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Hi all -
Its been a while since I last chimed in on my test site .. after full 3 months or more, I finally went through my first full face Fraxel this morning and I tell you it hurt like hell. The test site 2 by 2 inches was a breeze, but the full face was nothing of that sort. I have very high pain tolerance, but it was worse than getting a tattoo. Then upto two-hours post Fraxel, I was jumping up and down due to the burn feeling on my face .. it made me think what the real burn victims must go through.
Anyways, pain aside I'm a little swollen right now. I see no visible improvements of my scar and I'm not expecting either. The doctor I'm with is real busy, and finally managed to setup four treatments month apart. I will post pics soon. I've got high hopes but will see.
Had my 3rd fraxel yesterday. I got variable treatment levels all over, but in the more scarred areas i got 70/8/9 or 70/9/8 (i don't remember) and for the less scarred areas i got 40/8/8 (not sure about the last 2 numbers but the 40s correct). I forgot to ask my doc what those numbers meant when he was reading them out to the nurse, does anyone know? I'm guessing the first 2 are treatment levels and the last is number of passes? Is 70/8/9 considered strong?
Still a bit swollen today but looking forward to some more improvement to my skin!
I just had my fifth Fraxel done, and the surgeon has said he will stop the Fraxels and wants me to come back in a month for a fat injection consultation. The Fraxel did pretty much nothing for the scarring, although the skin around the scars looks younger and smoother.
I said I would post before and after pics, but there's no need as there was neglible improvement.
I was using Re:Store and the depth setting was set to maximum, the energy level was set to two levels below maximum. The nurse had to bring the energy level down on my last two treatments because my skin had become too sensitive to the pain.
I've been thinking about it all day now, and I don't think I want to do fat injections. It's only temporary, and the large scars have irregular shapes to them. I don't see anyway he can make a fat injection conform to the shapes of the scars.
I'm considering my options. One of the surgeons I consulted with earlier this year wanted to do a CO2 laser on me, maybe I will go back to him and see if he will still do it. I also wonder if an old fashioned dermabrasion would be best for me. Even though all of the surgeons I consulted with listed dermabrasion on thier websites, none of them actually do it. There's a thread on this board about a doc in New Orleans who does dermabrasion, but I don't know if it's practical for me to fly from San Diego to there to do it. So if anybody reading this knows of a surgeon in San Diego who still does wire wheel dermabrasions, please let me know.
Anyway, here's my stats for your information: 42 years old, white, male, pale skin, rolling type scars, scar level was moderate to severe. I've had the scarring since I was a teen.
I guess I should reiterate that it was the surgeon who runs the practice that wanted the Fraxels stopped, not me. I actually scheduled a sixth one. The surgeon wasn't even performing the Fraxels himself, it was being done by a nurse practitioner. I had only met the surgeon two times, very briefly after my first and second Fraxel. He canceled my next Fraxel appointment without even asking me and told the receptionist to call me to come in for a fat injection consultation.
Maybe I should give the fat injections a try. If it's not too expensive, and I don't have to do it too often, and it actually works, maybe I'll do it.
I don't know, I gotta think about it.
Hi HughB,
It would be tremendous help to those seeking info on Fraxel to post a pic of your scars so that they know that Fraxel might not be the best option for them. As you see, we pretty much by now know that while Fraxel works wonders for some, it does not for others. An informed treatment seeker should not be wasting high dollars on treatments like Fraxel if it is proven by experience that it does not work. I hope to see some of your pics .. just cover your eyes and forehead for privacy. It doesn't matter if its post or pre-Fraxel.
Thanks!!
I just had my fifth Fraxel done, and the surgeon has said he will stop the Fraxels and wants me to come back in a month for a fat injection consultation. The Fraxel did pretty much nothing for the scarring, although the skin around the scars looks younger and smoother.
I said I would post before and after pics, but there's no need as there was neglible improvement.
I was using Re:Store and the depth setting was set to maximum, the energy level was set to two levels below maximum. The nurse had to bring the energy level down on my last two treatments because my skin had become too sensitive to the pain.
I've been thinking about it all day now, and I don't think I want to do fat injections. It's only temporary, and the large scars have irregular shapes to them. I don't see anyway he can make a fat injection conform to the shapes of the scars.
I'm considering my options. One of the surgeons I consulted with earlier this year wanted to do a CO2 laser on me, maybe I will go back to him and see if he will still do it. I also wonder if an old fashioned dermabrasion would be best for me. Even though all of the surgeons I consulted with listed dermabrasion on thier websites, none of them actually do it. There's a thread on this board about a doc in New Orleans who does dermabrasion, but I don't know if it's practical for me to fly from San Diego to there to do it. So if anybody reading this knows of a surgeon in San Diego who still does wire wheel dermabrasions, please let me know.
Anyway, here's my stats for your information: 42 years old, white, male, pale skin, rolling type scars, scar level was moderate to severe. I've had the scarring since I was a teen.
I guess I should reiterate that it was the surgeon who runs the practice that wanted the Fraxels stopped, not me. I actually scheduled a sixth one. The surgeon wasn't even performing the Fraxels himself, it was being done by a nurse practitioner. I had only met the surgeon two times, very briefly after my first and second Fraxel. He canceled my next Fraxel appointment without even asking me and told the receptionist to call me to come in for a fat injection consultation.
Maybe I should give the fat injections a try. If it's not too expensive, and I don't have to do it too often, and it actually works, maybe I'll do it.
I don't know, I gotta think about it.
hughb, I think one of the reasons why you may not have seen much improvement in your skin is because of your age. At 42 years old, you produce much less collagen than when you were say 20. Also, you really should wait at least 6 months after your last fraxel before you judge upon your results as your skin needs time to build up collagen and fill up the scars.
I specifically chose a place that did their fraxel with a dermatologist, not a nurse. It's been pretty good so far, but it's probably a bit more expensive doing it this way (haven't actually checked the prices for other places yet). My dermatologist suggested doing needling after my 5th fraxel which I might look into doing if after my 6 months of waiting I'm still not satisfied with my results.
I just called the office to have my photos emailed to me and I can tell they don't want to do it, or else they simply don't know how. I find it hard to believe I'm the first patient there who has ever asked for my pics, but that's how it seems. The person on the phone said she doesn't know if she can send them or not. Then she said it may be in a power point presentation, then maybe in a word presentation. I was so struck by here naivete that I didn't even ask if she would simply attach them in an email. Anyway, if they come in some odd format I can forward them to someone on this board who has powerpoint or whatever to get them posted. I'm headed to the gym, I'm not going to sit around waiting for it.
OK, I got my right profile before/after pics. However, I can't get them to upload. I get the spinning circle telling me that it is uploading and after a couple of minutes it stops and says no attachement selected. Can somebody help me out here?
BTW, now that I've had time to look at the before/after pics more closely, I can see a small amount of improvement. Not much, but it's there.
OK, I think I see the problem. My pics are 1.6MB each, they are too big. Anybody got any ideas?
HughB, I think you should wait for about 4 or 5 more months. I didn't start to see results until quite a few months after my last Fraxel and yes, it was a slow going softening of all the scars . It happened so gradualy that no one really noticed but it does take a while for the full effect to be noticed. Give it more time.
I want to have another round or do the newer Fraxel to get even more results. Fraxel won't cure your scars just soften them. I know how frustrating it can be to go through 5 months of treatments and then have to wait for some kind of results.
HughB, I think you should wait for about 4 or 5 more months. I didn't start to see results until quite a few months after my last Fraxel and yes, it was a slow going softening of all the scars . It happened so gradualy that no one really noticed but it does take a while for the full effect to be noticed. Give it more time.I want to have another round or do the newer Fraxel to get even more results. Fraxel won't cure your scars just soften them. I know how frustrating it can be to go through 5 months of treatments and then have to wait for some kind of results.
I ~did~ want to continue with Fraxel. I set an appointment for my sixth one. But when I got home the recpetionist called me and said that the surgeon who runs the practice had looked at my photos and canceled my Fraxel without even asking me. So it must be clear to him that Fraxel wasn't working.
HOWEVER, when I go back in July for a consultation on what to do next, I will ask him if I can continue with the Fraxels before trying something else. Personally, I'd like to do 8 of them, and then give it a few months to heal over. But it will be up to the surgeon. I will abide whatever he says.
OK, I just put the pics on photobucket, lets see if they show up here. This will be the before if it shows up:
OK, I have been looking at the photos closer now and I DO see some improvement. Especially on the temple right next to my eye. Even the large scar has softened up a bit. It's not a figment of my imagination, I can see it.
I'm going to call them back and ask them to take a closer look like I have. I want to continue on with the Fraxels.
I'll call the nurse practioner first, she's the one who's actually performing the treatments. If she doesn't mind continuing on with me as a patient, then I will ask the surgeon if I can keep going on. But ultimately, it will be up to the surgeon.
Not only that, but I can also see that the skin itself looks healthier all over. Ever since I started getting Fraxels I have been obsessively looking at my face in the mirror, so I couldn't trust my own judgement on what I saw. But with these photos it's plain and objective, I don't have to guess. My skin is improving and I will ask to keep on using it.
Not only that, but I can also see that the skin itself looks healthier all over. Ever since I started getting Fraxels I have been obsessively looking at my face in the mirror, so I couldn't trust my own judgement on what I saw. But with these photos it's plain and objective, I don't have to guess. My skin is improving and I will ask to keep on using it.
Congrats on your improvement! I have a question... do Dr.'s perform fraxel on just one spot. I have one scar- but its smack dab on my nose!!... Have you heard of them treating one area.. I don't have the money to shell out for a series of full facers. thanks gigi
HughB - I just looked at your before/after pics and I think I do see some improvement. As everybody else have said - wait for few more months for it to really show.
I have two questions -
- Is it ok to use collagen boosting creams like Vitamin C Serum while getting Fraxel? Will it help?
- My treatment full face minus nose/upper lips - 70MZ, Treatment Level 7, 6.04 KJ - How strong is it?
I'm thinking of asking my doctor to use more energy on my problem areas - cheeks and forehead. I'm 5 days post Fraxel, and only half of my face has peeled. The other half still has those tiny black dots. Any suggestion on how to expedite the peeling process? I can't be hiding my face all the time at work.
Naitch - What makes you say that good results from Fraxel come from younger people who are healthier and just overall younger? I am yet to see any study that proves what you said. What about older people who are healthier? You see my point - let's not discourage people by saying something that is baseless.
hughb, and you got no results whatsoever? Your scars don't seem too bad and seem to be al rolling type of scars. I don't know, I think a lot of good results from fraxel come from younger people who are healthier and just overall younger.
The place where I'm being treated only does full face Fraxels, but it seems like someone on this board mentioned being only treated on a problem area. I don't think many places would do partial face Fraxels because it would make the face look odd.
Mine were $1200 each.
I don't know if collagen boosting creams are allowed, but when I asked about Retin A I was told not to use it.
I don't know what the specific setting were on my Fraxel, the depth was se to max and the energy was set to two levels below max. If someone here is familiar with Re:Store they can say what that equates to.