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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.
The Skinceuticals brand of sun protection lotion most these places sell is excellent if you want to continue outdoor activities but want good protection against UVB and UVA rays. It comes in 20spf, 30spf and 45spf. It's spendy but worth it.
It's not just cost and procedure downtime, which are meaningfull. My goal this year was to get my skin fixed as best I can and not worry about it again. So, the 6 year deal does not meet my goal. I've had another round of spine problems and another big surgery, so this surgical downtime coincides with this skin remodeling, which is good timing.
I'm retired and my vision of the good life is at the ocean or the pool. I love swimming, tanning in the warm sun after a vigorous swim in a cool pool, lake or ocean, and watching girls (and ladies) in bikinis. Don't worry, I'm grandpa and have 2 daughters, so I'm a dirty old man only up to a point, but thank God for good eyes. Once my skin and spine heal, I want to get back to this routine. By the way, I think tan skin makes my scarring less evident.
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
I don't buy what that doctor is saying:
"The results typically last about six years. Then patients start to notice the problems that brought them here in the first place. That's when they need to have the procedure redone"
Fraxel hasn't been around nearly long enough to be tossing around statements like that. Additionally, it just was approved for treating scars so like Billyboy stated, there can be no fact based research studies that back it up. I have read every known article on Fraxel that can be Googled and haven't heard that anywhere else. I'm not saying that in 6 years it might not be proven to be true, but I do think it's too early to stress about it based on one article.
Hi I wonder,
Has anyone here completed 5 or more fraxel treatments with aggressive settings (i.e >20mJ per treatment). If so I would like to know what kind of improvement have you seen and what was the result of your treatment 3 or months after your last treatment?
Very curious as to the extent of improvement people have seen with aggressive treatment. Given how new this treatment is and how recently they started treating very aggressively (>25) it would be very interesting to hear from patients.
Blaster
I'm hearing a lot of people talking about settings of 21 to 30mJ settings being used and I'm a bit confused. When I started my treatments back in January, I was told that 20 was the absolute highest setting that could be used because people were getting blisters on settings of 21 and 22. Was that information incorrect, or has there been a change in the laser tip or process that allows the higer settings now without causing blistering?
Sean..
My guess is that the info was incorrect, or based on isolated reports. I've been treated at 20 and 25 mjs with no blisters, although I had lots of pinpoint bleeding under eyes at 25. I think Docs are treating at higher levels as they get more experience under their belts.
Most of us are assuming that these higher levels will produce better results, but that is yet to be seen. I am really happy with textural changes, pores and shallow scars. But, at this early point, I don't see much improvement if a scar has depth.
I'm hearing a lot of people talking about settings of 21 to 30mJ settings being used and I'm a bit confused. When I started my treatments back in January, I was told that 20 was the absolute highest setting that could be used because people were getting blisters on settings of 21 and 22. Was that information incorrect, or has there been a change in the laser tip or process that allows the higer settings now without causing blistering?
Sean..
My doctor said the same thing. After asking tons of questions at my fourth treatment on Friday, they told me that 20 was the highest setting that they would use on me because of the potential for blistering and more scarring. (I am having my whole face done each treatment).
I think that there are many variables that go into the way Fraxel is performed on each person and by each doctor. Some are conservative and some are more aggressive. If a patient has moderate to severe scarring and is very well informed about Fraxel and the potential side effects at higher settings, a more progressive doctor may chose to treat at much higher levels, particularly if they are spot treating the scarred areas and not the whole face. Other variables could be the condition the skin is in and the skin color and risk of hyperpigmentation. There are a few people who post here who have had these higher settings without serious adverse results. (that I've read anyway)
Conversely, there is a lot of information on the internet that pertains only to MUCH lower settings that are used for mild wrinkles and skin rejuvenation. My doctor told me that when they started treating scarring, they had to be very careful to explain that the downtime would be much more significant, contrary to the 'mild pinkness and flaking' that is quoted on the Fraxel website. I think it might be a case of 'covering their a**' when it comes down to using higher settings. Until more studies have been done, a more conservative approach is probably preferred.
I absolutely understand that position, however I also want the best results for my scarring. I've kind of resigned myself to the fact that I will be getting more treatments once a better set of guidelines for scar treatments using Fraxel have been established.
Well after reading these posts since 2005 I finally decided to do something about my acne/scars. My derm just prescribed accutane!
My acne is "moderate papular acne vulgaris." My derm really likes accutane (he was on it) and said it will probably cure my acne for good. He doesn't think I needed fraxel at all and thought I would probably think so too if my acne was all gone. We'll see . . .
I have to wait a week since I'm on minocycline antibiotics now. I'm curious if any fraxelers out there were on accutane before. Does it permanently slow healing time or something? The derm said to wait at least 6 months after treatment for any laser . . .
I am keeping a hectic schedule so didn't check the forum for a while.
This is my update :
It's been 4 weeks since my last treatment. My skin still has brown bronze tan and I have some hyper pigmentation for which am using Tri-Luma since last 2.5 weeks. Hyperpigmentation seems to be a bit stubborn than I expected. It's fading but very slowly. Also, am not using bleach very aggresively as I think my skin is still healing and don't want to irritate it further. I plan to continue to use it for atleast 4 more weeks ( maybe even more ) and then go in for evaluation. My skin definitely feels a lot smoother which I realize while applying concealer and foundation.
IAaam going for my 3rd treatment on Thursday. I have not noticed any difference in my skin, though I think my pore sizes are getting larger. I was at 10/125 and 12/125 for the first two treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart. I am an Asian male so the doc didnAaat want to start off with high settings. I have a little bit of hyperpigmentation in the chin area. My cheeks are still red and itAaas the 3rd week after my second treatment. I probably have not been as aggressive as I should have been using sunblock.
I have several deep scars on my forehead. I seem to tolerate the pain pretty well on the forehead. I was wondering if anyone know if they have gone higher setting on the forehead versus other areas. I am hoping I can go up to 14mJ on Thursday, but will ask the doc for a higher setting (or more passes) on the forehead. Was wondering if anyone thought this is a wise decision or not?
I hope to see some improvement after #3 because IAaave heard that people start seeing differences after #3 or #4. At the rate IAaam going, I probably will need at least 5 treatments.
I also noticed that IAaave been breaking out more right after the treatments. I use Murad acne cleanser and was wondering if this is a good product to use right after treatments. I was using a mild cleanser like Cetaphil for a few days after the treatment because I feel like I canAaat use anything harsher.
Also, does anyone know if I should be swimming after my treatments. After my last treatment, I went swimming the next day at the pool in my gym. Or should I be waiting for a few days before I start swimming again.
I also noticed that IAaave been breaking out more right after the treatments. I use Murad acne cleanser and was wondering if this is a good product to use right after treatments. I was using a mild cleanser like Cetaphil for a few days after the treatment because I feel like I canAaat use anything harsher.
Also, does anyone know if I should be swimming after my treatments. After my last treatment, I went swimming the next day at the pool in my gym. Or should I be waiting for a few days before I start swimming again.
maguy, am using it on full face but I guess, it is okay to spot treat expecially if you are using it in between treatments. I don't think, it will cause discoloration if you are going to use it not for a long time. It's a strong ( and in my experience quite effective ) bleach. So, if you decide to apply on whole face, I would suggest to start really slowly like every 2 nights or other night and then after a couple of weeks depending on how your skin reacts, every night. It is not a good idea to irritate treated skin further. It has Retino-A so if you are using it in between Fraxel treatments, apply only on spots or don't use at all. That was the reason, I didn't use it before. Also, just a word of caution, it has steroid in it to prevent redness so it can't be used for more than 8 weeks at a stretch. For more info, check TriLuma.com and with your doctor about this.
TennTenn, am not sure going swimming right after the treatment is a good idea. Chlorine ( and other chemicals ) in pool water can darken and /or irritate the skin all the more. Also, I was wondering if your were so comfortable as going to the pool for swimming, maybe, you need stronger settings. For all my treatments, I had hard downtime of 3-4 days and significant swelling which indicates that there was a good amount injury which is likely to produce more results.
maguy, it is okay to spot treat with TriLuma. I don't think, it will cause discoloration. It's a very strong ( and in my experience quite effective ) bleach. So, if you decide to apply on whole face, I would suggest to start really slowly like every 2 nights or other night and then after a couple of weeks depending on how your skin reacts, every night. It is not a good idea to irritate treated skin further. It has Retino-A
Again, I can't imagine taking someone's advice from the internet after you just spent big bucks on a laser treatment. Suggesting someone start bleaching their skin post laser tx. is just scary. Please always check with your dr. before trying any of the suggestions you see posted here.
I know this is a forum for sharing information, and some of the suggestions may turn out to be good ones, but please be safe and check first before experimenting on your newly healing skin.
Peach Pie
maguy, it is okay to spot treat with TriLuma. I don't think, it will cause discoloration. It's a very strong ( and in my experience quite effective ) bleach. So, if you decide to apply on whole face, I would suggest to start really slowly like every 2 nights or other night and then after a couple of weeks depending on how your skin reacts, every night. It is not a good idea to irritate treated skin further. It has Retino-A
Again, I can't imagine taking someone's advice from the internet after you just spent big bucks on a laser treatment. Suggesting someone start bleaching their skin post laser tx. is just scary. Please always check with your dr. before trying any of the suggestions you see posted here.
I know this is a forum for sharing information, and some of the suggestions may turn out to be good ones, but please be safe and check first before experimenting on your newly healing skin.
Peach Pie
I want to point out that maguy is already going to use TriLuma and it is a "prescription bleach" so s/he can't use it without doctor's permission. It was just whether to use on spots or full face.
I understand your point and well meant caution. But I hope, we all know that we are not "qualified" or "trained" people and any information shared should be looked upon with that perspective. It's very similar to seeing an ad of a prescription medicine on TV. One just gets more info or alternate way of usage or knowledge about more options. If any changes, they should be of course, run by / consulted with you doctor. That is an underlying premise for forums like these.
Iam going for my 3rd treatment on Thursday. I have not noticed any difference in my skin, though I think my pore sizes are getting larger. I was at 10/125 and 12/125 for the first two treatments, spaced 3 weeks apart. I am an Asian male so the doc didnat want to start off with high settings. I have a little bit of hyperpigmentation in the chin area. My cheeks are still red and itas the 3rd week after my second treatment. I probably have not been as aggressive as I should have been using sunblock.
I have several deep scars on my forehead. I seem to tolerate the pain pretty well on the forehead. I was wondering if anyone know if they have gone higher setting on the forehead versus other areas. I am hoping I can go up to 14mJ on Thursday, but will ask the doc for a higher setting (or more passes) on the forehead. Was wondering if anyone thought this is a wise decision or not?
I hope to see some improvement after #3 because Iave heard that people start seeing differences after #3 or #4. At the rate Iam going, I probably will need at least 5 treatments.
I also noticed that Iave been breaking out more right after the treatments. I use Murad acne cleanser and was wondering if this is a good product to use right after treatments. I was using a mild cleanser like Cetaphil for a few days after the treatment because I feel like I canat use anything harsher.
Also, does anyone know if I should be swimming after my treatments. After my last treatment, I went swimming the next day at the pool in my gym. Or should I be waiting for a few days before I start swimming again.
My doctor went as high as 20 or 22 on my forehead on my last couple of treatments. But, he did less passes. He said the skin is thinner there, and he wanted to do as little passes as possible. I really started noticing the improvement once he went up to 20 and higher on the setting. I had 6 treatments total, and now I wish I had him go on higher settings sooner. Best of luck to you on your Fraxels.
Hi Cool Breeze:
Sorry I wasn't trying to malign you, I have seen a lot posts suggesting bizarre txs. I know most people use common sense when reading these forums, but some of the posters here seem quite young and some are quite desperate to do anything to get rid of their scars. Just want to make sure they err on the side of caution. Thanks Peach Pie
Hi maguy,
Now that your face is fully healed, how would you rate the improvement on your scars? What type of scars did you have? And also how many fraxels and at what settings?
Thanks
M
i did fraxel like 6 months ago so my face is fully healed. i was just scared where i put the Triluma at that it would end up being whiter than the rest of my skin. i dont know a lot about bleaching creams like i do about other things.
My doctor went as high as 20 or 22 on my forehead on my last couple of treatments. But, he did less passes. He said the skin is thinner there, and he wanted to do as little passes as possible. I really started noticing the improvement once he went up to 20 and higher on the setting. I had 6 treatments total, and now I wish I had him go on higher settings sooner. Best of luck to you on your Fraxels.
I just had my fourth treatment at 15....for some reason I thought it was higher (20) but not yet.
I will get up to 20 for my last three treatments but I've spaced them further apart now because my downtime is not great. I breakout and get a kind of bumpy rash on my face. But my skin is VERY sensitive so this isn't necessarily what happens for everyone. I am beginning to notice a difference, but I think only the higher levels will produce results I will be satisfied with.
I am actually glad that they start at lower settings in regards to monitoring how your skin reacts to the treatment. I think it makes sense to bump up the intensity every time. That being said, I think it is RIDICULOUS what they are charging for the procedure, particularly for acne scar patients who need more of them than the average person. They should charge lower amounts for the first couple treatments if they are using lower settings than are effective for acne scarring.
Widgie
Glad you see some improvement at low settings. You should be well positioned to get a nice result with the higher settings.
I could not agree more with your comment on price and the need for many treatments for acne scarring. My price is less than normal CA pricing because it is being done by nurse and I am going to less expensive area. Also, I am trying to get to my endpoint in 4, maybe 5 treatments, by using higher settings.
I think with input from a knowledgeable patient, there is not much need for a Doc beyond advisory role and to address complications. So, it is a lot of money for a nurse based procedure. I actually have very good feelings about my Doc/nurse, but let's face it, Medicine is a very highly paid field in the US. And, Reliant has found a gold mine with Fraxel. Prices should come down with time as supply increases and demand decreases.
My nurse told me that almsot all their Fraxel patients are for acne scarring. If this really works, eventually there will be far fewer patients to treat.
Good luck
M-Mite, ok here is my settings and i did 5 fraxels. i think i got about 20-25% improvement. i also did the treatments every 2 weeks with 5 gentle waves in between each treatment because they said it helped with the healing process. i may go back in get a few more done at the higher setting i did but i couldnt handle much more pain. the 16-250 hurt more than the 21-125 because the density.
1st- 6 passes 10mj-250 density, 2 passes 14-125
2nd- 6 passes 12-250, 2 passes 16-125
3rd - 6 passes 14-250, 2 passes 18-125
4th - 4 passes 16-250. 2 passes 20-125
5th - 4 passes 16-250, 2 passes 21-125
Hey guys,
I just got my first fraxel session. I am Chinese.
My settings were at 14mg 125density. He went over my face couple times, 4-6 ? The pain was almost unbearable sometimes, especially the forhead and the jawline!
I have a question, it seemed when I left I was pinkish, but now I am just darker. Is this normal?
The good news is all my rolling scars have disappeared due to the swolleness. Hopefully this is a good sign that I will get good results.