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Ack! Just got back from my VISIA consultation. What an amazing machine. Cant say Im all that thrilled with the results. They only did the right side of my face since thats the side thats exposed to the most UV rays (driving in the car).It also happens to be the side with the worst scarring.
Drumroll please...wrinkles: 99%, spots: 29%, pores: 2% (!!!), texture: 5% (!!!!).Obviously a lot of room for improvement. What must my skin have been before the fraxels I underwent???
The doctor was great. I kind of wish I had started out with them instead of driving 2 hrs to see Rapaport. They spent over an hour during the consultation with me, going over the analysis and trying to determine the best course of action. Of course, since its impossible to know what results fraxel has yielded thus far, its impossible to estimate whether further treatments would benefit me.
SIGH.
ChrissyC, I remember you were from CT and so am I. I am just wondering where you went for your most recent consultation that made you regret having driven so far for each appointment before. I am about to have a baby (3 more weeks) and was originally planning on having Fraxel done soon after the baby was born (that's probably crazy thinking) but I know that I can't be gone all day having these treatments once a month. I was originally looking at a doctor in Guilford, CT but that's a bit far for me to drive. There is another clinic in Glastonbury which is a bit closer and may be more do-able for me. Would you mind letting me know where you just went for a consultation? Thanks!!!
I went to the place in Glastonbury. I was very impressed with the doctor and his knowledge of the procedure. Having already undergone several fraxels, I was able to ask very specific questions and was more than satisfied by his response. If anything, I think his protocols are BETTER. Other than the VISIA thing, they do gentle waves AFTER the fraxel and he also was saying that he doesnt give tylenol or motrin for pain relief (not sure what he gives though) because a side effect is that it acts as an antiinflammatory which kind of defeats the purpose of the procedure. They were also wonderful with my two girls (I had to bring them with me to the consult).
Please let me know if you decide to go there and let me know what you think of them!!
On a different note, despite my horrendous scores for pores and texture, I saw some friends tonight that I havent see all summer. One of them said, You look so healthy!! (My hair is in bad need of a cut and I didnt do anything special to my makeup, so I can only assume shes talking about my skin)
Ok, Glad to see this thread is still around but man is it long. I have skimmed a few pages but haven't seen any reference of the new Fraxel 2 laser. A friend of mine had this procedure done yesterday, I referred her to my laser doctor who did the SmoothBeam+lasers around a year ago. He said he has the new Fraxel 2 laser, and that only around 10 doctors have this machine. He said he has seen very good results with it and is excited about it. The price is the same as the original Fraxel. $1000 a piece, they do have a package deal but I am not sure how that works. I'm going to call tomorrow to make my own appointment.
I was just wondering if anyone here was having the Fraxel 2 laser?
JP
Ok, Glad to see this thread is still around but man is it long. I have skimmed a few pages but haven't seen any reference of the new Fraxel 2 laser. A friend of mine had this procedure done yesterday, I referred her to my laser doctor who did the SmoothBeam+lasers around a year ago. He said he has the new Fraxel 2 laser, and that only around 10 doctors have this machine. He said he has seen very good results with it and is excited about it. The price is the same as the original Fraxel. $1000 a piece, they do have a package deal but I am not sure how that works. I'm going to call tomorrow to make my own appointment.
I was just wondering if anyone here was having the Fraxel 2 laser?
JP
Me! On August 29.
Ok, Glad to see this thread is still around but man is it long. I have skimmed a few pages but haven't seen any reference of the new Fraxel 2 laser. A friend of mine had this procedure done yesterday, I referred her to my laser doctor who did the SmoothBeam+lasers around a year ago. He said he has the new Fraxel 2 laser, and that only around 10 doctors have this machine. He said he has seen very good results with it and is excited about it. The price is the same as the original Fraxel. $1000 a piece, they do have a package deal but I am not sure how that works. I'm going to call tomorrow to make my own appointment.
I was just wondering if anyone here was having the Fraxel 2 laser?
JP
What's the difference??????Anyone know??
Ack! Just got back from my VISIA consultation. What an amazing machine. Cant say Im all that thrilled with the results. They only did the right side of my face since thats the side thats exposed to the most UV rays (driving in the car).It also happens to be the side with the worst scarring.
Drumroll please...wrinkles: 99%, spots: 29%, pores: 2% (!!!), texture: 5% (!!!!).Obviously a lot of room for improvement. What must my skin have been before the fraxels I underwent???
The doctor was great. I kind of wish I had started out with them instead of driving 2 hrs to see Rapaport. They spent over an hour during the consultation with me, going over the analysis and trying to determine the best course of action. Of course, since its impossible to know what results fraxel has yielded thus far, its impossible to estimate whether further treatments would benefit me.
SIGH.
ChrissyC, I remember you were from CT and so am I. I am just wondering where you went for your most recent consultation that made you regret having driven so far for each appointment before. I am about to have a baby (3 more weeks) and was originally planning on having Fraxel done soon after the baby was born (that's probably crazy thinking) but I know that I can't be gone all day having these treatments once a month. I was originally looking at a doctor in Guilford, CT but that's a bit far for me to drive. There is another clinic in Glastonbury which is a bit closer and may be more do-able for me. Would you mind letting me know where you just went for a consultation? Thanks!!!
I went to the place in Glastonbury. I was very impressed with the doctor and his knowledge of the procedure. Having already undergone several fraxels, I was able to ask very specific questions and was more than satisfied by his response. If anything, I think his protocols are BETTER. Other than the VISIA thing, they do gentle waves AFTER the fraxel and he also was saying that he doesnt give tylenol or motrin for pain relief (not sure what he gives though) because a side effect is that it acts as an antiinflammatory which kind of defeats the purpose of the procedure. They were also wonderful with my two girls (I had to bring them with me to the consult).
Please let me know if you decide to go there and let me know what you think of them!!
On a different note, despite my horrendous scores for pores and texture, I saw some friends tonight that I havent see all summer. One of them said, You look so healthy!! (My hair is in bad need of a cut and I didnt do anything special to my makeup, so I can only assume shes talking about my skin)
Thanks, ChrissyC! I am so glad that the Glastonbury place seems good. The doctor in Guilford made me nervous (he didn't blink and he laughed with his mouth closed) and I just didn't click with him at all. When I'm ready I'll schedule a consultation with the Glastonbury doctor. I'll let you know what I think! Thanks.
Just finished Fraxel treatment # two and am quite a bit more swollen than the last treatment. The doctor used about 40% more energy this time and really went over my face, forehead and neck using various settings. One thing is for certain and that is I will get the best results possible as this doctor is taking an aggressive aproach.
If anyone in the Vancouver Canada area is interested in the fraxel treatments they can PM me and I can give them the details. This place gives me the impression of providing healthcare rather than just beeing a cosmetic business. The doctor wants results almost as much as I do.
I'll wait a few weeks and post any improvement that I hope to see.
Thanks,
Chrissy
I do ok with pain meds and steroid epidural injections, so I have it better than many. I may need another decompression/fusion surgery, so I don't want to piss off docs (spine surgery is small community). There is cap on noncomp medical malpractice claims in CA that makes it hard to sue, unless there is wrongful death and the like. I have filled in complaint form, but have not sent it in yet as to the UCSF surgeon, whom I strongly suspect operated on me becasue he had an academic study underway (I was not a WC case) and he also needed fusion patients to teach the "Fellows in training" how to peform the biggest surgery in orthopedics/neuro spine surgery.
He was treating me for back pain, which remained after surgery, so I ended up with a nerve injury down my leg and less flexibility but the same nagging pain. My most recent surgery eliminated that back pain when it removed an arthritic ligament and facet joint, but I still have lots of butt/leg pain. Had this surgery been done 10 years ago, I would have been way better off. Thank God for meds!
My problems stem from sports/overuse (he did not casue it), but he hurt my cause, rather than help it. Don't count on legal system to fix medical errors, especially in CA. Same thing can happen tryng to fix acne scars, (I have had one bad experience, but others have been good). Best recourse is to file complaint with licensing boards as malpractice claim is very dicey. Even better, make sure you get optimal treatment by an expert, who has your best interests in mind.
I couldn't agree more. From personal experience I actually think big name doctors are the WORST to go to. The big name often means little more than aggressive marketing. These doctors spend a lot of time and money on it and they are unscrupulous about collecting their investment from patients that expect the world of them. Think about it. Every big name doctor out their is either a surgeon or has an expensive service/product to sell.
I went to a surgeon that had been on Oprah three times and many many other programs. Basically he took my money and performed the wrong procedure. I then found out he was the most sued doctor in my state! He was on probation when he operated on me. a year later he killed a patient!
It's the reputable quiet doctor you want to go to. Not the one with a flashy website that stacks patient after patient.
Has anyone who had damage from a chemical peel tried the fraxel? I went to see a dermatologist and he said some of my scarring was not typical of acne scars. He said I had alot of fibrous tissue on my worst side. He also mentioned scars that look like lines. I asked him if these atypical scars are possibly damage from the phenol peel I had and he said yes. I do not have deep scars but my worst side looks really bad to me because with my dilated pores ( he said he did not think they were icepicks) and small raised scar tissue around shallow lines and valleys, it looks uneven and rough. I wonder if I could ever have smooth skin again in this decade.
Maybe the isologen would work well on the shallow lines and valleys and the fraxel can abrade down the fibrotic scar tissue. The doctor said the fraxel works by abrading the abnormally formed scar tissue that causes scars so that my body can make new healthy collagen. He also said he would inject the raised fibrotic tissue with 5 or 10 FLU.
If you can relate to these shallow valley scars and lines and tiny lined texture even though you are young and you had fraxel done, please tell me how well it worked for these.
As I want to have my acne scarring removed and now under Fraxel procedure in Singapore. The nurse adviced me to use skincares such as TNS Recovery Complex as first layer and then combined with C-mollient as second layer before nighttime sleep. But I found the pinky color on my face not fading out. So I want to inquire if C-Mollient and TNS could be used altogether or respectively. Should I apply TNS at 7:00 PM and then, wash my face and apply C-mollient before nighttime sleep so that my pinkish look will fade out? My last question is whether the efficacy of TNS would be lessened combined with C-mollient?
Looking forward to your advice.
Ken
As I want to have my acne scarring removed and now under Fraxel procedure in Singapore. The nurse adviced me to use skincares such as TNS Recovery Complex as first layer and then combined with C-mollient as second layer before nighttime sleep. But I found the pinky color on my face not fading out. So I want to inquire if C-Mollient and TNS could be used altogether or respectively. Should I apply TNS at 7:00 PM and then, wash my face and apply C-mollient before nighttime sleep so that my pinkish look will fade out? My last question is whether the efficacy of TNS would be lessened combined with C-mollient?
Looking forward to your advice.
Ken
I don't know, call them to be sure.
What I do know is when I used TNS Recovery Complex, it totally broke me out!
As every skin responds different, you may not.
I use a scar lotion from AcneFree, and it has been totally awesome!
(Just for your info, You may respond differently).
Dear Buddies,
I am under Fraxel treatment with relatively ideal results, many of my scars are flattened and diminished. However, the scars on the right side of my face are, I guess, due to uneven or damaged epidermis. So, I want to ask if Fraxel could really help my epidermis regrow so that my scars become flattened again. If not, what treatment or skincare could help me out?
Ken
Dear Buddies,
I am under Fraxel treatment with relatively ideal results, many of my scars are flattened and diminished. However, the scars on the right side of my face are, I guess, due to uneven or damaged epidermis. So, I want to ask if Fraxel could really help my epidermis regrow so that my scars become flattened again. If not, what treatment or skincare could help me out?
Ken
Probably, collegen needs time to grow so therfore your treatments are spread out.
But do you know if it does good on shallow ice-picks, and split pores?
Results are hard to gage, and we want them like imediatly,
I just did some "TCA crossing" and swear to god I got like big results after one tx on newly split pores- well like some were old "new I mean like they are done with acne.
On some they look wider, but now are shrinking.
I am becoming very happy, but do realiize I may need another Erbium laser - this works for me and a few fraxly for the redness....
The large pores I may have to treat myself as they cant do nothing about them.
They are doing well by my TCA crosses though! 🙂
Hi, I want to first thank this forum and all of you for sharing your information and experiences. It has been a true blessing for me. I had a couple questions about getting the fraxel treatment done. I have a red mark from a scab i accidently picked from a pimple I had popped. It's really red and right under my ear. Does the fraxel treatment treat red marks? My second question is where does the whole face treatment of fraxel cover? My red mark is kind of in the back of my face (under my ear lobe) and I have some scars around my chin line. Will the whole face treatment of fraxel cover these areas? I apologize if these questions have been already answered. Thank you in advance.
Dear Buddies,
I am under Fraxel treatment with relatively ideal results, many of my scars are flattened and diminished. However, the scars on the right side of my face are, I guess, due to uneven or damaged epidermis. So, I want to ask if Fraxel could really help my epidermis regrow so that my scars become flattened again. If not, what treatment or skincare could help me out?
Ken
Why do you think your epidermis is damaged. Do you see wrinkly skin, shallow scarring with damaged looking skin with little lines in the middle. Did you have a peel that you believe caused your epidermis to be damaged. Do you have small fibrotic raised tissue that makes it look uneven. According to your statement above despite your ideal results on other scars, this damaged epidermis is not improving. Can you please describe this damaged epidermis further? I am interested in knowing what type of damage is not responding to the fraxel.
Hi, I want to first thank this forum and all of you for sharing your information and experiences. It has been a true blessing for me. I had a couple questions about getting the fraxel treatment done. I have a red mark from a scab i accidently picked from a pimple I had popped. It's really red and right under my ear. Does the fraxel treatment treat red marks? My second question is where does the whole face treatment of fraxel cover? My red mark is kind of in the back of my face (under my ear lobe) and I have some scars around my chin line. Will the whole face treatment of fraxel cover these areas? I apologize if these questions have been already answered. Thank you in advance.
The Fraxel treatments I had really helped old red marks. You didn't say how long you've had it, so I don't know if this will answer your question. I had full face treatments. It covered my whole face, except he didn't apply it above my lip(I'm assuming it would have been too painful), along my chin line(but not underneath). I'm sure they would do it under your ear lobe if you ask them to. Good luck to you.
what are split pores? you mean scarred pores? some people on here have said their greatest improvement was in scarred pores. only two said it made things worse, but their scarred pores were really bad. most likely it will improve your texture greatly. check out page 82 (i think) of this thread. there is a link to a woman who had fraxel done at baylor university. she had GREAT results in her pores.
does anyone have advice on who to get fraxel from in the NYC area?
I'm having my first session tomorrow at a place called Advanced Dermatology. They have locations throughout Queens and LI. http://www.advanceddermatologypc.com/
ok...here's my update after Fraxel #8 at 18mjs.
For all the people who haven't read all 800 pages of this thread, I have shallow scarring, but lots of it, mostly on my cheeks...one shallow scar on my lip and only two deeper scars that don't really bother me; no icepicks or scarred pores.
I am in WI and have VERY reasonable pricing for Fraxel treatments so I have decided to be the guinea pig to test whether many sessions of Fraxel at moderate settings will produce good results. The place I have the treatments done will not go above 20mjs...however I am working on persuading them to go higher.
I am very, very happy after this last treatment (on Friday). The downtime is getting better for me after each treatment, even though the settings are going up. This might be due to gradually upping the strength over many treatments; it's almost like my skin is getting used to the laser.
I am very red....like a sunburn...but have not broken out and the flaking is very tolerable and easily covered with minimal makeup. My skin is looking pretty good. I went out in public to see a movie yesterday (only 2 days after treatment) and was not uncomfortable with my skin for the first time in years.
I went to the dentist on Thursday and the receptionist said my skin looked FLAWLESS. Ok, that's crap, I'm happy about my skin, but it's far from flawless. However, the people at the dental office saw my skin at its absolute worst last year when I was having work done. Every person there commented on how great it's looking now.
I'm a believer. Perhaps I just have skin that reacts really well to this treatment, or maybe it's because of my type of scarring, but I don't care either way. This is the best money I've ever spent.
To be clear....it's not like I can walk out of the house with no makeup on...and the scarring is definitely still there. But the texture, overall skin tone and depth of the scarring has definitely improved significantly.
Thanks for that information.
I'm set to get my first treatment on 8/29.
If you have time, I have a couple of questions.
How far apart have your treatments been scheduled?
What topical routine have you used?
Are you using any nutritional supplements?
Did you alter your diet at all?
Thank you!
Thanks for that information.
I'm set to get my first treatment on 8/29.
If you have time, I have a couple of questions.
How far apart have your treatments been scheduled?
What topical routine have you used?
Are you using any nutritional supplements?
Did you alter your diet at all?
Thank you!
I assume you are asking me this? It's hard to tell in this monster thread...:)
My first three treatments (starting the end of May) were a week apart. (too close in my opinion) And I had some problems during my downtime....breakouts and weird rash type things. So the last 4 treatments in that package were spaced 2 weeks apart (give or take a few days), ending in July. This last treatment was a month after the 7th one. I have two more scheduled and I think they will be spaced about a month apart as well.
I take B5 daily and it has cleared my skin. Was on 10g daily but am moving down now to a lower maintenance dose. I also take MSM, Borage oil, Primrose oil and Zinc with Copper daily.
I use jojoba oil mixed with caster oil as my cleanser. This has been particularly helpful with the dry itchy skin that you get after having Fraxel done.
Topically I use Nicomide-T gel, which I think is B vitamins (but not sure) that helps with redness and inflammation. Then I use a mixture of Super CP serum and a Royal Jelly + HA complex. And I always wear sunscreen. I have samples from Europe that are supposed to be 60+ protection. Not sure about that claim, but it doesn't break me out so I use it.
I eat healthy. I exercise daily and try not to each junk. Occasionally a donut will sneak in here or there but I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and try to have a protein shake everyday because I'm not a huge meat eater.
This is my routine after years of trying EVERYTHING....I have a cabinet full of half used products to prove it.
This works for me....but I know it won't work for everyone. Unfortunately, everyones skin reacts differently.
My only advice is don't expect results after the first few treatments. I didn't see results until after my fifth. (some people do see results sooner). If you read through the thread, I had a period of 'Fraxel depression' where my skin looked like crap and I wasn't super pleased with how things were going.