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Hey all,
Just a quick note. I am almost 2 months after my first fraxel. I skipped my last fraxel appt to get excisions.
Couple things I have noticed. I've started breaking out a little worse lately. Mostly clogged pores becoming inflamed. I'm guessing that a lot of this is from fraxel, since I don't usually get clogged pores like this. I'm wondering if those of you who are breaking out after your second or third fraxel are actually breaking out due to your first fraxel. Doesn't really matter much, but just a thought...
Also, my skin has definitely regressed from it's peak improvement. I'd say i still have about 80% of my improvement, but my skin is definitely worse than it was 3 weeks ago. This observation makes me think that it is best to wait at most 4-5 weeks b/w fraxels.
Hey tamara do you know if the westlake office will have the new machine too and if it will be any more expensive because I am starting at the end of august at intervals of a month between treatments.
I am not sure, but I would think they have either ordered or have it already (and I bet they may have it already). She didn't mention a price increase, either. I would just call and ask to see what they say.
Hey all,Also, my skin has definitely regressed from it's peak improvement. I'd say i still have about 80% of my improvement, but my skin is definitely worse than it was 3 weeks ago. This observation makes me think that it is best to wait at most 4-5 weeks b/w fraxels.
The dermatologist I am seeing said that you will see results with your fraxels up to 6 weeks apart, but with the best results 2 to 4 weeks apart. I am really trying to decide how far to space mine apart. I am a lot redder and peeling a lot more than my first fraxel, two weeks ago. I am just not sure how much a girl can take! 😉 I would like to know if anyone has any additional thoughts, advice, experience to share on how far apart to space them.
4 weeks was ideal for me. The microswelling was gone by then from the previous fraxel, so I could see the results more clearly and allow for a more aggressive fraxel where I was able to have just enough healing time before the next one.
Hope that helps~
Annde
Hey all,
Also, my skin has definitely regressed from it's peak improvement. I'd say i still have about 80% of my improvement, but my skin is definitely worse than it was 3 weeks ago. This observation makes me think that it is best to wait at most 4-5 weeks b/w fraxels.
The dermatologist I am seeing said that you will see results with your fraxels up to 6 weeks apart, but with the best results 2 to 4 weeks apart. I am really trying to decide how far to space mine apart. I am a lot redder and peeling a lot more than my first fraxel, two weeks ago. I am just not sure how much a girl can take! 
I would like to know if anyone has any additional thoughts, advice, experience to share on how far apart to space them.
Here is the news release on the fraxel re:pair, although I don't think it gives too much of detailed info yet:
Reliant Technologies and Fraxel Laser Treatment In the NewsDate: 04.12.07
Reliant Technologies Announces Groundbreaking Clinical Results For Deep Dermal Tissue Removal - A First Of Its Kind
First Round of Clinical Study Results of Fractional Deep Dermal Ablation (FDDATM) Treatment to be Presented at 27th ASLMS Annual Meeting
Grapevine, Texas a April 12, 2007 aReliant Technologies, Inc., the market leader of fractional resurfacing, today announced it will present first phase results from a 230-patient multi-site clinical study of the new Fractional Deep Dermal Ablation (FDDA) treatment at the 27th American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) Annual Conference in Grapevine, Texas. The FDA-approved investigation is evaluating FDDA treatment for patients with severe photodamage including rhytids, skin laxity, acne scars, atrophic scars, vascular lesions and striae. The first round results, which were conducted utilizing the first prototypes of the Fraxel re:pairTM system, demonstrate that FDDA treatment is safe and effective without the extended recovery time and risks of adverse reactions associated with conventional ablative resurfacing lasers (also known as CO2 or erbium YAG lasers).
aoePatients are often wary of CO2 lasers and surgical procedures because the post-treatment healing process can last as long as two weeks and disrupt their quality of life,a said Zakia Rahman, M.D., clinical instructor of dermatology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, and medical director of the FraxelA Laser Clinic. aoeThese study results indicate that by combining fractional and ablative technologies, FDDA treatment may be a new treatment paradigm in the skin resurfacing arena, providing dramatic results that patients and physicians want without significant risks.a
Dr. Rahman will present the first round results of a 30-patient study from three investigational sites, which examined FDDA treatment for patients with severe photodamage, including rhytids and skin laxity. The results demonstrate that patients treated with the prototype Fraxel re:pair system sustained significant improvements through the final follow-up visit. More than 75 percent of patients experienced improved appearance of rhytides and pigmentation as well as skin laxity, while no adverse effects were observed.
FDDA treatmentcombines the benefits of conventional CO2 resurfacing with the safety of fractional photothermolysis. In contrast to conventional bulk ablative laser skin resurfacing where 100 percent of the epidermis is ablated leaving only superficially coagulated dermis, the Fraxel re:pair system treats to depths exceeding 1.6 mm. The ability to uniformly remove deep dermal tissue constitutes an entirely new paradigm. The Fraxel re:pair system induces ablation, followed subsequently by tissue contraction, tightening and collagen remodeling. The result is a multi-dimensional approach for treatment of photodamage which relies on a broader range of mechanisms than those employed with surgical procedures.
aoeReliant is committed to ensuring that physicians have the most advanced treatments to offer their patients that donat compromise safety or patient quality of life,a said Len DeBenedictis, chief technology officer of Reliant Technologies. aoeWe continue to invest in research and clinical testing to expand the Fraxel product line to address the serious skin conditions that patients most want repaired, including skin laxity, severe photodamage, vascular lesions and wrinkles. We are excited to share at ASLMS the findings of our multi-center studyof FDDA treatment performed by 10 of the industryas leading physician investigators.a
Clinical presentations about FDDA treatment being presented at the 27th ASLMS Annual Meeting include:
The study titled, aoeAblative Fractional Resurfacing for the Treatment of Photodamge and Laxity,a will be presented by Zakia Rahman, M.D., F.A.A.D from Stanford University on Friday, April 13, 2007 at 1:05 p.m.
The study titled, aoeFractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing of Photodamage and Acne Scars,a will be presented by Elizabeth K. Hale, MD, Roy G. Geronemus, MD, et al. of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, on Friday, April 13, 2007 from 5:41 p.m. - 5:46 p.m.
The study titled, aoeFractional Deep Dermal Ablation,a with be presented by Christopher B. Zachary, MB.BS., FRCP of the University of California Irvine on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at 7:00 am.
The poster presentation titled, aoeReport of a Novel Fractional Ablative Laser for Tissue Tightening,a will be presented by Dr. Rahman on Saturday, April 14, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 pm.
The study titled, aoeWhy Fractional? Why Ablative? Why Deep?awill be presented by Christopher B. Zachary, MBBS, FRCP of the University of California Irvine at 7:00 am on Sunday, April 15.
About the Fraxel Systems and Reliant Technologies
Reliant Technologies develops clinical solutions to repair and rejuvenate aging and environmentally damaged skin. Reliant is dedicated to providing the most advanced research, engineering and products to the global aesthetic marketplace. The company pioneered the development of fractional laser resurfacing which relies on novel high speed scanning systems and the Intelligent Optical TrackingA system to produce safe and effective results with minimal recovery time. The Fraxel family of products has quickly become the industry standard for aesthetic laser skin treatment. Because of their gentle, non-invasive approach to skin resurfacing, Fraxel lasers are used primarily by aesthetic physicians to treat periorbital wrinkles, pigmented lesions, acne scars and surgical scars. Fraxel lasers have received multiple FDA clearances and have been found safe and effective in treating all skin types and all areas of the face and body. Reliant is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information visit www.fraxel.com.
Contacts:
Michael Hromadik
Reliant Technologies, Inc.
(650) 641-5828
Helen Hunt
GCI Group
(310) 526-5503
Hi Snowman, I have looked into clinics that do Fraxel in London as I'm from SE London.
I found these places on the internet, but I have not been to any of them so cannot recommend any. I did email The Rejuvenation Clinic and Cosmedica for information on consultation prices, waiting lists, combined treatments etc, but only Cosmedica replied and their Fraxel price list is available online. I also just emailed the Dr Rakus site, but I do not expect a reply until tomorrow. But here are the links anyway:
http://www.therejuvenationclinic.co.uk/
http://www.surgical-aesthetics.com/
Liam.
Hi Snowman, I have looked into clinics that do Fraxel in London as I'm from SE London.I found these places on the internet, but I have not been to any of them so cannot recommend any. I did email The Rejuvenation Clinic and Cosmedica for information on consultation prices, waiting lists, combined treatments etc, but only Cosmedica replied and their Fraxel price list is available online. I also just emailed the Dr Rakus site, but I do not expect a reply until tomorrow. But here are the links anyway:
http://www.therejuvenationclinic.co.uk/
http://www.surgical-aesthetics.com/
Liam.
hI Liam
Thanks for that information i ve seen cosmedica before wasnt sure if it was available in london as it talks about birmingham. Do let us know how you get on with response from Dr Rakus as i have heard she is very experienced with fraxel procedures. I m looking to try and find a fraxel 2 laser with no blue dye and the new tip hopefully
HELLO EVERYONE!! 
I'm new to the board and next week I will be having my first Fraxel treatment. I have med-dark complexion so the RN is having me use a bleaching cream (4%) for a week before I have the fraxel done. They will be using the new Fraxel2 laser so I hope my results are good.
I have a few questions....
1) Do most people use the bleaching cream a week prior to having a fraxel treatment?
2) I've heard the levels are different on the new laser. Which level should I start off on?
3) Is $1,000 a treatment average? They said that it'll go down to $750 by the 4th treatment.
If anyone could answer 1 or all of the questions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
HELLO EVERYONE!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:I'm new to the board and next week I will be having my first Fraxel treatment. I have med-dark complexion so the RN is having me use a bleaching cream (4%) for a week before I have the fraxel done. They will be using the new Fraxel2 laser so I hope my results are good.
I have a few questions....
1) Do most people use the bleaching cream a week prior to having a fraxel treatment?
2) I've heard the levels are different on the new laser. Which level should I start off on?
3) Is $1,000 a treatment average? They said that it'll go down to $750 by the 4th treatment.
If anyone could answer 1 or all of the questions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
1,000 a treatment seems pretty steep, but I guess it could depend on the area. A lot of people I've heard getting a package deal of like 5 for 3,000.
HELLO EVERYONE!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:I'm new to the board and next week I will be having my first Fraxel treatment. I have med-dark complexion so the RN is having me use a bleaching cream (4%) for a week before I have the fraxel done. They will be using the new Fraxel2 laser so I hope my results are good.
I have a few questions....
1) Do most people use the bleaching cream a week prior to having a fraxel treatment?
2) I've heard the levels are different on the new laser. Which level should I start off on?
3) Is $1,000 a treatment average? They said that it'll go down to $750 by the 4th treatment.
If anyone could answer 1 or all of the questions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
1,000 a treatment seems pretty steep, but I guess it could depend on the area. A lot of people I've heard getting a package deal of like 5 for 3,000.
My treatments are $750 for cheeks only -- would be $1500 for whole face. Of course, I'm in Boston with a Harvard-affiliated derm.
HELLO EVERYONE!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:I'm new to the board and next week I will be having my first Fraxel treatment. I have med-dark complexion so the RN is having me use a bleaching cream (4%) for a week before I have the fraxel done. They will be using the new Fraxel2 laser so I hope my results are good.
I have a few questions....
1) Do most people use the bleaching cream a week prior to having a fraxel treatment?
2) I've heard the levels are different on the new laser. Which level should I start off on?
3) Is $1,000 a treatment average? They said that it'll go down to $750 by the 4th treatment.
If anyone could answer 1 or all of the questions it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
1,000 a treatment seems pretty steep, but I guess it could depend on the area. A lot of people I've heard getting a package deal of like 5 for 3,000.
My treatments are $750 for cheeks only -- would be $1500 for whole face. Of course, I'm in Boston...
The $1,000 is for the newer laser, whole face, and I'm in Beverly Hills/Los Angeles area. Has anyone in LA found anything cheaper than $1,000 for the whole face?
Hi all. I have lurked on the Fraxel board for a while...now I am post-Fraxel and thought I'd share my experience. I am 25 and have dealt with acne since age 12. I have moderate to severe scarring post-accutane, with deep rolling scars on my left cheek, discolored shallow scars on both temples, shallower rolling scars on the right side of my forehead and cheeks, and a couple of deep rolling scars around my mouth. I also have enlarged pores around the nose (orange peel texture). I am very fair skinned. I have had microderms, a chemical peel, and cool touch laser treatments. IMO, they had zero impact in the scars.
I had 4 Fraxel treatments at a derm's office in MN starting last December, with 3-4 weeks between tx. My last treatment was two months ago. They were all on Fraxel 1500 at 40/8 passes. Intensity started at 8, then 9, and the last two at 10. They used a topical numbing cream for 1 hour before each procedure. The first two were not bad, but the last two were painful. Cost was $1,200 for each full face treatment. The fifth treatment would be 1/2 price. (A PS quoted the same - $4,800 for 4 - and also tried to sell me a fraxel + sculptra package for $9,000!! I said no thanks, since Sculptra is not FDA approved for scars.)
Best things I found for after care: I iced my face for the first 2 hours after the treatment to keep the swelling and burning down. I used Aquaphor like a cold cream on the day of the procedure, leaving it on for about 2 hours after dinner before gently removing it with a cool wash cloth. It really helped to get the blue tint off my skin. After that, I used plain aloe vera gel as a moisturizer. I did have some mild break outs (little white bumps), but those improved after the swelling went down. I peeled as though I'd had a chemical peel after the first treatment, but after that it was just the weird little flakes. I was lobster-red for about 3 days after I peeled. I used Jane Iredale mineral makeup to cover the redness.
Results: I still have a weird demarcation around my lips, where the untreated skin is lighter than the rest of my skin. Hopefully that will fade with time, but it's not really noticeable to anyone but me anyhow. Improvement in skin tone was great -- maybe 40-50%. It made the pores on my nose smaller and less prone to blackheads. Improvement on the scarring is more difficult to judge. I can feel a substantial difference in my skin (now there is actually some volume under the scars whereas before it felt slack b/c they were so deep, if that makes sense), but the visible difference is less dramatic - maybe 30-40%. It had little to no effect on areas of thin skin like temples and forehead.
I undertook this endeavor because I am getting married in September and figured if I'm spending a truckload on a photographer, I want to look good in the photos. 
I plan to have a final follow up with my dr in July and will have fillers put into the deeper scars. Sorry for the length of the post, but I found the info shared by other people REALLY helpful, so I thought I'd put in my two cents. Good luck to everyone!!
Hi all. I have lurked on the Fraxel board for a while...now I am post-Fraxel and thought I'd share my experience. I am 25 and have dealt with acne since age 12. I have moderate to severe scarring post-accutane, with deep rolling scars on my left cheek, discolored shallow scars on both temples, shallower rolling scars on the right side of my forehead and cheeks, and a couple of deep rolling scars around my mouth. I also have enlarged pores around the nose (orange peel texture). I am very fair skinned. I have had microderms, a chemical peel, and cool touch laser treatments. IMO, they had zero impact in the scars.I had 4 Fraxel treatments at a derm's office in MN starting last December, with 3-4 weeks between tx. My last treatment was two months ago. They were all on Fraxel 1500 at 40/8 passes. Intensity started at 8, then 9, and the last two at 10. They used a topical numbing cream for 1 hour before each procedure. The first two were not bad, but the last two were painful. Cost was $1,200 for each full face treatment. The fifth treatment would be 1/2 price. (A PS quoted the same - $4,800 for 4 - and also tried to sell me a fraxel + sculptra package for $9,000!! I said no thanks, since Sculptra is not FDA approved for scars.)
Best things I found for after care: I iced my face for the first 2 hours after the treatment to keep the swelling and burning down. I used Aquaphor like a cold cream on the day of the procedure, leaving it on for about 2 hours after dinner before gently removing it with a cool wash cloth. It really helped to get the blue tint off my skin. After that, I used plain aloe vera gel as a moisturizer. I did have some mild break outs (little white bumps), but those improved after the swelling went down. I peeled as though I'd had a chemical peel after the first treatment, but after that it was just the weird little flakes. I was lobster-red for about 3 days after I peeled. I used Jane Iredale mineral makeup to cover the redness.
Results: I still have a weird demarcation around my lips, where the untreated skin is lighter than the rest of my skin. Hopefully that will fade with time, but it's not really noticeable to anyone but me anyhow. Improvement in skin tone was great -- maybe 40-50%. It made the pores on my nose smaller and less prone to blackheads. Improvement on the scarring is more difficult to judge. I can feel a substantial difference in my skin (now there is actually some volume under the scars whereas before it felt slack b/c they were so deep, if that makes sense), but the visible difference is less dramatic - maybe 30-40%. It had little to no effect on areas of thin skin like temples and forehead.
I undertook this endeavor because I am getting married in September and figured if I'm spending a truckload on a photographer, I want to look good in the photos. 🙂 I plan to have a final follow up with my dr in July and will have fillers put into the deeper scars. Sorry for the length of the post, but I found the info shared by other people REALLY helpful, so I thought I'd put in my two cents. Good luck to everyone!!
It sounds like you're reasonably satisfied with your results? 30-40% is pretty good, all things considered...
Hi all. I have lurked on the Fraxel board for a while...now I am post-Fraxel and thought I'd share my experience. I am 25 and have dealt with acne since age 12. I have moderate to severe scarring post-accutane, with deep rolling scars on my left cheek, discolored shallow scars on both temples, shallower rolling scars on the right side of my forehead and cheeks, and a couple of deep rolling scars around my mouth. I also have enlarged pores around the nose (orange peel texture). I am very fair skinned. I have had microderms, a chemical peel, and cool touch laser treatments. IMO, they had zero impact in the scars.I had 4 Fraxel treatments at a derm's office in MN starting last December, with 3-4 weeks between tx. My last treatment was two months ago. They were all on Fraxel 1500 at 40/8 passes. Intensity started at 8, then 9, and the last two at 10. They used a topical numbing cream for 1 hour before each procedure. The first two were not bad, but the last two were painful. Cost was $1,200 for each full face treatment. The fifth treatment would be 1/2 price. (A PS quoted the same - $4,800 for 4 - and also tried to sell me a fraxel + sculptra package for $9,000!! I said no thanks, since Sculptra is not FDA approved for scars.)
Best things I found for after care: I iced my face for the first 2 hours after the treatment to keep the swelling and burning down. I used Aquaphor like a cold cream on the day of the procedure, leaving it on for about 2 hours after dinner before gently removing it with a cool wash cloth. It really helped to get the blue tint off my skin. After that, I used plain aloe vera gel as a moisturizer. I did have some mild break outs (little white bumps), but those improved after the swelling went down. I peeled as though I'd had a chemical peel after the first treatment, but after that it was just the weird little flakes. I was lobster-red for about 3 days after I peeled. I used Jane Iredale mineral makeup to cover the redness.
Results: I still have a weird demarcation around my lips, where the untreated skin is lighter than the rest of my skin. Hopefully that will fade with time, but it's not really noticeable to anyone but me anyhow. Improvement in skin tone was great -- maybe 40-50%. It made the pores on my nose smaller and less prone to blackheads. Improvement on the scarring is more difficult to judge. I can feel a substantial difference in my skin (now there is actually some volume under the scars whereas before it felt slack b/c they were so deep, if that makes sense), but the visible difference is less dramatic - maybe 30-40%. It had little to no effect on areas of thin skin like temples and forehead.
I undertook this endeavor because I am getting married in September and figured if I'm spending a truckload on a photographer, I want to look good in the photos. 🙂 I plan to have a final follow up with my dr in July and will have fillers put into the deeper scars. Sorry for the length of the post, but I found the info shared by other people REALLY helpful, so I thought I'd put in my two cents. Good luck to everyone!!
Wow, 30-40% is pretty good... I can only hope for the same. I really feel like Fraxel is the only thing that is going to work for my scars.
Hi all. I have lurked on the Fraxel board for a while...now I am post-Fraxel and thought I'd share my experience. I am 25 and have dealt with acne since age 12. I have moderate to severe scarring post-accutane, with deep rolling scars on my left cheek, discolored shallow scars on both temples, shallower rolling scars on the right side of my forehead and cheeks, and a couple of deep rolling scars around my mouth. I also have enlarged pores around the nose (orange peel texture). I am very fair skinned. I have had microderms, a chemical peel, and cool touch laser treatments. IMO, they had zero impact in the scars.I had 4 Fraxel treatments at a derm's office in MN starting last December, with 3-4 weeks between tx. My last treatment was two months ago. They were all on Fraxel 1500 at 40/8 passes. Intensity started at 8, then 9, and the last two at 10. They used a topical numbing cream for 1 hour before each procedure. The first two were not bad, but the last two were painful. Cost was $1,200 for each full face treatment. The fifth treatment would be 1/2 price. (A PS quoted the same - $4,800 for 4 - and also tried to sell me a fraxel + sculptra package for $9,000!! I said no thanks, since Sculptra is not FDA approved for scars.)
Best things I found for after care: I iced my face for the first 2 hours after the treatment to keep the swelling and burning down. I used Aquaphor like a cold cream on the day of the procedure, leaving it on for about 2 hours after dinner before gently removing it with a cool wash cloth. It really helped to get the blue tint off my skin. After that, I used plain aloe vera gel as a moisturizer. I did have some mild break outs (little white bumps), but those improved after the swelling went down. I peeled as though I'd had a chemical peel after the first treatment, but after that it was just the weird little flakes. I was lobster-red for about 3 days after I peeled. I used Jane Iredale mineral makeup to cover the redness.
Results: I still have a weird demarcation around my lips, where the untreated skin is lighter than the rest of my skin. Hopefully that will fade with time, but it's not really noticeable to anyone but me anyhow. Improvement in skin tone was great -- maybe 40-50%. It made the pores on my nose smaller and less prone to blackheads. Improvement on the scarring is more difficult to judge. I can feel a substantial difference in my skin (now there is actually some volume under the scars whereas before it felt slack b/c they were so deep, if that makes sense), but the visible difference is less dramatic - maybe 30-40%. It had little to no effect on areas of thin skin like temples and forehead.
I undertook this endeavor because I am getting married in September and figured if I'm spending a truckload on a photographer, I want to look good in the photos. 🙂 I plan to have a final follow up with my dr in July and will have fillers put into the deeper scars. Sorry for the length of the post, but I found the info shared by other people REALLY helpful, so I thought I'd put in my two cents. Good luck to everyone!!
Hey... I am new here and also from MN. Just wondering where and by whom you got your fraxel treatment. I have struggled with scars for years now, and am just now considering some serious treatment... any info would be great.
Most people here are starting to get the Fraxel 2 (fraxel SR) and at high settings. when they go to high levels with the SR the coverage decreases tremendously.
The usual coverage is 15-20 percent. which means if your doing normal to moderate levels, and the derm is very good, you get 100 percent coverage in five treatments.
However if your going moderate to high in intensity levels your coverage is probably more like 10-15 percent per session. at 15 percent coverage you'd have to have 6.7 treatments to get 100 percent coverage.
Thats almost two extra treatments than everyone is getting. I wonder what results we'd see if everyone was getting at least 6 treatments.