more easily cured. How long pre Fraxel were you on hydroquinone? Since there are other readers on the forum I'm going to cover myself here and say do not try this in lieu of your Dr's orders. This does not constitute medical advice.
Billyboy: Aren't you light skinned? How could you still get hypopigmentation? I know you mentioned that you tan but is Fraxel bring your normal skin tone back?
TroubleSkin: Are you undergoing Fraxel treatment? You are very good at answering our concerns. A great asset to this thread.
Billyboy: Aren't you light skinned? How could you still get hypopigmentation? I know you mentioned that you tan but is Fraxel bring your normal skin tone back?
TroubleSkin: Are you undergoing Fraxel treatment? You are very good at answering our concerns. A great asset to this thread.
Thanks. Hypopigmentation in the context of our posts mean complete or nearly complete loss of pigment like the white line of a surgical scar. Billy's are from excisions but hypo can come from any deep tissue trauma. I am resuming Fraxel treatments with the SR1500 in January.
i for one am having great results so far with my 1st fraxel and is going with my next one next week. i'm 21 yrs old, asian white skinned male. i try to eat as healthy as i can and i use to exercise daily until lately i been busy with work (need money, it makes my world go 'round). i have decrease my vitamins intake and plan to just get one good multi-vitamin in the future when my current one runs out, anyone know a good one, perhaps the best one?
i learned a lot about life going through this "roadblock" that the great Lord has put for me but i know i will get through it one way or another. Mz43026, if you are reading this, i highly recomend you not stress, i'm assuming you dont work nor go to school so i can understand that your current mental state. remember this, proven scientificly that stress causes your brain to release a useless chemical that inhibits healing, yes! inhibits healing meaning it won't heal! now your body heals every second and is doing wonders inside, but if you stress then it won't do good at all.
next i learn is that people are people. i work in an office, i met some really nice people that at first was like wow wsup with his skin (my scars are mild, very shallow, like this deep | and deepest one is || ), then eventually, the older matured people just don't care and treat me very nice (sympathy?) and i can tell from the younger workers who give me dirty looks (mostly hispanic in there 20's). but you know what, i dont care no more, my 2 coworkers are really nice to me, they are really sweet. my boss and managers are great to me also, so yes my fellow friends, there is more to life then how you look, but i for one knows and believes that i will do everything in my power to improve how i look to the degree of me being comfortable in my own skin to be able to go out live my life to the fullest. sorry for this venting, but i just want to keep people's spirits high, hang in there, THINGS ALWAYS GET BETTER!
Troubled
I am blue eyed blond (actually sun bleached) who tans very easily. My Doc siad I did not need hydroquinone and I had no problems in round 1, without it. My pigment became more even and tan from fraxels, which I liked, as my face is not as tan as the rest of my body from swimming. I have the surfer look and only apply block to face, so fraxel helped alot here.
My only issue is scarring. It is not clear to me that the expected improvement will exceed the cost and downtime. But, I have enoguth confidence to go for another series. Apparently they have increased protcols for scarring. I think my mjs were high enough previously, but perhasp I needed more passes per treatment over scarred areas and more treatments. This will be my last though.
I will keep you guys posted.
PS: Troubled and JJP are correct in noting that it takes time and money for this treatment, so be patient. Also, from my experience to date, a 50% improvement seems hard to imagine, but I am sure it can happen. That is a huge result, considering the low riskcomapred to toher treatments.
non-reliant pics
woman with red marks
http://www.dermassocseattle.com/cosmetic/wrinkle_topic6.htm
hypopigmentation
http://www.yourskinforlife.com/dermatology...ces/fraxel.html
stretch marks
http://www.westlakedermatology.com/fraxel.htm
Did anyone receivce these little annoying pin prick feeling raised bumps all over their faces about a week after fraxel!! I still have them and its been almost 2 weeks now... and they are pretty itchy and annoying...
Are you moisturizing? That is probably the MENDS - microscopic necrotic debry. takes a month to fully flake off. keep moisturized. ur skin needs to retain moisture for optimal healing
another article on different levels needed for different skin problems. great photo chart:
Did anyone receivce these little annoying pin prick feeling raised bumps all over their faces about a week after fraxel!! I still have them and its been almost 2 weeks now... and they are pretty itchy and annoying...
Are you moisturizing? That is probably the MENDS - microscopic necrotic debry. takes a month to fully flake off. keep moisturized. ur skin needs to retain moisture for optimal healing
another article on different levels needed for different skin problems. great photo chart:
http://www.skinandaging.com/article/6155#
I moisturize big time. I bought 150$ worth of these pro-derma creams after the procedure. The bumps are VERY tiny but you can for sure notice them when you are in different lighting and such. They feel rough. So it takes about a month to fully flake off... My skin peeled the very second day pretty heavily. So its going to resurface itself once again?
My doctor didnt ask if i was on accutane at the time, and i forgot to mention it altogether. I am on a very low dose but im wondering if its going to make things more complicated while i heal.
non-reliant pics
woman with red marks
http://www.dermassocseattle.com/cosmetic/wrinkle_topic6.htm
hypopigmentation
http://www.yourskinforlife.com/dermatology...ces/fraxel.html
stretch marks
http://www.westlakedermatology.com/fraxel.htm
I asked a doctor about Fraxel for stretch marks. I lift weights and am in great shape. one downside to lifting
weights and putting on muscle is that those prone to stretch marks will get little white lines on certain areas.
I have them on my arms (think of NBA players almost all have stretch marks there from weight lifting) And
on the sides of the thighs. I do not really care about the thigh scars as they are covered up unless I am
naked. THe ones on my arms I wanted to treat. I was told that nothing under the sun would do anyhting
for a stretch mark. The only solution to stretch marks would be to cut them out (which is not even an option
as that will leave a scar) or to have a tummy tuck or skin removal (pulls the skin tight and makes the marks
appear to be lessened) Anyway I have just white lines as I am still muscular and my skin is tight. I dont
think that picture is real or that it shows the results of some form of tummy tuck or skin removal.
Did anyone receivce these little annoying pin prick feeling raised bumps all over their faces about a week after fraxel!! I still have them and its been almost 2 weeks now... and they are pretty itchy and annoying...
Are you moisturizing? That is probably the MENDS - microscopic necrotic debry. takes a month to fully flake off. keep moisturized. ur skin needs to retain moisture for optimal healing
another article on different levels needed for different skin problems. great photo chart:
http://www.skinandaging.com/article/6155#
I moisturize big time. I bought 150$ worth of these pro-derma creams after the procedure. The bumps are VERY tiny but you can for sure notice them when you are in different lighting and such. They feel rough. So it takes about a month to fully flake off... My skin peeled the very second day pretty heavily. So its going to resurface itself once again?
My doctor didnt ask if i was on accutane at the time, and i forgot to mention it altogether. I am on a very low dose but im wondering if its going to make things more complicated while i heal.
oof. you are not supposed to do any laser procedures on accutane! you have to wait 6 months-1 year minimum.
one person on here said their doctor knew they were on accutane and still did the procedure, but i would NOT risk it. u need to call ur dr. immediately and tell him.
5th fraxel (fraxel 2) today. Last one - will reevaluate in March and perhaps go for a second series.
I didn't get the settings but will call tomorrow and ask for them. I know it was high - Dr. Jih told me she used the highest setting she's used on a patient so far. I came VERY close to having to stop. It hurt an awful lot.
I'm swollen, red, sore. More sore this time than with past treatments.
I guess I'll try to sleep upright tonight so as to avoid any more swelling.
Hi Everyone,
Been gone awhile, just read up on the posts. I see that many of us are discouraged about this treatment as usual. I for one am encouraged as I have said before. I went today for my second Fraxel 2 procedure. Yesterday I took some photos of my scars and realized how bad they (still) are. Then I flipped through the camera and came across the pics of my scars before my first treatment. I was shocked. I can promise you there is a difference. Everything has a softer appearance. I would not have noticed this if I didn't have pictures side by side to prove it. I know I have said I would post before and afters and I had every intention, but whenever anyone posts pics, all of the critics pop up to complain about how the lighting and angles are not exact in both photos, and that he or she must have make up on or whatever. Sometimes this board can be frustrating! I might wait until my last treatment to post final pics. Not sure yet.
My treatment today was very painful. I was totally surprised. I have been told I have a very high pain tolerance and I'm telling you I almost couldn't take it. Compared to my first treatment it was unbelievable. I am very swollen already. I've updated my signature with the settings. She said that she did as high as possible today. Not sure what that means...
Hi Everyone,
Been gone awhile, just read up on the posts. I see that many of us are discouraged about this treatment as usual. I for one am encouraged as I have said before. I went today for my second Fraxel 2 procedure. Yesterday I took some photos of my scars and realized how bad they (still) are. Then I flipped through the camera and came across the pics of my scars before my first treatment. I was shocked. I can promise you there is a difference. Everything has a softer appearance. I would not have noticed this if I didn't have pictures side by side to prove it. I know I have said I would post before and afters and I had every intention, but whenever anyone posts pics, all of the critics pop up to complain about how the lighting and angles are not exact in both photos, and that he or she must have make up on or whatever. Sometimes this board can be frustrating! I might wait until my last treatment to post final pics. Not sure yet.
My treatment today was very painful. I was totally surprised. I have been told I have a very high pain tolerance and I'm telling you I almost couldn't take it. Compared to my first treatment it was unbelievable. I am very swollen already. I've updated my signature with the settings. She said that she did as high as possible today. Not sure what that means...
Ouch. U did full face @ energy 40? Are you still in pain?
I just read a thread regarding PSR3. There is a chart and photos of the treatment. The photo shows skin turned brown and crusted and then it peeled after several days. I was wondering how come Fraxel isn't that way? I normally just get red, swollen, and then flake but skin doesn't turn brown color. Does it mean that PSR3 is more effective?
Day 18 Fraxel2 Treatment 2
All of my scars are still there but they look more shallow. I don't think I have anymore ice pick scars. The largest scar would be the one surgical scar. Overall no dramatic improvements. I see few scars filling in (each not all competely filled). I guess its a good sign to see changes on 2 treatments. Didn't really see the improvements until the 2nd week (or later). So it's a slow/gradual improvement. I'm going for 3rd treatment this Thursday. All of my pores are still the same size as before. I would like to see improvements on that as well. I am thinking about treating my nose for pores later on (only if it helps). I've gotten blackheads from the blue dye. It usually stays in my pores. I couldn't help and did extraction sometime last week.
Does anyone know what to expect on the 3rd treatment? Will I see a greater or gradual improvement? I really want to see a dramatic improvement.
Simply Me: Thanks. I will try not to stress over this so much. I'm more balanced this week.
How is everyone else doing? I love to hear updates.
Edited: Had to remove a line of what I said earlier. The surgical scar is still the same as 1st treatment. I realized there was a scab over it (made it look more even). It came off just now. I'm Really bummed out.
i'm nearly 3 weeks after my 3rd treatment.. still ever so slightly pinker on the fraxel-treated areas than elsewhere
i didn't want to comment until now in case there was still microswelling, but i figure it must be gone by now
anyway, definite improvement.
apart from the smoothing over of the texture etc, i'd say that most scars have filled around 50-80%
(apart from one little but deepish boxcar which might be more like 10% 
)
otherwise though, i'm very happy/impressed 
i'm nearly 3 weeks after my 3rd treatment.. still ever so slightly pinker on the fraxel-treated areas than elsewhere
i didn't want to comment until now in case there was still microswelling, but i figure it must be gone by now
anyway, definite improvement.
apart from the smoothing over of the texture etc, i'd say that most scars have filled around 50-80%
(apart from one little but deepish boxcar which might be more like 10% :()
otherwise though, i'm very happy/impressed 😀
Congrats. That is a very good news. Did you find out your settings for all 3 of your treatments? Did you take photos? So you're using Fraxel1? When did you see any changes after 3rd treatment? How many treatment do you have left?
Hi Everyone,
Been gone awhile, just read up on the posts. I see that many of us are discouraged about this treatment as usual. I for one am encouraged as I have said before. I went today for my second Fraxel 2 procedure. Yesterday I took some photos of my scars and realized how bad they (still) are. Then I flipped through the camera and came across the pics of my scars before my first treatment. I was shocked. I can promise you there is a difference. Everything has a softer appearance. I would not have noticed this if I didn't have pictures side by side to prove it. I know I have said I would post before and afters and I had every intention, but whenever anyone posts pics, all of the critics pop up to complain about how the lighting and angles are not exact in both photos, and that he or she must have make up on or whatever. Sometimes this board can be frustrating! I might wait until my last treatment to post final pics. Not sure yet.
My treatment today was very painful. I was totally surprised. I have been told I have a very high pain tolerance and I'm telling you I almost couldn't take it. Compared to my first treatment it was unbelievable. I am very swollen already. I've updated my signature with the settings. She said that she did as high as possible today. Not sure what that means...
Please don't mind the critics, I for one would really appreciate if you post before/after pics. I have my 1st Fraxle 2 appointment on Dec. 16 but I'm still on the fence about it. One of reasons that many of us are discouraged is because we don't see enough real world before/after pics to convince us that ithe result is worth going through the down time and costs.
Hi Everyone,
Been gone awhile, just read up on the posts. I see that many of us are discouraged about this treatment as usual. I for one am encouraged as I have said before. I went today for my second Fraxel 2 procedure. Yesterday I took some photos of my scars and realized how bad they (still) are. Then I flipped through the camera and came across the pics of my scars before my first treatment. I was shocked. I can promise you there is a difference. Everything has a softer appearance. I would not have noticed this if I didn't have pictures side by side to prove it. I know I have said I would post before and afters and I had every intention, but whenever anyone posts pics, all of the critics pop up to complain about how the lighting and angles are not exact in both photos, and that he or she must have make up on or whatever. Sometimes this board can be frustrating! I might wait until my last treatment to post final pics. Not sure yet.
My treatment today was very painful. I was totally surprised. I have been told I have a very high pain tolerance and I'm telling you I almost couldn't take it. Compared to my first treatment it was unbelievable. I am very swollen already. I've updated my signature with the settings. She said that she did as high as possible today. Not sure what that means...
Ouch. U did full face @ energy 40? Are you still in pain?
HEY MZ: OUCH IS RIGHT! It says cheeks & perioral were at 40/level 10 and forehead was at 25/level 10. So I guess my forehead was a bit less. It hurt bad though especially around the bony areas. I normally would not say it because I don't want to scare people, but it did, so I'm saying it.
I just read a thread regarding PSR3. There is a chart and photos of the treatment. The photo shows skin turned brown and crusted and then it peeled after several days. I was wondering how come Fraxel isn't that way? I normally just get red, swollen, and then flake but skin doesn't turn brown color. Does it mean that PSR3 is more effective?
Day 18 Fraxel2 Treatment 2
All of my scars are still there but they look more shallow. I don't think I have anymore ice pick scars. The largest scar would be the one surgical scar. Overall no dramatic improvements. I see few scars filling in (each not all competely filled). I guess its a good sign to see changes on 2 treatments. Didn't really see the improvements until the 2nd week (or later). So it's a slow/gradual improvement. I'm going for 3rd treatment this Thursday. All of my pores are still the same size as before. I would like to see improvements on that as well. I am thinking about treating my nose for pores later on (only if it helps). I've gotten blackheads from the blue dye. It usually stays in my pores. I couldn't help and did extraction sometime last week.
Does anyone know what to expect on the 3rd treatment? Will I see a greater or gradual improvement? I really want to see a dramatic improvement.
Simply Me: Thanks. I will try not to stress over this so much. I'm more balanced this week.
Glad to hear you are better this week. I think we just need to be patient and wait for this to work. A little improvement with each treatment will add up. Just compare your first pics to your last ones at the end and you will see the difference.
How is everyone else doing? I love to hear updates.
Edited: Had to remove a line of what I said earlier. The surgical scar is still the same as 1st treatment. I realized there was a scab over it (made it look more even). It came off just now. I'm Really bummed out.
Settings info:
Full face, 20mjs, treatment level 10, 10 passes.
Additional cheeks, chin (and this time, she did my forehead too - OUCH!) 40mjs, treatment level 8, 8 passes.
I think a little bit of the swelling has gone down over the course of the day today. But I'm still quite puffy.
Still red, still VERY sore, and still sandpaper skin.
