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how old are you pockgirl? also how is your overall health? i'm sure collagen rebuilding can and may begin soon as 12 days or even sooner all based upon your age, for i know its a fact that people who are under 25 years of age produces mass collagen and when you hit 25 years old, that is when your collagen stops or decrease production.
Age is important so I am sure you will get a better result than I did. I can tell you that I don't notice any change week by week, but I do notice a small improvement if I look at 1 month, 2 month and 3 month intervals.
Also, maybe the new machine is way more effective and you are one of the fortunate ones. Please don't take it the wrong way, but you must generate millions of collagen cells within a scar in 12 days necessary to see a 60% improvement, not to mention all the collagen that must be replaced after being fried by the laser. This runs counter to the literature I have read as to timeframes.
The Reliant funded studies report benefits when reviewing patients 3 months and 6 months after last treatment, NOT 12 DAYS AFTER FIRST. Everything I have read and been told by docs is that you often don't start to see improvement until the third treatment.
I hope what you see is true. I just don't want others to get their hopes up too high. I will remind people that no one on this site has presented their own pre and post detailed photos documenting a substantial improvement. I really want to see this to give me hope in the new fraxel, despite the mild letdown I had with the first.
Can I get some advice from you guys? I went in for my 5th fraxel back in August, paid the $750 they charged me after the treatment and left the office. Today I got a bill from the doc's office for a bill for $180 for an "office visit" - I called them and they said it was because the doctor (who's only an intern) gave me a Rx for Benzaclin. I went in for a fraxel treatment and got that but then the doc gave me a Rx saying I should take care of my acne. I never asked for the Rx. Does this really constitute an office visit? I already paid for so much at this office and for them to do this to me, it's just unbelievable.
i'm 5.5 days after my 2nd fraxel treatment
(my first was one month previously)
AND.. i've just noticed something happening on the side of my biggest scar
i know it could be swelling (although imo it looks different to how it's looked before when swollen)
or it could be a pimple
but could it be scar healing/collagen forming?
maybe not so much from the recent treatment? but maybe from the first one?
could anyone who's experienced good healing tell me what exactly this looked like?
oh yeah and if it's relevant, i recently turned 23
Can I get some advice from you guys? I went in for my 5th fraxel back in August, paid the $750 they charged me after the treatment and left the office. Today I got a bill from the doc's office for a bill for $180 for an "office visit" - I called them and they said it was because the doctor (who's only an intern) gave me a Rx for Benzaclin. I went in for a fraxel treatment and got that but then the doc gave me a Rx saying I should take care of my acne. I never asked for the Rx. Does this really constitute an office visit? I already paid for so much at this office and for them to do this to me, it's just unbelievable.
That's RIDICULOUS..... If I were you, I'd fight it. Call the office and let them know how displeased you are, that you didn't ask for the Rx and you never would have accepted it had you known it would cost you an additional $180. I received numerous prescriptions at my Fraxel sessions and I was never charged an additional fee for an 'office visit'. I'd have screamed bloody murder if they tried that with me....
i'm 5.5 days after my 2nd fraxel treatment
(my first was one month previously)
AND.. i've just noticed something happening on the side of my biggest scar
i know it could be swelling (although imo it looks different to how it's looked before when swollen)
or it could be a pimple
but could it be scar healing/collagen forming?
maybe not so much from the recent treatment? but maybe from the first one?
could anyone who's experienced good healing tell me what exactly this looked like?
oh yeah and if it's relevant, i recently turned 23
It definetely could be collagen!! I can see collagen patches forming inside of some of my indented scars. You can tell it's not swelling. The new collagen actually has a lighter color than the rest of my skin for a few days. Good for you!
I am so ashamed. It appears I have been duped. Someone that I referred to Dr Kovak PM'd me and told me they believe he isn't using the new Fraxel, as I thought, and is using the Palomar Lux 1540 laser. This person sent me an article about this laser. It isn't even approved by the FDA for acne scarring, but for soft tissue coagulation. The reason I experienced so much bleeding is because the Fraxel makes smaller holes. Also, Fraxel sells for $100,000, and the Palomar $45,000. This is apparently why I haven't been getting the blue dye. This machine is not proven with solid clinical studies. I am sick about this. I'm very sorry I've mislead all of you. I have always been under the impression that this was the new Fraxel. He told me he was the 2nd person in the U.S. to have this. I'm calling him tomorrow and going to try to get my money back for the rest of the treatments. I don't want to be a guinea pig for a machine that is not even approved for this. I had so much faith in these doctors, I can't tell you how upset I am.
i'm 5.5 days after my 2nd fraxel treatment
(my first was one month previously)
AND.. i've just noticed something happening on the side of my biggest scar
i know it could be swelling (although imo it looks different to how it's looked before when swollen)
or it could be a pimple
but could it be scar healing/collagen forming?
maybe not so much from the recent treatment? but maybe from the first one?
could anyone who's experienced good healing tell me what exactly this looked like?
oh yeah and if it's relevant, i recently turned 23
It definetely could be collagen!! I can see collagen patches forming inside of some of my indented scars. You can tell it's not swelling. The new collagen actually has a lighter color than the rest of my skin for a few days. Good for you!
thanks so much for your reply! i'm getting more excited about fraxel now 🙂
and glad to hear it's happening for you too!
i honestly believe that there is no such thing as a "new fraxel machine" but it is only a calibrated upgrade to the software that the machine runs that lets it go deeper and less pain, along with a much lesser passes but still as effective. i will confirm this when i talk wit my doc this thurs/fri .
Today is the fourth day after Fraxel. I can say that yesterday, my skin looked so good. I thought it was permanent until today. Everything is back to normal. I can see all of the scars again. I don't think setting 18 is high enough for any result. I really wish I could see some difference. Some dry patches came off and my cheeks is pinkish right now too .
I am so ashamed. It appears I have been duped. Someone that I referred to Dr Kovak PM'd me and told me they believe he isn't using the new Fraxel, as I thought, and is using the Palomar Lux 1540 laser. This person sent me an article about this laser. It isn't even approved by the FDA for acne scarring, but for soft tissue coagulation. The reason I experienced so much bleeding is because the Fraxel makes smaller holes. Also, Fraxel sells for $100,000, and the Palomar $45,000. This is apparently why I haven't been getting the blue dye. This machine is not proven with solid clinical studies. I am sick about this. I'm very sorry I've mislead all of you. I have always been under the impression that this was the new Fraxel. He told me he was the 2nd person in the U.S. to have this. I'm calling him tomorrow and going to try to get my money back for the rest of the treatments. I don't want to be a guinea pig for a machine that is not even approved for this. I had so much faith in these doctors, I can't tell you how upset I am.
Aww, that sucks. You shouldn't feel ashamed; your doctor should. I am really sorry if he lied to you. I saw Dr. Kovak for a consult before he got the new machine, and he did tell me then that he was getting the new Fraxel machine. You deserve your money back and then some. If it were me though, it wouldn't even be mainly about the money; it would be about the time, disappointment, emotional rollercoaster, and the like.
I am guessing that different companies make Fraxel and the Palomar. If so, he could be in trouble with the Fraxel people for lying about using their new machine. If you do want to get all of your money back, I might think a little before you call. Maybe I am paranoid, but I suspect they may deny that he ever told you he was using the new Fraxel. I don't know, maybe find other people who have seen him who he also told this to or contact a lawyer to ask their advice. I really don't know, but a package of treatments is expensive enough that I would not want to lose that money, especially not to a dishonest doc.
Hey all~ ehh I am considering Fraxel laser for some pretty deep scars on my cheeks after excision and subscision, but I have a patch of vitiligo on the back of my neck that's been there since I was a kid (10 yrs?) and I was wondering how ablasive is Fraxel compared to say Erbium and would it be risky for me to undergo Fraxel treatment on my cheeks for the scars? Thanks in advance 
!
kaa,
fraxel is a form of erbium but more advanced and less invasive but more effective, for it is newer technology.
mz43020,
may i ask how old you are and why you think 18 is not a high enough setting, i have my 1st appointment this saturday, and i was planning on starting out at 20, but i'm considering going even harder like 30 or 40.... i have pretty fair/white skinned for an asian, and i have been getting ready with a hyperpigmentation cream that is really strong to help suppress the organism that makes hyper-pigmentation so my doc can go deep and be aggressive, also i sure hope he gets his machine calibrated.
Jeez, some have great results others not great.
sigh,
Maybe time will build your new collagen. I guess that is what it supposed to do.
I am going for a micro-laser peel tomorrow, which ia not that invasive, but need a week "inside the home" to peel.
I pray they go deep enought to get rid of some light scarring, I have left.
These guys don't like to do too much, like invasive here.
So like if you went in with fairly OK skin, but shallow scarring, and some split pores, this guy said like to spot treat and blend it in is perfect, and I would get an at least 85% over my present state.
So I guess I'll try it, sometime in Jan. if need be. (probably). I find the best way to treat scars is perservernce over time.
Some with major scarring, must spend a few years of stopped and start tratment, as it is just impossible to fix with like 5 fraxels.
It's been live with the improvement, take break, try something else, take break.
Worth it in the end, but you do know you have to keep seeking improvement to succeed.
Now, after my life story, does anyone on this thread think Fraxel is good to do to improve minor scars and all over pores, and even (like level) skin evening out.??
I'd appreciate it as I have had it all done, and just want a further surface and some shallow scarring gone.
And have been so dissapointed in the past.
Thanks, if you can answer,
BB
u know what betty, i too was looking for an answer to all of my shallow scarring and pores and etc. and i come to realization that the newest technology for all of this is fraxel, i mean if it wasn't a "miracle" laser why would it be on the news so much, and is perhaps the most expensive treatment out there, i am no dermatologist but i remember this derm sayin that he can give me a 80 percent improvement wit erbium yag, and thank goodness a member i met here did da same operation wit the same derm and he said he got like a 3 percent improvement, so you have to remember that derm are business man, they can only sell what they think of which machine they have that will help. i haven't gotten fraxel done yet but trust me, i know how u feel, but soon, i am doin fraxel, real soon, 2 more days!!!
I know I saw a 60% improvement and all you guys said that's impossible but let's face it, we've all got scars and we're all looking for that miracle cure.
Fraxel is "THE BIG THING" at the moment and we're all trying it...let's just have faith in this and if it doesn't work, well, we'lll just have to wait for the next "BIG THING" to come along
xxxxx
u know what betty, i too was looking for an answer to all of my shallow scarring and pores and etc. and i come to realization that the newest technology for all of this is fraxel, i mean if it wasn't a "miracle" laser why would it be on the news so much, and is perhaps the most expensive treatment out there, i am no dermatologist but i remember this derm sayin that he can give me a 80 percent improvement wit erbium yag, and thank goodness a member i met here did da same operation wit the same derm and he said he got like a 3 percent improvement, so you have to remember that derm are business man, they can only sell what they think of which machine they have that will help. i haven't gotten fraxel done yet but trust me, i know how u feel, but soon, i am doin fraxel, real soon, 2 more days!!!
Simply Me,
please keep us posted as I will start this in Jan. (On the newest laser), but spot treat and blend in kinda thing.
I am real excited to hear how the first tx. went for you, and how it is healing/ healed.!!!
Please lets all fill in, and when I do it will too!!
Thanks for the encouragement.!
Betty
Jeez, some have great results others not great.
sigh,
Maybe time will build your new collagen. I guess that is what it supposed to do.
I am going for a micro-laser peel tomorrow, which ia not that invasive, but need a week "inside the home" to peel.
I pray they go deep enought to get rid of some light scarring, I have left.
These guys don't like to do too much, like invasive here.
So like if you went in with fairly OK skin, but shallow scarring, and some split pores, this guy said like to spot treat and blend it in is perfect, and I would get an at least 85% over my present state.
So I guess I'll try it, sometime in Jan. if need be. (probably). I find the best way to treat scars is perservernce over time.
Some with major scarring, must spend a few years of stopped and start tratment, as it is just impossible to fix with like 5 fraxels.
It's been live with the improvement, take break, try something else, take break.
Worth it in the end, but you do know you have to keep seeking improvement to succeed.
Now, after my life story, does anyone on this thread think Fraxel is good to do to improve minor scars and all over pores, and even (like level) skin evening out.??
I'd appreciate it as I have had it all done, and just want a further surface and some shallow scarring gone.
And have been so dissapointed in the past.
Thanks, if you can answer,
BB
I'm curious to know if anyone is taking a collagen rebuilding supplement while doing the fraxel treatments? I keep hearing a commercial on my local radio station for Ultra90, it's supposed to help your body more quickly rebuild collagen. Any thoughts? Think something like this could be helpful?
I am so ashamed. It appears I have been duped. Someone that I referred to Dr Kovak PM'd me and told me they believe he isn't using the new Fraxel, as I thought, and is using the Palomar Lux 1540 laser. This person sent me an article about this laser. It isn't even approved by the FDA for acne scarring, but for soft tissue coagulation. The reason I experienced so much bleeding is because the Fraxel makes smaller holes. Also, Fraxel sells for $100,000, and the Palomar $45,000. This is apparently why I haven't been getting the blue dye. This machine is not proven with solid clinical studies. I am sick about this. I'm very sorry I've mislead all of you. I have always been under the impression that this was the new Fraxel. He told me he was the 2nd person in the U.S. to have this. I'm calling him tomorrow and going to try to get my money back for the rest of the treatments. I don't want to be a guinea pig for a machine that is not even approved for this. I had so much faith in these doctors, I can't tell you how upset I am.
What was this doctor charging you per treatment? Did he directly tell you that he was using the Fraxel II machine? If so, that is fraud.
As for the Palomar Lux 1540 laser, how have your results been? I wouldn't worry about being a 'guinea pig' for this laser; the Fraxel machine was not approved to treat scars initially either. Doctors were using it for scarring long before the FDA finally approved it. This is just a competitor for the Fraxel laser....which I think is a good thing. It should bring prices down eventually and if it is effective, Reliant and other companies will be forced to come out with even better technology to compete. However....if you were paying 'Fraxel' prices, then your doctor is dishonest and should refund at least part of your money.
My PS just switched from the Fraxel to the Palomar machine. However, he said that if his patients aren't satisfied with the results, he will get the Fraxel II. I have had 9 Fraxels, and my last treatment will be with the Palomar. It doesn't bother me, I'm curious to see how it compares.
I took (and still take) MSM as collagen supplement. Not sure if it helped, as my scarring results, as measured by VISIA and by close up pre/post photes in very harsh light did not reveal much improvement. I have to cut my nails all the time though.
I think I may still be seeing some very slight improvement, even though my last treamtnet was July 11. I was told to expect this for at least 6 months following my last treamtnet.
I have forwarded my VISIA results and photos to Fraxel, as they have a group that reviews cases brought to their attention with weak responses, like mine. They have not responded to my most recent email.
Don't get me wrong, I think this procedure is safe and easy compared to say a dermabrasion. However, my scarring results (which were classified as shallow by the derms I saw) have been very disappointing and I sometimes wonder whether I should have tried the derm, but I am too scared to try it. Besides, it is very operator dependent, whereas fraxel is is not.
I am really hoping to see others post theri pre and post photos, especially on the new Fraxel. Reliant reps led me to believe this is a quantum leap in treating scars becasue of the ability to safely go 30% deeper, but this could be hype to sell lots of the new machines before a likely IPO.
I am so ashamed. It appears I have been duped. Someone that I referred to Dr Kovak PM'd me and told me they believe he isn't using the new Fraxel, as I thought, and is using the Palomar Lux 1540 laser. This person sent me an article about this laser. It isn't even approved by the FDA for acne scarring, but for soft tissue coagulation. The reason I experienced so much bleeding is because the Fraxel makes smaller holes. Also, Fraxel sells for $100,000, and the Palomar $45,000. This is apparently why I haven't been getting the blue dye. This machine is not proven with solid clinical studies. I am sick about this. I'm very sorry I've mislead all of you. I have always been under the impression that this was the new Fraxel. He told me he was the 2nd person in the U.S. to have this. I'm calling him tomorrow and going to try to get my money back for the rest of the treatments. I don't want to be a guinea pig for a machine that is not even approved for this. I had so much faith in these doctors, I can't tell you how upset I am.
What was this doctor charging you per treatment? Did he directly tell you that he was using the Fraxel II machine? If so, that is fraud.
As for the Palomar Lux 1540 laser, how have your results been? I wouldn't worry about being a 'guinea pig' for this laser; the Fraxel machine was not approved to treat scars initially either. Doctors were using it for scarring long before the FDA finally approved it. This is just a competitor for the Fraxel laser....which I think is a good thing. It should bring prices down eventually and if it is effective, Reliant and other companies will be forced to come out with even better technology to compete. However....if you were paying 'Fraxel' prices, then your doctor is dishonest and should refund at least part of your money.
My PS just switched from the Fraxel to the Palomar machine. However, he said that if his patients aren't satisfied with the results, he will get the Fraxel II. I have had 9 Fraxels, and my last treatment will be with the Palomar. It doesn't bother me, I'm curious to see how it compares.
I'm sure he told me it was the new Fraxel. I thought I was seeing some results, but today it looks like all the swelling is gone, and it's back to the way it was. After having my number on 60, I believe I should have seen something. I am really bothered by all this pin point bleeding I'm getting. Did you get this, and what # were you on? I paid $3000 for 6 treatments for my chin, cheeks, and temples. He told me he gave me a discount because this is my second time. What bothers me is the last time I was there I asked for a brochure on the new Fraxel, and they gave me a copy of the old one. What does that tell you? I don't want to go through this again with this machine, because of all the bleeding. A person on here told me they weren't getting all this bleeding with the real Fraxel.