This thread lately is starting to frustrate me. I want so bad for this to work. I'm hoping that my body reacts positive to this. I just wanted to add that I'm getting four treatments done at the laser skin and surgery center. My appointment is Oct. 19th and it's with the new Fraxel laser (SR1500). I've had one treatment done with the regular laser, but I'm moving to this other place because they have the new laser. I'm about two months since my last treatment and it was at 15 and 17 or 18. I will let you all know what kind of results I've gotten right before my third treatment which would be in January sometime. I would be so happy with 50% on my temples (deep scaring) and 90% on my forehead (slight scaring).

I came in from shopping this evening and the kitchen light blew. My hubby came in and replaced the bulb and then helped me finish putting away the groceries. Out of the blue, he turned to me and said, "you're skin is really starting to look a lot better."

Next treatment is 10/10.

YAY!

oh sorry bluekit. one or two persons on here were in the NYC study at the skin and laser center of new york. www.lasersurgery.com is their website. that was the study with dr. geronemeus who i believe is one of the earliest fraxel docs (after the guy from san diego). I was going to do the study but got knocked out due to being on antibiotics.

i believe people when they post pictures or give detailed accounts of their results. I just dont want to believe it can make skin WORSE. the pictures on http://www.lasersurgery.com/html/laser_fraxel.htm or http://www.bcm.edu/dermatology/?PMID=2331 (im sure you've all seen www.reliant-tech.com) are so good, i've even downloaded them and blew them up on my 20 inch screen in photoshop. are theses people the top 1 percent? maybe oily skin makes a difference. I read somewhere it works best on dry skin.? they are all older people, but so is billyboy and others.

maybe its just advertising like everything else. i guess the real bottom line is all about the fraxel patenters making their millions, not providing honesty and prudence to patients.

 

I *am* a research participant in the study at the laser and skin surgery center in NYC. I just wasn't in the study they did to get FDA approval. They are always doing ongoing fraxel research.

As promised, I'm back to give an update on my fraxel treatments. I'm about 3 months post-fraxel (6 treatments total) and see absolutely no decrease in scarring. I have moderate scarring, and at times it looked as if my scarring was improving, but now that I'm 3 months post I can tell this is definitely not the case. If anything, I now have enlarged pores on my nose and a few new scars because of break-outs I had during treatment. Also, I have fair skin and am experiencing mild hyperpigmentation! (They say fraxel is supposed to *help* hyperpigmentation.) My doctor wants to give me bleaching cream, but I'm hesitant about using it. I just want to give my skin a rest from all of this craziness. Lastly, I feel as if I experience much more heat/sweating in my face than I did before. (Anybody else notice this?)

My skin is worse than it was before, and it's quite depressing. I'm hoping that with time everything heals, or at least my skin tone goes back to normal.

Overall, I have nothing good to say about fraxel. I don't recommend spending money on this treatment (or, as in my case, even getting it for free).

Final Thought: Be *very* careful of what you do to your skin. Keep in mind that if you think it's bad now, it can always be worse. At least, that's what I feel I've learned the hard way.

 

IM sorry to hear about your fraxel exp.I honestly feel people here are a bit biased towards fraxel,possibly cause this is the safest hope we have.There have been so many people last year who went for fraxel and i hardly hear from them.They ones who have posted reported hardly any improvement for the scars.The people who are happy with fraxel are mainly cause of skin tone and texture but not for scars.Even after searching the net,i have seen more than 85% negative comments by the patietns about the fraxel.

The problem is there is no ablative treatment specfically for scars (except for dermbrasion but very risky),in every face rejuventaion prodcedure acne scars improvement is mentioned last and in some places its not even mentioned.FDA approval is total jack in my opinion.Also doctors have told me shallow scarred people will only see benefits cause you will actually be able to see some improvements but for people with pores,scarred pores,small scars its a waste. Anyway i hope im wrong & things with you get better in the coming months, i want to do the fraxel myself,but i havent seen enough positive things said about this by patients atleast for scars,i feel this is more of an anti-ageing procedure.

hey, im currently undergoing fraxel treatments and was wondering if i can get fillers as well or do i have to wait months after last fraxel b4 fillers? thanks

p.s i get alot of bloodspots after treatments i dunno if any1 else experiences this, most post treatments ive heard have to do with redness and swelling, my guy goes hardcore which is good

hey, im currently undergoing fraxel treatments and was wondering if i can get fillers as well or do i have to wait months after last fraxel b4 fillers? thanks

p.s i get alot of bloodspots after treatments i dunno if any1 else experiences this, most post treatments ive heard have to do with redness and swelling, my guy goes hardcore which is good 🙂

 

I had a treatment 2 days ago, and my doctor said I could get silicone injections in between the treatments if I wanted to. I'm going to wait until my treatments are done, and hopefully I'll feel o.k. with my skin that I won't want them. I did have a silicone shot on my cheek this summer(from a huge dent caused by a cortisone shot), and there is no problem with getting the Fraxel now. I have about 7 or 8 bloodspots on my face, too. My doctor is also very aggressive with my treatments, and I'm happy about that. (Except I look like a chipmunk right now!)

Calling AnnieFromMiami!

Calling AnnieFromMiami!

Any update for us?

a good number of people reported blood spots when they used higher levels and multiple passes. i tried to research it and emailed doctors. best answer i got is that with multiple passes, at high settings, the Microscopic Thermal Zones (MTZs) get laid down next to each other and on top of one another so that the injury to your skin is large enough to cause bleeding. one doctor had a name for these enlarged MTZs somthing like Necrotic Macro Foculs. He advised not doing more than a few passes over areas if bleeding was a problem, but then you get less of a treatment i guess.

i read an interesting article in the may 29 issue of business week. it said a study found only 15 percent of doctors knew what the efficacy was of the treatment they were performing. and that a lot of popular procedures are performed that shouldn't be based on other treatments that have better efficacy. mostly it was about heart surgery vs. medications, masectomy vs. lumpectomy, and radiation vs. surgery for cancers. But it was shocking to see that most doctors really have no clue. They perform procedures based on tradition and rules, not on clinical and scientific evidence. I guess with cosmetic procedures its even worse since its considered elective, so if it doesn't work its not a big deal (at least to the doctors). It also mentioned how even doctors who know about the lack of efficacy for a certain procedure will eventually cave into peer pressure from the medical community and their patients clamoring for these procedures.

combine this with what bluekit said about the biased observations the nurse in her study records and i dont even know what to say. its sad cause even after writing all this I'd still pretty much disregard every negative post or clinical study if just one person said it worked for their scars.

Ok how many different Fraxel lasers are there? My friend had one done with the newest one in August and I made an appointment for next week but now this thread is making me scared to do it. Gah! Last time i was here people were saying what great results they got. I would be happy with more even skin tone but not for 5 treatments. $$$ Gah!!

For those who've had fraxel, what is the biggest improvement you've seen in general? As in tone/pore size/etc.

Ok how many different Fraxel lasers are there? My friend had one done with the newest one in August and I made an appointment for next week but now this thread is making me scared to do it. Gah! Last time i was here people were saying what great results they got. I would be happy with more even skin tone but not for 5 treatments. $$$ Gah!!

 

Two models of Fraxel, the older version and the newest one. The newest one is the SR1500, I think - see the Reliant website and give them a call to confirm, maybe?

"For those who've had fraxel, what is the biggest improvement you've seen in general? As in tone/pore size/etc."

The biggest improvement I've seen: wrinkles on my forehead are not as deep as they were - still there but now they are much softer.

It's not done anything yet for my marionette lines, so I am starting to think fillers for that area is the way to go in my case. I'll hold off on that decision until three months after the last Fraxel (which should be the week of Thanksgiving, if I've got this planned right and the doc is available). Which means I should be getting some form of filler in the spring.

I THINK there is some very very slight improvement in my scarring at this point, but I may be imagining that. The improvement in my forehead wrinkles is very clear.

For those who've had fraxel, what is the biggest improvement you've seen in general? As in tone/pore size/etc.

 

The most improvement I've seen from my first round of Fraxel is the filling in and smoothing out of my indented scars. Also, the scars and scarred pores on my nose are better. It may have helped a little with my large pores on my nose. I just know that my makeup goes on better now. I don't believe it did too much for the ice pick scars. I still say Fraxel has been the best thing I've had done for my scarring.

i have rolling scars... and a few big icepick scars.... what is this fraxel laser. what does it do??????? and how much are you guys paying for it???????

anybody heard of smoothbeam????????

does that work?

I have a derm apt on the 19th for my last IPL acne treatment and then I can start scar removal treatments, but I want advice of which ones work best.

combine this with what bluekit said about the biased observations the nurse in her study records and i dont even know what to say. its sad cause even after writing all this I'd still pretty much disregard every negative post or clinical study if just one person said it worked for their scars.

Masterk had it done and his skin looked really great. 12 excisions and 6 fraxels none of which were noticable that he had ever ahd them done. Guess it works for some and others not so much.

combine this with what bluekit said about the biased observations the nurse in her study records and i dont even know what to say. its sad cause even after writing all this I'd still pretty much disregard every negative post or clinical study if just one person said it worked for their scars.

Masterk had it done and his skin looked really great. 12 excisions and 6 fraxels none of which were noticable that he had ever ahd them done. Guess it works for some and others not so much.

 

there has to be a reason for this. is anyone good with statistics. i'd be interested to see if those who've had success form a statistical cluster (location, dr., type of scar, number of treatments, settings, etc.)

I need your help! I am really concerned that my treatments are too conservative. I am being treated for cheeks only. I have had little improvement. I need advice. Shd I continue with this doctor even tho he seems to be conservative, or should I start shopping around for a new doctor who will be more aggressive? I am not having problems with the energy used since I am asian, I am more concerned about the passes. I have talked to this doctor about maybe doing more passes, but he's against it. I have read on this board and other sites of doctors performing up to 8 passes or more on their patients. I don't want to sound greedy, but I just want my money's worth. Help!!! What would you do?

Here are my treatment stats thus far:

1. 12 MJ 250 4 passes --

2. 14 MJ 250 4 passes 3.0 KJ

3. 18 MJ 125 4 passes 1.96 KJ

4. 20 MJ 125 4 passes 2.47 KJ

I need your help! I am really concerned that my treatments are too conservative. I have had little improvement. I need advice. Shd I continue with this doctor even tho he seems to be conservative, or should I start shopping around for a new doctor who will be more aggressive? I am not having problems with the energy used since I am asian, I am more concerned about the passes. I have talked to this doctor about maybe doing more passes, but he's against it. I have read on this board and other sites of doctors performing up to 8 passes or more on their patients. I don't want to sound greedy, but I just want my money's worth. Help!!! What would you do?

:pray: :pray:

Here are my treatment stats thus far:

1. 12/250 4 passes

2. 14/250 4 passes

3. 18/125 4 passes

4. 20/125 4 passes

 

there was confusion awhile back as to what passes means. Some people said they had 8 or more passes but they meant thats how many times the machine rolled over the face not over one spot. 8 passes over the same spot is a lot in my opinion.

once you overdo the treatment u cant take it back. id stay conservative. as long as the penetration is deep enough the coverage is cumulative. you can always go for more treatments if you feel u need them. also remember ur not going to see results until the series is done and contninuing for months after.

If you are female (thinner skin) or darker skin, I would advise being conservative.

Good news: Don't expect early results. It takes time, perhaps another 6 motnhs to see improvement.

Bad news: Your treatment is way more conservative than mine and I have yet to see any measurable benefit to scars.

Perhaps it might be best to see how people do with the new machine. I personally won't invest anymore money in the current version.

What kind of fillers are people having done? I want to have some of my marrionette lines which are scared filled in. Has anyone use Restalyn? This is the last of the newer fillers I am familiar with and it's good to hear you can do some kind of filler during the Fraxel treatment. I can't wait until I'm done.

I did Smoothbeam along with two other lasers ( I posted all about it here ages ago so you might do a search if the posts are still around) around 2 years ago and while it did help my scaring and collegen production in general I still need more improvement. I am getting older and things are sagging a bit and I have a few newish scars that need plumped up.

My smoothbeam/ laser treatments did some good as quite a few friends told me my skin looked a lot better and one even is going to my laser Doc (Dr. Friedman) to have the Fraxel done. I didn't see that big of results to me (yes some) but not as much as people were telling me so I think that we are our own worst critics and perhaps don't see the improvement that is really there. Just a thought in this crazy world of acne scarring.

I am not sure if higher settings will help your case, but I do think that the settings you have are pretty conservative. I am also Asian and had similar conservative settings and I'm not seeing scar improvements. Like others on this board, I'm doubting the effectiveness of Fraxel in treating acne scars.

I need your help! I am really concerned that my treatments are too conservative. I am being treated for cheeks only. I have had little improvement. I need advice. Shd I continue with this doctor even tho he seems to be conservative, or should I start shopping around for a new doctor who will be more aggressive? I am not having problems with the energy used since I am asian, I am more concerned about the passes. I have talked to this doctor about maybe doing more passes, but he's against it. I have read on this board and other sites of doctors performing up to 8 passes or more on their patients. I don't want to sound greedy, but I just want my money's worth. Help!!! What would you do?

 

Here are my treatment stats thus far:

 

1. 12 MJ 250 4 passes --

2. 14 MJ 250 4 passes 3.0 KJ

3. 18 MJ 125 4 passes 1.96 KJ

4. 20 MJ 125 4 passes 2.47 KJ

 

maybe your doctor will let you stop treatment until he gets the new machine. the whole point of the new machine is that it goes deeper without the pain and side effects you'd get on the old fraxel.

plus there's no blue dye which i think is irritating to the skin since it needs to be washed/scrubbed off

Maybe, I have thought about that too, but I don't know when or if they will be getting the new machine. I was going to ask him, but I felt like I already talked to much, didn't want to annoy him anymore with my questions or whatever. I will ask him next time.

 

Seriously you should not feel like you are annoying your doctor with questions. I know how you feel because sometimes I feel the same way. But, you are paying a lot of money for these treatments and it is your face! It is your doctor's job to answer all of your questions and help you understand everything, and it is your job to ask questions if you don't completely understand. If your doctor gets irritated with questions, that is a good indication that you should move on to a new doc. Just my two cents.

No, I totally understand. I have been a people pleaser all my life, it's really a hard habit to change, but I am trying.

Would you guys say that Fraxel is really good for complexion and only mildly ok for scars? Like if you have very shallow/mild scarring.

Perhaps subscision(sp) then Fraxel would yield good overall results?

PS: Can excision/subscision be done on dark skinned people?

 

combine this with what bluekit said about the biased observations the nurse in her study records and i dont even know what to say. its sad cause even after writing all this I'd still pretty much disregard every negative post or clinical study if just one person said it worked for their scars.

Masterk had it done and his skin looked really great. 12 excisions and 6 fraxels none of which were noticable that he had ever ahd them done. Guess it works for some and others not so much.

 

there has to be a reason for this. is anyone good with statistics. i'd be interested to see if those who've had success form a statistical cluster (location, dr., type of scar, number of treatments, settings, etc.)

 

Materk gave his doctor and really detailed desriptions of everything that he did. He is not on anymore so I cant really contact him.

I did see a nurse that I mentioned was having Fraxels done. She had moderate noticable scarring on her cheeks. She had great results when I saw her a few months later for a follow up for some stuff that I was doing. So thats two that I know that have done it and had terrific results.