Is it advisable to take vitamin A while you're healing from fraxel? I've been using (topically) this stuff called Ester-C Cream with E Skin Recovery Complex, but I just noticed it contains retinyl palmitate (vitamin A). If vitamin A cause peeling/shedding of skin and sometimes redness, why would they put it in something called "Skin Recovery Complex"? Now I'm worried that it may be prolonging the pinkness/orange peel skin.

Would appreciate any help here. Thx.

I'm a week out from my first fraxel laser treatment and I'm wondering if I was possibly undertreated. I have some minimal scarring but basically I wanted to improve the texture of my skin since it is rough. My Dr. knew I had a reunion to go to in 3 weeks and he said I would be fine but at the same time I wanted to see some results. The numbers don't mean much to me but perhaps someone could tell me if the levels are reasonable for a first timer. I was told I was treated at 11% with 7 mj at 250 density and 4 passes. I was barely swollen, peeled a little and a little pink. It's now a week later and I feel that my skin is somewhat back to normal but I'm seeing very little noticeable results. Was I undertreated?

 

The results from Fraxel do not happen over night, you have to have at least 3 treatments before you see any noticeable results. I know that sucks as Fraxel is not cheap, but that is how it works. From my experience with Fraxel I think 7mj is too low to make any significant difference to acne scars. It is ok for wrinkles but not acne scars. From personal experience and from what I've read you really need to go higher to make a difference, since acne scars are usually quite deep.

For me at first was going to a doctor who started me at 12mj, the 2nd time at 14mj, and the next time mostly at 14mj but my worst scars at 18mj. These appointments were spaced out between 2-3 week, so I think I had the first one in dec 05 and the last one the end of jan 2006. I wasn't seeing much improvement and I was so hard for me to get an appointment with the doctor as he is well know with "the ladies who lunch", for treating wrinkles. Anyway during further research I found another docter where I live who also uses the Fraxel machine, so I decided I would go to him for a consultation to see what he had to say. So, I was able to get a appointment right away, and I asked alot of questions about his experience with fraxel, and how many patients he had treated etc. As it turned out he had quite a bit of experience more so than the first and he believed in aggressively treating acne scars. So since then I have had 3 treatment with him the first at 20mj the second at 22mj or 24mj( i'm not quite certain) and the third at 25mj. It has been 3 weeks since I've had the 3rd( my treatments have been about 4 weeks apart) and for the first time I've seen a drastic improvement in my skin. The third one with the second docter was to be my "either it works and I continue, or it doesn't and I stop", so with the results I've seen I'm going to continue with the treatment.

I'll try to post some pictures of the results that I've seen, in the next couple of days or so

Again, I'm honestly at a loss as to how all you guys do energy settings of 20MJ and above. Mine was set at 4MJ and was as about as intense as I'd want it. And I'm pretty tough -- I have a pretty high pain threshold with my face. Even the places where all my previous lasers didn't even register on the pain scale (like my cheeks) were hurting during this treatment.

Are we talking millijouoles, kilojoules or Megajoules here?

Hello Everyone!

This is my second time to visit this thread. The people posting on this site seem very helpful and informative.

I am here because I have 1 icepick scar, 2 boxcar scars, and 1 rolling scar .

I'm saving up for Fraxel Laser Treatment.

My dermatologist told me that improvement will be 15%. I am disappointed at the low percentage quoted, especially since I have researched online and seen pictures of people with far worse scarring who have experienced upwards of 40% improvement.

If the improvement will be no less than 25%, Fraxel Laser Treatment would be well worth my hard earned money. However, if the improvement is -as my dermatologist says- only going to be 15%, I'm having second thoughts about having it.

Guidance please ??

Scarred_hoping

P. S.

What are the pros and cons of spacing the treatments very closely as opposed to spacing them over longer intervals?

My dermatologist recommended 5-6 laser treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart.

Hello Everyone!

This is my second time to visit this thread. The people posting on this site seem very helpful and informative.

I am here because I have 1 icepick scar, 2 boxcar scars, and 1 rolling scar 😥 .

I'm saving up for Fraxel Laser Treatment.

My dermatologist told me that improvement will be 15%. I am disappointed at the low percentage quoted, especially since I have researched online and seen pictures of people with far worse scarring who have experienced upwards of 40% improvement.

If the improvement will be no less than 25%, Fraxel Laser Treatment would be well worth my hard earned money. However, if the improvement is -as my dermatologist says- only going to be 15%, I'm having second thoughts about having it.

Guidance please ??

Scarred_hoping

 

15% is very low. Either you have very deep scars or he might be using a very low setting on the laser. You might want to seek a second opinion.

P. S.

What are the pros and cons of spacing the treatments very closely as opposed to spacing them over longer intervals?

My dermatologist recommended 5-6 laser treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart.

 

I am currently under going Fraxel. A set of 5 treatments with the first one completed. My sessions are spaced out every 4 weeks. The benefit for that is to have the collagen start to grow. Yes this is a great laser, but it's not an over night fix like we all want. It takes time for the body to grow collagen. So that's why the treatments are spaced out.

Susan1967

My settings last time were 25 mj x 125 desnity x 8 passes per CM sqaured (yes, millijoule). I think the confusion as to your setting of 4 KJ has to do with total energy vs energy per CM squared. I've read on Fraxel site that enery for total face ought to be 5 to 8 KJ. I am guessing they quoted the energy for your entire face as being 4 KJs? I don't know surface area of face, but if it were 20 CM squared, my total energy would have been 20KJs. does this make sense?

Scarred Face

If you only have a few scars, I wonder if Fraxel is optimal procedure. Fraxel is good for shallow scarring and you get more bang for buck with more scars. At any rate, I might be first inclined to try punch elevations on ice pick and box cars, or other methods that others have used.

Susan1967

My settings last time were 25 mj x 125 desnity x 8 passes per CM sqaured (yes, millijoule). I think the confusion as to your setting of 4 KJ has to do with total energy vs energy per CM squared. I've read on Fraxel site that enery for total face ought to be 5 to 8 KJ. I am guessing they quoted the energy for your entire face as being 4 KJs? I don't know surface area of face, but if it were 20 CM squared, my total energy would have been 20KJs. does this make sense?

Scarred Face

If you only have a few scars, I wonder if Fraxel is optimal procedure. Fraxel is good for shallow scarring and you get more bang for buck with more scars. At any rate, I might be first inclined to try punch elevations on ice pick and box cars, or other methods that others have used.

 

Thanks Billyboy.

It's a bit confusing, but does make a lot of sense, and the esthetician was trying to explain it to me the same way you just did. I know that she had it set at 250 density (125 on my forehead) with 4x4 passes. She did 4 passes in one direction in a given area (like cheeks) and then went back and did 4 passes in the other direction (perpendicular to the first direction) in that same area. Does that make sense the way I said it, LOL? And the areas that have more scarring, she went back over those areas (spot treated) a bit more. So, I guess I was at 4Kjoules for the energy for my entire face. Not sure on the area of my face -- she might have said it but I didn't hear it.

She did say that each time I go in, they will increase the energy and increase the number of passes with each session. Yikes! Maybe I'll take a vicodin before the procedure next time. She said I did great but I could definitely feel it a lot more this time. (I think they used the weaker numbing gel because it doesn't interfere with the creams they put on your face to help the dye come off easier -- the disadvantage was that there was a little more pain but the advantage was not having to mess with my face in attempts to get the dye off. So in the long run, there was less irritation of my skin following treatment.)

Tomorrow is Sunday and I think I'll be reaching the itchy stage by then. I'm being a good girl and following all their advice so that I can heal as quickly as possible and I'm hoping most of the irritation will be gone by Tuesday morning. Stupid me had an appointment for a perm set a long time ago that I forgot about, on Tuesday, and I don't want the solution to irritate my skin further. Might have to reschedule that but I'll play it by ear.

Thanks again for the reply.

🙂

hey_you_25

15% is very low. Either you have very deep scars or he might be using a very low setting on the laser. You might want to seek a second opinion.

** My scars look pretty shallow to me so I was surprised -- and very disappointed -- by the low percentage.

The benefit for that is to have the collagen start to grow.

** Does that mean longer intervals are preferred over shorter ones? Is it better to have all 6 done within the same year or can I spread them over a 3-year time period?

billyboy

If you only have a few scars, I wonder if Fraxel is optimal procedure. Fraxel is good for shallow scarring and you get more bang for buck with more scars. At any rate, I might be first inclined to try punch elevations on ice pick and box cars, or other methods that others have used.

***** Thanks very much for your suggestion. This is my first time to hear of "punch elevations" -- I'm going to be doing research on it. I decided on Fraxel because based on the literature available online it appears to be the most highly recommended treatment for atrophic / hypotrophic scars.

For those who yet to see any results.. I like to say it really works... all you need is just your skin to heal. Your results usually can be seen only 3 weeks to a month onwards. I still have scars but the overall improves alot. I I used to think that I will never achieve more than 60% improvement... Now I am convince after an excision and another laser session like CO2. I will be 90% improved... THe fraxel had change alot on my complexion.

Fraxel pricing and number of treatments??

Could any of you who have started fraxel list how many treatments you paid for, when, and at what price you are paying for treatment. I'm trying to get some estimates here to see what the price trends are. Thanks so much.

I paid $2800 for 4, including consult with Doc, and computerized facial scan (pre and post). I got better price by going to Stockton Ca, rather than in urban Bay Area. They are being done by nurse, but she checks with Doc when I ask for higher settings. I think the big price variables are location and whether done by Doc or nurse. I am very happy so far (with friendly/timely service and mild improvement after 3), except they used way too low of settings in first treatment, despite my pushing.

Prices in midwest seem low caompared to CA or mtero NY.

PS: I may decide to go for a fifth, depnding where I stand after #4.

It's even more expensive in cities where there aren't a lot of practitioners who do it.

I live in the Portland, OR area and the place I go costs $950 for each treatment, but $900 per treatment if you do it as a package deal. And I called another office that is very similar, for a price quote: $1200 per treatment!!

Ugh.

So three treatments for me of Fraxel ($2700) costs almost as much as four for Billyboy. You know, it always strikes me as silly that they don't reduce the price so more people can do it -- they'd get a lot more business and end up making way more money in the long run. If they were $600 a session instead, for example, I know several people who would do it, as opposed to $900 a session and only one or two who would even consider it. And it can't cost that much to run the machine...

Hi...question, if i have fraxel on friday with low settings on my face, with isolated high settings on the scarring, will i be able to go to work on monday?

Probably could, depending on your sensitivity about redness and possible flaking. My question to you, is why? Based on my experience, I think low settings are a waste of time and money. I think a better strategy is to go for higher settings and plan to some vacation. After 1 week you don't look too bad.

Hope this helps

i have somewhat tackled my rolling scars (well they seem more subtle at least) but my skin texture is awful. I have large/scarred pores, shallow scarring, some irregular pigmentation and redness.

Would fraxel help these??

I dont know if i should try be patient and wait a few months for the isolagen results to show, but its hard to be patient and keep taking time off from work and more importantly LIFE! I feel my life is on hold while i seek a permanent cure for my skin. very very very upsetting!

billyboy...i dont need high settings all over my face on normal skin....just the isolated scarred areas i want to hit hard

Why Me: I understand your situation, as my forehead is fine, except for old age wrinkles. But I do everything to get the overall textural benefit and to avoid demarcation lines.

You may be ok, but, frankly, I would not make too big of a difference between scarred/nonscarred because you don't want too highlight the scarred sections with demarcated, red flaky splotches while healing. I really don't know best way too handle this, as it is judgement and your personl sensitivity.

Zombie: I think Fraxel is great for texture, shallow scarring and pigment. Just give it time and some energy. I think there is a gender difference here because my skin is thicker than my wife's, enabling higher settigns.

Good luck.

Any updates for us Coolbreeze????

Are the results permanent? I just read an article on Fraxel that stated that the results last about 6 years and that your skin (same depressions/scars and all) becomes pretty much identical to what it was pre-treatment. I don't know what to think anymore... is that general knowledge?

Here is the link: http://cfn13.com/story.aspx?sid=15545&id=6

Are the results permanent? I just read an article on Fraxel that stated that the results last about 6 years and that your skin (same depressions/scars and all) becomes pretty much identical to what it was pre-treatment. I don't know what to think anymore... is that general knowledge?

Here is the link: http://cfn13.com/story.aspx?sid=15545&id=6

 

Well your body does age, so of course you will lose collagen lose.

Lucy

That 6 years is bad news to me; hope it is wrong. I have worried about this, because once I get healed, I want to return to my many sun/outdoor activities and have been worried that the extra sun exposure might cause an early breakdown of the remodeling.

Up to this point, everything I read suggested collagen remodeling was more or less permanent, but that there were obvisously no long term studies. I wonder if they are basing the 6 years from another technique like derm or CO2 where there is a longer track record. Fraxel is way too yound to have reliable 6 year studies.

This is a distressing surprise, which is premature to accept as fact.

Has anyone else seen or heard this?

Lucy

That 6 years is bad news to me; hope it is wrong. I have worried about this, because once I get healed, I want to return to my many sun/outdoor activities and have been worried that the extra sun exposure might cause an early breakdown of the remodeling.

Up to this point, everything I read suggested collagen remodeling was more or less permanent, but that there were obvisously no long term studies. I wonder if they are basing the 6 years from another technique like derm or CO2 where there is a longer track record. Fraxel is way too yound to have reliable 6 year studies.

This is a distressing surprise, which is premature to accept as fact.

Has anyone else seen or heard this?

 

I've heard its permanent. Whatever technique you use to rebuild collagen, its already built. Normal elements will cause it to decrease over time, age, health, etc. My doctor told me that is perfectly normal. It's just life. That's why there is so many plastic surgeons out there. 😀

i havent posted here for awhile because i havent been able to log in. my old posts are under my old username i like sushi.

i am asian and had my first and only fraxel in mid april. i wasnt able to go on because i had hyperpigmentation issues; which are still present. my initial settings were 250/12 with 3 to 4 settings.

it has been about 2 months now, and i am still deciding on my options. the doctor i am currently using has both the cooltouch3 laser and fraxel. he has advised me that i may want to try the cooltouch 3 laser first, because of my adverse reaction to fraxel. my face has settled down, but i still have hyperpigmentation issues. what is disconcerting is that the hyperpigmentation is in areas of my face that did not have any scarring.

my problem are is on my right cheeck and is considered more shallow scarring. what bothers me the most is the placement of my scars and when i see myself in prominent sunlight. i am debating whether to do the cooltouch 3 treatment first and see if i get any results. if i dont, i will go back to fraxel. i am also considering the rhytec portrait laser, but there are no physicians in my areas who do this. i am also thinking about only getting my right cheek treated since i can live with the rest of my face which i consider ok.

i would appreciate any advice from others who have had hyperpigmentation issues, or others who have used the cooltouch 3 laser. i do think i have received some improvement with the fraxel laser, although i am still red (hyperpigmented) in different areas of my face. thanks for any feedback

Lucy

That 6 years is bad news to me; hope it is wrong. I have worried about this, because once I get healed, I want to return to my many sun/outdoor activities and have been worried that the extra sun exposure might cause an early breakdown of the remodeling.

Up to this point, everything I read suggested collagen remodeling was more or less permanent, but that there were obvisously no long term studies. I wonder if they are basing the 6 years from another technique like derm or CO2 where there is a longer track record. Fraxel is way too yound to have reliable 6 year studies.

This is a distressing surprise, which is premature to accept as fact.

Has anyone else seen or heard this?

 

Well, if you devide the cost of 6 sessions (2400$) by 6, it's only a about 400$ of savings per year for 6 years for a new collagene remodeling, then saving up again for 6 years for follow-up treatment... and so on.

Not so bad if you look at it that way {^._.^}

Is the down time after each session bad?