shouldI avoid fraxel 2 and wait for fraxel repair then? dont want to waste money and downtime on another series of fraxel and then people say "OH, TRY THE NEW FRAXEL!".

Anybody knows when it will be become available?

 

they are offering the fraxel re:pair right now at the Center for Laser and Skin Surgery Center in New York (212) 686-7306

this is the most reputable laser center in the entire country....iit is where i get my fraxels.....it is headed by Dr. Roy Geronemus...all of the doctors are noted in all kinds of medical journals and they are all trained at harvard and stuff......give them a call and google them for more info.

Hi Effu,

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

personally, i have had no pigmentation problems.....hmmmm.....thats weird, im tempted to write that it may be because u are more dark skinned im guessing? but fraxel is supposed to be great for all skin colors......personally, i am very very pale (irish), and have not had pigment problems.....

FUCK! THAT SUCKS, im PISSED FOR U!!

....what did ur doctor say? did u tell him/show him?

you're lucky you don't get pigmentation problems. Actually I'm asian with light skin. The doc said that he'll make some adjustments to the machine and told me to use hydroquinone. he said the hyperpigmented will clear up in a few months. Sigh....

Hi Effu,

 

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

personally, i have had no pigmentation problems.....hmmmm.....thats weird, im tempted to write that it may be because u are more dark skinned im guessing? but fraxel is supposed to be great for all skin colors......personally, i am very very pale (irish), and have not had pigment problems.....

FUCK! THAT SUCKS, im PISSED FOR U!!

....what did ur doctor tell did u tell him/show him?

you're lucky you don't get pigmentation problems. Actually I'm asian with light skin. The doc said that he'll make some adjustments to the machine and told me to use hydroquinone. he said the hyperpigmented will clear up in a few months. Sigh....

 

Hi Effu,

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

personally, i have had no pigmentation problems.....hmmmm.....thats weird, im tempted to write that it may be because u are more dark skinned im guessing? but fraxel is supposed to be great for all skin colors......personally, i am very very pale (irish), and have not had pigment problems.....

FUCK! THAT SUCKS, im PISSED FOR U!!

....what did ur doctor tell did u tell him/show him?

 

 

im going to ask my own doctor about that....if u are in new york though, u should be treated at the Center for Laser and Skin Surgery 212-686-7306....they are the best docs in the country for this......it is where im getting my own fraxels done....

Just had my first Fraxel 2 treatment today. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience. About the only thing that made me uncomfortable was that the office is shared with a high class salon so there were people there getting their hair cut and nails done.

The procedure was weird in the beginning. Felt alot like getting your hairs waxed. The only painful portion was around the jawline area. I could barely feel anything on my chin and forehead. The pain on my cheek were very minimal.

What I am curious about and I would love to hear your guys opinion is what the doctor told me. Before we started treatment, I asked him about going as high as possible because I heard if you don't, the results won't be as great. He agreed but also stated that you have to find a balance between effectiveness and going too high where the treatment becomes almost like CO2 where you start oozing and the downtime is 2-4 weeks.

So here are my settings:

50mj

No regards to passes because he said the total kJ is what matters, not the passes.

8kJ (since my scarring was mostly on my cheeks and temple, the majority of the energy was focused on my cheeks and temple)

Treatment level 8 (like I said, we did my entire face but most of the energy was focused on my cheeks so he said the treatment level for my cheeks were more like a 10-11 while the other parts were a lot lower. I asked about going to R1, R2, or R3 but he said the downtime for that would be relatively longer. He seemed willing to do it (unlike a lot of doctors people have mentioned wouldn't, but I have to work on Monday and this is my first time so I obliged to his settings. I may opt for it when I have some time off of work.)

Right now I am feeling good actually. Maybe I'll feel more pain when the numbness goes away but aside from some redness, I wouldn't be bothered going out in public (knock on wood).

ill comment here.....i had my 9th fraxel today so i feel i can...lol...

first off, what the hell is the thing about people getting their hair cut in the same place? is it a doctor's office, or a spa? that must have been very uncomfortable for u.....

secondly, BRAVO to u! i think for a first fraxel u started at a great treatment level, and also, the fact that u knew to ask for the R treatment levels shows that u are going in as an educated patient, and taking responsibility for ur own care......keep that up:)

third, while 50 mj/treatment level is a moderately strong level, going higher will NOT cause greater downtime......but always get fraxel DONE ON A FRIDAY.......for a week u will not look too great though.....but by monday, ull look kinda normal......at work next week, try to avoid any guys u may have a crush on......while fraxel is a PAIN IN THE ASS, in the end its worth it.....the second week, ull be normal looking again......but the first week after fraxel is always really fuckin embarrassing......

today, i had 70 mj treatment level 12 (BTW: i learned today that 12 is equal to R2, but in the newer fraxel 2 machines, they changed the "R1 and R2" levels to 11 and 12).....8 passes.....get no less than 8 passes btw......but GO HIGHER with each fraxel......DOWNTIME IS NOT REALLY MORE AT 70MJ THAN AT 50MJ.....i have had both and healing was pretty much the same for all of the treatment levels......2 days of alien looking swelling, 3rd day skin peels off, 4th day to 7th day the redness fades away.....its been the same story for all 9 of my fraxels regardless of the mj and treatment level.....

 

Yeah it was kind of weird with the office being shared with a hair/nail salon. This is in a rich area so I suppose rental space is scarce and expensive. You know you're in a high class salon when they offer you banana bread, cake, and coffee while you wait. Haha.

I'll try my best to not be around guys that I have a crush on Hahha. (I'm a guy by the way 😛 ).

Now here is one thing that I am worried about. Actually I don't know if I should be happy or worried. Comparing my settings to most people that post, mines is pretty high or at least above normal. Yet I am sitting here now, almost 12 hours post treatment and I can honestly say I wouldn't mind going out and letting people see me. In fact my biggest concern is the two damn cyst I have, and not the Fraxel treatment itself. I took 2 Benadryl and 2 Ibuprofen right after treatment and I iced a bit but as of right now, swelling is very minimal. Redness as well. Of course there is some bronzing but you have to be very close to see it.

Am I just one of the lucky few that respond very well to Fraxel? Or am I going to wake up to a huge surprise tomorrow morning?

effu: I wanted to go high but my derm told me I swelled so much he couldnt go higher. 🙁

CHANGE DOCTORS NOW........it sounds to me like u are giving too much power to your doctor.......do not be intimidated...........do not forget that doctors are human and fallible..........NEVER take what ANY doctor says to u as gospel.....ALWAYS get a second opinion....and a third and a fourth if necessary.

you are paying a ton of money for that damn treatment, if he is undertreating u, then he is wasting ur money and time......AND possibly causing u to get discouraged, and think that this is not going to help u........U OWE IT TO URSELF to get it done right! if u are having fraxel 2, and u are on ur 3rd treatment u should be up to 70 mj by now......

please tell me how many fraxels u have had, if it was fraxel 2 or the original, AND how many milijoules, what treatment level, and how many passes u had for each fraxel uunderwent.

 

I have had 3 fraxel original sessions already. I was told each time that he would go higher. Don't know the exact settings but 14 to 16 i remember the derm. saying. I was to have 10 passes but he only did 6 and 8 (different times) saying I swell too much. Initially I was to do three and then he said 5 and now he says I should do 10 sessions!!!! So much time and money and frustration. And he makes me buy these post-op sprays and cream which costs around 200 dollars! I just want results dammit!

I have seen a different doc and he told me he would go higher but i might have hyperpigmentation (10 % risk) for 6 months and downtime might be more. Most difficult thing for me is the downtime even more than the money and doctors promising me something and not achieving it. I would spend money and feel wortth it if I get promised results.

I have started dermaroller in the meantuime but maybe I should continue with fraxel...fraxel 2. Give it one more chance with a different doctor.

I agree with what you said about doctors. MANY care about their business more than their patients.

 

remember when you are counting passes that it's a double stroke -- back and forth -- and that's two passes each 'round' -- so when they go over areas four times for me, with back and forth strokes, i am getting 8 passes.

those settings are very low however since it's fraxel 1 -- and depending on the depth of your scars, you may want fraxel 2 -- fraxel repair is a whole different animal because it's ablative, and therefore more risk.

Hi Effu,

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

it can't be stressed enough that it is an absolute requirement to stay out of the sun during the course of these treatments. i was using the obaji 32 SPF sunblock with double the zinc oxide of normal sunblocks. also, wear a hat with a wide brim.

to whomever's doc wanted to sell them $200 creams, it's not necessary! you really don't need any after treatment except maybe a moisturizer. i'm getting mine from the paula's choice web site because they're ph balanced and don't break me out.

I am twenty something and have several 3-4-year-old icepick or rolling scars on my nose. These scars have never been treated. My doctor suggests me to have 6 Fraxel 2 treatments and 1 CO2 laser treatment after Fraxel.

Here are my questions:

I seldom see before & after photos showing acne scars on nose. Does Fraxel 2 work on nose?

Would the result be less effective if the time interval between 2 Fraxel treatments is very long?

Is the new skin grown after CO2 laser treatment different from the original one? How different?

Would Fraxel be less effective for scars treated with CO2 laser before?

It seems that CO2 laser is much more effective than Fraxel2, why not just have 1 CO2 laser treatment?

If you were me, what treatment would you have? Would you wait for Fraxel 3?

holy moly i would not get a C02 treatment after fraxel -- there is more risk to damaging your skin, so then what do you do? get more fraxels to correct it????

i would consult with several more doctors before making any decisions.

and yes, the treatments are less effective for fraxel if there is a lot of time in between.

bluemorpho are you sure it is less effective if gap between treatment is long? I was told no. I am getting them done far far apart de to $$

yes, the treatments are less effective for fraxel if there is a lot of time in between.

Thank you for reply. Why is that?

Actually I asked my doctor the same question. His answer is opposite to yours and I doubt that as he did not elaborate his answer for this...

shea butter is an ok moisturizer, like white petrolatum, thats about it.

Hi fivetotenyears, I just ordered a block of raw organic shea butter...I believe it has a lot of healing properties. It is a very nourishing butter that has been used by the African peoples for hundreds if not thousands of years, and while I don't expect any miracles I do hope to get some improvements. To me, any improvement is good! 🙂

Jan31

 

theres nothing special in shea butter, or any other moisturizer off the shelf, or that ur derm tries to sell you for $200!

the only issue with moisturizers is what works for you personally. some people find ingredients irritating while others do not. some dont like greasy feeling, some dont mind. some people like pure oil, others like moisturizers with little or no oil, some prefer pure aloe vera.

i think its smart to experiment and find a great personal moisturizer before your fraxel so that you dont have to experiement during recovery. derms are pushing those products as an additional income stream.

reliant themselves now have a whole line of post fraxel skin care products!! what a joke. im sure they're ok moisturizers, but definitely not worth the price a derm will charge you. plus its probably not covered by insurance so its a cash business for them.

there aren't that many ingredients different in most of these moisturizers. most are white petroleum, water, stearic acid, etc. with some change ups in the minor ingredient, "vitamins", AND LABELING!

I almost do not go out to the sun at all. I applied sunblock spf 30 when I commute to work driving. I just don't understand why i would have hyperpigmentation. Maybe my skin is too sensitive. Can you use salicylic acid and glycolic acid cleanser in between fraxels?

Hi Effu,

 

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

it can't be stressed enough that it is an absolute requirement to stay out of the sun during the course of these treatments. i was using the obaji 32 SPF sunblock with double the zinc oxide of normal sunblocks. also, wear a hat with a wide brim.

to whomever's doc wanted to sell them $200 creams, it's not necessary! you really don't need any after treatment except maybe a moisturizer. i'm getting mine from the paula's choice web site because they're ph balanced and don't break me out.

I almost do not go out to the sun at all. I applied sunblock spf 30 when I commute to work driving. I just don't understand why i would have hyperpigmentation. Maybe my skin is too sensitive. Can you use salicylic acid and glycolic acid cleanser in between fraxels?

 

Hi Effu,

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

it can't be stressed enough that it is an absolute requirement to stay out of the sun during the course of these treatments. i was using the obaji 32 SPF sunblock with double the zinc oxide of normal sunblocks. also, wear a hat with a wide brim.

to whomever's doc wanted to sell them $200 creams, it's not necessary! you really don't need any after treatment except maybe a moisturizer. i'm getting mine from the paula's choice web site because they're ph balanced and don't break me out.

 

 

Sunscreen reduces the risk of hyperpigmentation, it doesn't prevent hyperpigmentation...

Question: I know you are suppose to stay out of the sun while having treatements, but after one has their very last last treatment, how long do we have to stay out of the sun after the last treatment?

I almost do not go out to the sun at all. I applied sunblock spf 30 when I commute to work driving. I just don't understand why i would have hyperpigmentation. Maybe my skin is too sensitive. Can you use salicylic acid and glycolic acid cleanser in between fraxels?

 

Hi Effu,

Do you get hyperpigmentation problems with treatment at such high levels? I have had 2 fraxels with SR1500 so far both at 40mjs, 12 passes, level 7. and I noticed that I have certain areas of my face that are hyperpigmented.

it can't be stressed enough that it is an absolute requirement to stay out of the sun during the course of these treatments. i was using the obaji 32 SPF sunblock with double the zinc oxide of normal sunblocks. also, wear a hat with a wide brim.

to whomever's doc wanted to sell them $200 creams, it's not necessary! you really don't need any after treatment except maybe a moisturizer. i'm getting mine from the paula's choice web site because they're ph balanced and don't break me out.

 

 

Hi boringlife,

I was very concerned about hyperpigmentation and discussed this issue with the doctor before the treatments started. They did start me on bleaching cream, and told me to use it every day throughout the treatments. But then I read somewhere that the cream could cause cancer, so I stopped, except a week before the treatment I use the cream about three times and about twice after the treatment.

Before I leave the doctor's office I put on sunscreen with spf 70. While driving to work, I wear a hat. Also, my treatments are not as agressive as yours. I only get 8 passes, level is at 5, and mj was 45. I know they are going to increase the mj next time I go, but not sure about the level. I would like to get this increased or ask for more passes. Not sure if they will since they are being conservative with me.

The color of my skin is like that of Jeniffer Lopez's, which is a lot darker than most people getting Fraxel. So far no problems, but then again, I won't have the good results effu is getting. I know she stresses to start at 70 mj and and go to the highest treatment level asap, but some of us can't do that. I am seeing results and just hope that by the end of my last treatment, I will see more improvement. I know you have to be your own advocate while doing this, but if your doctor says you have a chance of pigmentation problems, listen to what they are telling you. They are the experts.

what exactly is meant by hyperpigmentation that some are referring to?

is it just redness?

or also melasma like darking of the skin pigment?

what exactly is meant by hyperpigmentation that some are referring to?

is it just redness?

or also melasma like darking of the skin pigment?

It's kind of like redness, but instead of redness the skin gets dark spots.

Just had my first Fraxel 2 treatment today. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience. About the only thing that made me uncomfortable was that the office is shared with a high class salon so there were people there getting their hair cut and nails done.

The procedure was weird in the beginning. Felt alot like getting your hairs waxed. The only painful portion was around the jawline area. I could barely feel anything on my chin and forehead. The pain on my cheek were very minimal.

What I am curious about and I would love to hear your guys opinion is what the doctor told me. Before we started treatment, I asked him about going as high as possible because I heard if you don't, the results won't be as great. He agreed but also stated that you have to find a balance between effectiveness and going too high where the treatment becomes almost like CO2 where you start oozing and the downtime is 2-4 weeks.

So here are my settings:

50mj

No regards to passes because he said the total kJ is what matters, not the passes.

8kJ (since my scarring was mostly on my cheeks and temple, the majority of the energy was focused on my cheeks and temple)

Treatment level 8 (like I said, we did my entire face but most of the energy was focused on my cheeks so he said the treatment level for my cheeks were more like a 10-11 while the other parts were a lot lower. I asked about going to R1, R2, or R3 but he said the downtime for that would be relatively longer. He seemed willing to do it (unlike a lot of doctors people have mentioned wouldn't, but I have to work on Monday and this is my first time so I obliged to his settings. I may opt for it when I have some time off of work.)

Right now I am feeling good actually. Maybe I'll feel more pain when the numbness goes away but aside from some redness, I wouldn't be bothered going out in public (knock on wood).

ill comment here.....i had my 9th fraxel today so i feel i can...lol...

first off, what the hell is the thing about people getting their hair cut in the same place? is it a doctor's office, or a spa? that must have been very uncomfortable for u.....

secondly, BRAVO to u! i think for a first fraxel u started at a great treatment level, and also, the fact that u knew to ask for the R treatment levels shows that u are going in as an educated patient, and taking responsibility for ur own care......keep that up:)

third, while 50 mj/treatment level is a moderately strong level, going higher will NOT cause greater downtime......but always get fraxel DONE ON A FRIDAY.......for a week u will not look too great though.....but by monday, ull look kinda normal......at work next week, try to avoid any guys u may have a crush on......while fraxel is a PAIN IN THE ASS, in the end its worth it.....the second week, ull be normal looking again......but the first week after fraxel is always really fuckin embarrassing......

today, i had 70 mj treatment level 12 (BTW: i learned today that 12 is equal to R2, but in the newer fraxel 2 machines, they changed the "R1 and R2" levels to 11 and 12).....8 passes.....get no less than 8 passes btw......but GO HIGHER with each fraxel......DOWNTIME IS NOT REALLY MORE AT 70MJ THAN AT 50MJ.....i have had both and healing was pretty much the same for all of the treatment levels......2 days of alien looking swelling, 3rd day skin peels off, 4th day to 7th day the redness fades away.....its been the same story for all 9 of my fraxels regardless of the mj and treatment level.....

 

Yeah it was kind of weird with the office being shared with a hair/nail salon. This is in a rich area so I suppose rental space is scarce and expensive. You know you're in a high class salon when they offer you banana bread, cake, and coffee while you wait. Haha.

I'll try my best to not be around guys that I have a crush on Hahha. (I'm a guy by the way 😛 ).

Now here is one thing that I am worried about. Actually I don't know if I should be happy or worried. Comparing my settings to most people that post, mines is pretty high or at least above normal. Yet I am sitting here now, almost 12 hours post treatment and I can honestly say I wouldn't mind going out and letting people see me. In fact my biggest concern is the two damn cyst I have, and not the Fraxel treatment itself. I took 2 Benadryl and 2 Ibuprofen right after treatment and I iced a bit but as of right now, swelling is very minimal. Redness as well. Of course there is some bronzing but you have to be very close to see it.

Am I just one of the lucky few that respond very well to Fraxel? Or am I going to wake up to a huge surprise tomorrow morning?

 

hmmmm......swelling and redness is minimal? at 50 mj? something is NOT right there.....maybe u ARE just someone who responds very well.......but check to make sure he is a reputable doctor....also, are u sure u are getting fraxel? and not some other thing (like has happened to others on this board), also is the "tip" on the fraxel new? old tips are useless....but for a first fraxel at 50mj i think u should be swelled up......but then again maybe u respond well:)

Just had my first Fraxel 2 treatment today. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience. About the only thing that made me uncomfortable was that the office is shared with a high class salon so there were people there getting their hair cut and nails done.

The procedure was weird in the beginning. Felt alot like getting your hairs waxed. The only painful portion was around the jawline area. I could barely feel anything on my chin and forehead. The pain on my cheek were very minimal.

What I am curious about and I would love to hear your guys opinion is what the doctor told me. Before we started treatment, I asked him about going as high as possible because I heard if you don't, the results won't be as great. He agreed but also stated that you have to find a balance between effectiveness and going too high where the treatment becomes almost like CO2 where you start oozing and the downtime is 2-4 weeks.

So here are my settings:

50mj

No regards to passes because he said the total kJ is what matters, not the passes.

8kJ (since my scarring was mostly on my cheeks and temple, the majority of the energy was focused on my cheeks and temple)

Treatment level 8 (like I said, we did my entire face but most of the energy was focused on my cheeks so he said the treatment level for my cheeks were more like a 10-11 while the other parts were a lot lower. I asked about going to R1, R2, or R3 but he said the downtime for that would be relatively longer. He seemed willing to do it (unlike a lot of doctors people have mentioned wouldn't, but I have to work on Monday and this is my first time so I obliged to his settings. I may opt for it when I have some time off of work.)

Right now I am feeling good actually. Maybe I'll feel more pain when the numbness goes away but aside from some redness, I wouldn't be bothered going out in public (knock on wood).

ill comment here.....i had my 9th fraxel today so i feel i can...lol...

first off, what the hell is the thing about people getting their hair cut in the same place? is it a doctor's office, or a spa? that must have been very uncomfortable for u.....

secondly, BRAVO to u! i think for a first fraxel u started at a great treatment level, and also, the fact that u knew to ask for the R treatment levels shows that u are going in as an educated patient, and taking responsibility for ur own care......keep that up:)

third, while 50 mj/treatment level is a moderately strong level, going higher will NOT cause greater downtime......but always get fraxel DONE ON A FRIDAY.......for a week u will not look too great though.....but by monday, ull look kinda normal......at work next week, try to avoid any guys u may have a crush on......while fraxel is a PAIN IN THE ASS, in the end its worth it.....the second week, ull be normal looking again......but the first week after fraxel is always really fuckin embarrassing......

today, i had 70 mj treatment level 12 (BTW: i learned today that 12 is equal to R2, but in the newer fraxel 2 machines, they changed the "R1 and R2" levels to 11 and 12).....8 passes.....get no less than 8 passes btw......but GO HIGHER with each fraxel......DOWNTIME IS NOT REALLY MORE AT 70MJ THAN AT 50MJ.....i have had both and healing was pretty much the same for all of the treatment levels......2 days of alien looking swelling, 3rd day skin peels off, 4th day to 7th day the redness fades away.....its been the same story for all 9 of my fraxels regardless of the mj and treatment level.....

 

Yeah it was kind of weird with the office being shared with a hair/nail salon. This is in a rich area so I suppose rental space is scarce and expensive. You know you're in a high class salon when they offer you banana bread, cake, and coffee while you wait. Haha.

I'll try my best to not be around guys that I have a crush on Hahha. (I'm a guy by the way 😛 ).

Now here is one thing that I am worried about. Actually I don't know if I should be happy or worried. Comparing my settings to most people that post, mines is pretty high or at least above normal. Yet I am sitting here now, almost 12 hours post treatment and I can honestly say I wouldn't mind going out and letting people see me. In fact my biggest concern is the two damn cyst I have, and not the Fraxel treatment itself. I took 2 Benadryl and 2 Ibuprofen right after treatment and I iced a bit but as of right now, swelling is very minimal. Redness as well. Of course there is some bronzing but you have to be very close to see it.

Am I just one of the lucky few that respond very well to Fraxel? Or am I going to wake up to a huge surprise tomorrow morning?

 

hmmmm......swelling and redness is minimal? at 50 mj? something is NOT right there.....maybe u ARE just someone who responds very well.......but check to make sure he is a reputable doctor....also, are u sure u are getting fraxel? and not some other thing (like has happened to others on this board), also is the "tip" on the fraxel new? old tips are useless....but for a first fraxel at 50mj i think u should be swelled up......but then again maybe u respond well:)

 

Yeah I am certain of the settings as he demonstrated the machine on a piece of paper and educated me on the machine beforehand. I told him I frequent message boards about laser and he said he wanted to empower me with the correct knowledge so if I ever had to post, I'd at least say the right things.

And yes, I'm certain this is Fraxel 2. When he demonstrated it to me, he showed me he could go up to 70mJ and everything. Fraxel 1 can't go that high right?

As of right now, I look like I just got a tan. My skin feels rough but there really is no redness or swelling. I haven't even need to moisturize yet.

what exactly is meant by hyperpigmentation that some are referring to?

is it just redness?

or also melasma like darking of the skin pigment?

It's kind of like redness, but instead of redness the skin gets dark spots.

 

so its more of a melanocyte pigmentation problem like melasma then? i assume this is a greater risk for darker skinned people (fitzpatrick III+)?

Just had my first Fraxel 2 treatment today. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience. About the only thing that made me uncomfortable was that the office is shared with a high class salon so there were people there getting their hair cut and nails done.

The procedure was weird in the beginning. Felt alot like getting your hairs waxed. The only painful portion was around the jawline area. I could barely feel anything on my chin and forehead. The pain on my cheek were very minimal.

What I am curious about and I would love to hear your guys opinion is what the doctor told me. Before we started treatment, I asked him about going as high as possible because I heard if you don't, the results won't be as great. He agreed but also stated that you have to find a balance between effectiveness and going too high where the treatment becomes almost like CO2 where you start oozing and the downtime is 2-4 weeks.

So here are my settings:

50mj

No regards to passes because he said the total kJ is what matters, not the passes.

8kJ (since my scarring was mostly on my cheeks and temple, the majority of the energy was focused on my cheeks and temple)

Treatment level 8 (like I said, we did my entire face but most of the energy was focused on my cheeks so he said the treatment level for my cheeks were more like a 10-11 while the other parts were a lot lower. I asked about going to R1, R2, or R3 but he said the downtime for that would be relatively longer. He seemed willing to do it (unlike a lot of doctors people have mentioned wouldn't, but I have to work on Monday and this is my first time so I obliged to his settings. I may opt for it when I have some time off of work.)

Right now I am feeling good actually. Maybe I'll feel more pain when the numbness goes away but aside from some redness, I wouldn't be bothered going out in public (knock on wood).

ill comment here.....i had my 9th fraxel today so i feel i can...lol...

first off, what the hell is the thing about people getting their hair cut in the same place? is it a doctor's office, or a spa? that must have been very uncomfortable for u.....

secondly, BRAVO to u! i think for a first fraxel u started at a great treatment level, and also, the fact that u knew to ask for the R treatment levels shows that u are going in as an educated patient, and taking responsibility for ur own care......keep that up:)

third, while 50 mj/treatment level is a moderately strong level, going higher will NOT cause greater downtime......but always get fraxel DONE ON A FRIDAY.......for a week u will not look too great though.....but by monday, ull look kinda normal......at work next week, try to avoid any guys u may have a crush on......while fraxel is a PAIN IN THE ASS, in the end its worth it.....the second week, ull be normal looking again......but the first week after fraxel is always really fuckin embarrassing......

today, i had 70 mj treatment level 12 (BTW: i learned today that 12 is equal to R2, but in the newer fraxel 2 machines, they changed the "R1 and R2" levels to 11 and 12).....8 passes.....get no less than 8 passes btw......but GO HIGHER with each fraxel......DOWNTIME IS NOT REALLY MORE AT 70MJ THAN AT 50MJ.....i have had both and healing was pretty much the same for all of the treatment levels......2 days of alien looking swelling, 3rd day skin peels off, 4th day to 7th day the redness fades away.....its been the same story for all 9 of my fraxels regardless of the mj and treatment level.....

 

Yeah it was kind of weird with the office being shared with a hair/nail salon. This is in a rich area so I suppose rental space is scarce and expensive. You know you're in a high class salon when they offer you banana bread, cake, and coffee while you wait. Haha.

I'll try my best to not be around guys that I have a crush on Hahha. (I'm a guy by the way 😛 ).

Now here is one thing that I am worried about. Actually I don't know if I should be happy or worried. Comparing my settings to most people that post, mines is pretty high or at least above normal. Yet I am sitting here now, almost 12 hours post treatment and I can honestly say I wouldn't mind going out and letting people see me. In fact my biggest concern is the two damn cyst I have, and not the Fraxel treatment itself. I took 2 Benadryl and 2 Ibuprofen right after treatment and I iced a bit but as of right now, swelling is very minimal. Redness as well. Of course there is some bronzing but you have to be very close to see it.

Am I just one of the lucky few that respond very well to Fraxel? Or am I going to wake up to a huge surprise tomorrow morning?

 

hmmmm......swelling and redness is minimal? at 50 mj? something is NOT right there.....maybe u ARE just someone who responds very well.......but check to make sure he is a reputable doctor....also, are u sure u are getting fraxel? and not some other thing (like has happened to others on this board), also is the "tip" on the fraxel new? old tips are useless....but for a first fraxel at 50mj i think u should be swelled up......but then again maybe u respond well:)

 

Yeah I am certain of the settings as he demonstrated the machine on a piece of paper and educated me on the machine beforehand. I told him I frequent message boards about laser and he said he wanted to empower me with the correct knowledge so if I ever had to post, I'd at least say the right things.

And yes, I'm certain this is Fraxel 2. When he demonstrated it to me, he showed me he could go up to 70mJ and everything. Fraxel 1 can't go that high right?

As of right now, I look like I just got a tan. My skin feels rough but there really is no redness or swelling. I haven't even need to moisturize yet.

 

ok i guess u are lucky and respond well......but one last thing; next time u go, look at the fraxel machine's screen......look at the number in the middle, because that is the treatment level....make sure that it is at least 9 or above......

also, i think maybe u should go to 70 mj since u tolerate so well, go right for it! but make sure the doctor does give u at least 8 passes.....the passes are important.....u should get as many as u can tolerate.....always look at the fraxel machine screen.....mine looks like this:

70mj 12 8

that was my last one (day before yesterday).....it was 70mj, treatment level 12, 8 passes

ok i guess u are lucky and respond well......but one last thing; next time u go, look at the fraxel machine's screen......look at the number in the middle, because that is the treatment level....make sure that it is at least 9 or above......

also, i think maybe u should go to 70 mj since u tolerate so well, go right for it! but make sure the doctor does give u at least 8 passes.....the passes are important.....u should get as many as u can tolerate.....always look at the fraxel machine screen.....mine looks like this:

70mj 12 8

that was my last one (day before yesterday).....it was 70mj, treatment level 12, 8 passes

I've asked my doctor about passes and he said you shouldn't count passes. You should instead count the total amount of energy used as one person doing 8 passes can differ from another person doing 8 passes. So instead what he did was he took the total amount of KJ (which was 8) and divided it among the 5 regions of my face: forehead, left cheek, right cheek, nose, and chin. My forehead and chin didn't really need fraxel so he allocated about 1.75kJ to those two areas. He took the remaining 6.25kJ and divided it among my left cheek, nose, and right cheek. So between those 3 areas, the nurse will do as many passes as necessary to achieve a total energy of 6.75kJ.

This seems to make more sense to me, but what do you think? I will definately let him know to go a bit higher next time though since my swelling and redness is so minimal.

ok i guess u are lucky and respond well......but one last thing; next time u go, look at the fraxel machine's screen......look at the number in the middle, because that is the treatment level....make sure that it is at least 9 or above......

also, i think maybe u should go to 70 mj since u tolerate so well, go right for it! but make sure the doctor does give u at least 8 passes.....the passes are important.....u should get as many as u can tolerate.....always look at the fraxel machine screen.....mine looks like this:

70mj 12 8

that was my last one (day before yesterday).....it was 70mj, treatment level 12, 8 passes

I've asked my doctor about passes and he said you shouldn't count passes. You should instead count the total amount of energy used as one person doing 8 passes can differ from another person doing 8 passes. So instead what he did was he took the total amount of KJ (which was 8) and divided it among the 5 regions of my face: forehead, left cheek, right cheek, nose, and chin. My forehead and chin didn't really need fraxel so he allocated about 1.75kJ to those two areas. He took the remaining 6.25kJ and divided it among my left cheek, nose, and right cheek. So between those 3 areas, the nurse will do as many passes as necessary to achieve a total energy of 6.75kJ.

This seems to make more sense to me, but what do you think? I will definately let him know to go a bit higher next time though since my swelling and redness is so minimal.

 

i have no idea what he is talking about....i havent heard of that before.....and if u dont need fraxel on ur forehead and chin then why is he doing it there?

hmmmm....maybe im being too suspicious lol

Effu,

With you doing so many fraxels, is your skin near perfect now?

ok i guess u are lucky and respond well......but one last thing; next time u go, look at the fraxel machine's screen......look at the number in the middle, because that is the treatment level....make sure that it is at least 9 or above......

also, i think maybe u should go to 70 mj since u tolerate so well, go right for it! but make sure the doctor does give u at least 8 passes.....the passes are important.....u should get as many as u can tolerate.....always look at the fraxel machine screen.....mine looks like this:

70mj 12 8

that was my last one (day before yesterday).....it was 70mj, treatment level 12, 8 passes

I've asked my doctor about passes and he said you shouldn't count passes. You should instead count the total amount of energy used as one person doing 8 passes can differ from another person doing 8 passes. So instead what he did was he took the total amount of KJ (which was 8) and divided it among the 5 regions of my face: forehead, left cheek, right cheek, nose, and chin. My forehead and chin didn't really need fraxel so he allocated about 1.75kJ to those two areas. He took the remaining 6.25kJ and divided it among my left cheek, nose, and right cheek. So between those 3 areas, the nurse will do as many passes as necessary to achieve a total energy of 6.75kJ.

This seems to make more sense to me, but what do you think? I will definately let him know to go a bit higher next time though since my swelling and redness is so minimal.

 

i have no idea what he is talking about....i havent heard of that before.....and if u dont need fraxel on ur forehead and chin then why is he doing it there?

hmmmm....maybe im being too suspicious lol

 

You're being too suspicious. That's exactly what is important. Passes are just a proxy for total energy.