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Troubled
Thanks for advice. I think I am ok on diet and I swim about 3 miles every day, mostly in morning shade (now with onset of fall). But people ask about my tan all the time. I tan very easily despite being blond/blue and swimming in shade, but maybe sun exposure hurt my Fraxel progress, even though I was/am rigorous about facial sunblock. I am sure my age (55) hurt. I think I am seeing very subtle improvement since my last set of photos, so I am favorably rethinking my views on cost /benefit of Fraxel.
I remain dubious of those who perceive quick results.
Yes, total energy was 13 in the last of my 4 treatments. This consisted of 8 passes at 25 mjs, with 125 mtz per cm2 density, and 2 passes at 30 over scarred areas. I did not ask for total energy in prior treatments. By extrapolation, I am guessing that total energy was 6 in # 1, 9 in #2, 12 in #3, and of course 13 in # 4.
I have appointment with Doc to see what he suggests.
Troubled
Thanks for advice. I think I am ok on diet and I swim about 3 miles every day, mostly in morning shade (now with onset of fall). But people ask about my tan all the time. I tan very easily despite being blond/blue and swimming in shade, but maybe sun exposure hurt my Fraxel progress, even though I was/am rigorous about facial sunblock. I am sure my age (55) hurt. I think I am seeing very subtle improvement since my last set of photos, so I am favorably rethinking my views on cost /benefit of Fraxel.
I remain dubious of those who perceive quick results.
Yes, total energy was 13 in the last of my 4 treatments. This consisted of 8 passes at 25 mjs, with 125 mtz per cm2 density, and 2 passes at 30 over scarred areas. I did not ask for total energy in prior treatments. By extrapolation, I am guessing that total energy was 6 in # 1, 9 in #2, 12 in #3, and of course 13 in # 4.
I have appointment with Doc to see what he suggests.
Sounds like your your healthier then me at 33! Then again all you would see in my pool at this time of year is ice in Wisconsin. 🙂 Incidentally, I've been keeping in touch with someone about my age that didn't see result until Fraxel # 5 so if you are seeing results I wouldn't say you are doing all the bad. Here's a PDF that touches on some of the more common mistakes of under treatment. http://www.reliant-tech.com/downloads/Reli...sider0805v6.pdf
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.
Techincally rendering medical treatment without consent is assualt. You should file a complaint with your state dept. of professional misconduct. You were getting treated for acne scars not active acne. Even giving a prescription for something that was not consented to is assualt. If it was something like an injection that would actually be battery.
Melb
I am guessing that 17 was the mjs of energy for each mtz (this afffects depth), as opposed to total energy applied to face. Call office to confirm. Based on my experience, I don't think 17 will improve scarring.
I would also discuss (I requested more aggressive treatment than anyone else they had treated) plan as to energy in mjs, density, and # passes. At the end, they can tell you the total energy count in KJ. You should ask for this. If you tolerate the procedure well, you might want to increase mjs, as well as total energy by, say, a 25% increment on your next treatment, if your Doc is ok with it.
My first treatment was at 15 mjs. My second was at 20, etc.
my first fraxel session is tomorow. i'm going to ask for 20 mjs if my doc is doing something lower then that, if he's doing higher, then i'm going to just go with it. wish me luck guys. thanks troubled skin by the way, your words really helps. i'll post as soon as i finish the treatment.
Melb
I am guessing that 17 was the mjs of energy for each mtz (this afffects depth), as opposed to total energy applied to face. Call office to confirm. Based on my experience, I don't think 17 will improve scarring.
I would also discuss (I requested more aggressive treatment than anyone else they had treated) plan as to energy in mjs, density, and # passes. At the end, they can tell you the total energy count in KJ. You should ask for this. If you tolerate the procedure well, you might want to increase mjs, as well as total energy by, say, a 25% increment on your next treatment, if your Doc is ok with it.
My first treatment was at 15 mjs. My second was at 20, etc.
thanks for your advice
i'm going to try to get my doctor to go up on the settings.
i know she did increase it for the second treatment compared to the first
but she was very worried about going too high because of the risk of hyperpigmentation (i'm asian). but luckily so far so good 🙂
Hey guys, is fraxel suppose to make scars look worse before it gets better? I noticed my scars are more noticeable. I even tried applying makeup. It looks much worse than before. I don't think I'm benefiting from the smoothness everyone is talking about. This has happened to others right?
i think it's because you're taking off the superficial epidermis so it temporarily reveals the scar that's deeper until the skin regenerates
my post-fraxel skin goes something like swollen for 5 days, then a few days of my pores looking bigger, then it starts to get smoother
i think it's because you're taking off the superficial epidermis so it temporarily reveals the scar that's deeper until the skin regenerates
my post-fraxel skin goes something like swollen for 5 days, then a few days of my pores looking bigger, then it starts to get smoother
Yes I'm freaking out right now. I'm staying away form the bathroom at all times now. I think you are right because my skin is still red. I just can't really look at myself today. Earlier I applied 100%Aloe Vera (fote) and it just made it more visible. I can really feel the depth of each scar. and My scars has always been red. I was wondering how long it will take for the normal skin tone to come back? The Aloe Vera gives me a tingly feeling like it is doing something. Also I have red linear scar line from excision? My skin is red and everything is magneticized. My doctor did mention about going back to Obagi after a week. Its been 9 days now. I think I should start using Tazorac + Obagi tomorrow. Hope it will help. My pores are the same though. I also notice tiny white spots on couple of my scars. Are those collagen or new skin tissue? I will really be appreciated if someone could help answer my questions. Today is definately one of my bad days, I really want to cry out.
hello my fellow fraxeling homies,
i just woke up from a long needed sleep, last night, i couldn't even sleep, i stayed awake all night til morning, i laid there from 1 to 7 am and decided that i could not sleep. i guess i was suffering from insomia or i was having too much on my mind and excited i guess. but anyways, i went to office at 9:15am, before hands i had to buy some vitamins. (calcium and vitamin C w/ rosehip)
they numbed me pretty good for about 1 hour, then blue dye, then it begins. me n him talked numerously about the mjs, the depth of the setting and cause i'm light skinned asian, he said its best if we see how i react to 16 mjs first then up it later. i just went along with it, and you know at 16mjs and with the annestetic, it still hurts!!! at a pain level from 1-5 it started from 1 then slowly went up to 4, i would never said 5 but imagine someone who is pinching u hard a lot of times, tiny pinches like stings. well the forehead was the most painful, then the chin and jaw area for the bone was nearer, the nose was almost painless. during the procedure the tip of the fraxel expired, so i had a couple of minutes to rest. this is a full face treatment by the way. i think he did 8 passes total, i'm not sure but he did extra passes on my worst scarred areas. i was so thrilled that it was over, i mean the pain is tolerable but it is nothing like any of the previous lasers i tried, like vbeam, gemini, and saline injection.
what really pisses me off is that the nurse lost 20 dollars of mine, i clearly paid her 560 dollars in cash and she said i gave her 540 only, wdf!!!! arghs, i'm pissed at that and i need to vent and get it off my chest, there goes 20 bucks of my hard earned money. i still have 3 treatment left to go and i owe about 500 bucks left from the package of 4. the blue dye wasn't that hard to get off but afterwards, my face was super numb and swolen to the max, it has a reddish tone all around like a bad sunburn but my skin feels really tight together. i'm hoping for overall wrinkles to be gone and all my pores to be smaller cuz i feel the tightening of the skin. also i hope for my superficial scars and quoted on the doc's paper, "attrophic" scars will go away. wish me luck.
oh yea, i have confirmed with the doc that the so called new fraxel machine is only a software update where it allows the depth to go much deeper and less density, my doc said he will upgrade the software in about 2 weeks from reliant and i have an appointment in about 3 weeks so i'm hoping i will the new version of fraxel my next treatment in november 17th.
oh yea one more thing, i saw that polamar machine and i thought that was what he uses for fraxeling but thank God it wasn't, i was so thrilled when he brought in the Reliant Fraxel machine. wish me luck guys, and i hope that helps, i'll answer any questions if anyone is confused. thanks
hello my fellow fraxeling homies,
i just woke up from a long needed sleep, last night, i couldn't even sleep, i stayed awake all night til morning, i laid there from 1 to 7 am and decided that i could not sleep. i guess i was suffering from insomia or i was having too much on my mind and excited i guess. but anyways, i went to office at 9:15am, before hands i had to buy some vitamins. (calcium and vitamin C w/ rosehip)
they numbed me pretty good for about 1 hour, then blue dye, then it begins. me n him talked numerously about the mjs, the depth of the setting and cause i'm light skinned asian, he said its best if we see how i react to 16 mjs first then up it later. i just went along with it, and you know at 16mjs and with the annestetic, it still hurts!!! at a pain level from 1-5 it started from 1 then slowly went up to 4, i would never said 5 but imagine someone who is pinching u hard a lot of times, tiny pinches like stings. well the forehead was the most painful, then the chin and jaw area for the bone was nearer, the nose was almost painless. during the procedure the tip of the fraxel expired, so i had a couple of minutes to rest. this is a full face treatment by the way. i think he did 8 passes total, i'm not sure but he did extra passes on my worst scarred areas. i was so thrilled that it was over, i mean the pain is tolerable but it is nothing like any of the previous lasers i tried, like vbeam, gemini, and saline injection.
what really pisses me off is that the nurse lost 20 dollars of mine, i clearly paid her 560 dollars in cash and she said i gave her 540 only, wdf!!!! arghs, i'm pissed at that and i need to vent and get it off my chest, there goes 20 bucks of my hard earned money. i still have 3 treatment left to go and i owe about 500 bucks left from the package of 4. the blue dye wasn't that hard to get off but afterwards, my face was super numb and swolen to the max, it has a reddish tone all around like a bad sunburn but my skin feels really tight together. i'm hoping for overall wrinkles to be gone and all my pores to be smaller cuz i feel the tightening of the skin. also i hope for my superficial scars and quoted on the doc's paper, "attrophic" scars will go away. wish me luck.
oh yea, i have confirmed with the doc that the so called new fraxel machine is only a software update where it allows the depth to go much deeper and less density, my doc said he will upgrade the software in about 2 weeks from reliant and i have an appointment in about 3 weeks so i'm hoping i will the new version of fraxel my next treatment in november 17th.
oh yea one more thing, i saw that polamar machine and i thought that was what he uses for fraxeling but thank God it wasn't, i was so thrilled when he brought in the Reliant Fraxel machine. wish me luck guys, and i hope that helps, i'll answer any questions if anyone is confused. thanks
Thats so nice that you get to try the newer model next visit. My doctor won't have the upgrade until Jan. sometime. She told me that I won't need to go that high. I believe my next appt. is also on the 17th. Keep me updated for sure because I'm very curious whether our experience would be alike or not.
Does anyone know if the pain will be the same if gone at higher levels or not? If I rate the pain btw. 1-5, I would say 3.
#1 cubsfan I'm also from Illinois and I have experience w/ Dr.Kovak. First off I'd like to say the first time I met him I had a bad feeling about him.Anyway he suggested Fraxel for my scars.So I wanted to see a few more Dr.'s b-4 I made a decision.Well when the new Fraxel thread was poste I immediately called his office to see if they had it and they told me "Yes we have the new Fraxel Laser" so I then said "The SR1500?" and she said "We have the Palomar fractional laser the newest Fraxel laser."
mz43026,
for sure i will keep you updated and everyone else on the thread. i remember reading that you were treated at 15 mjs at 8 passes, then they jumped it to 18 mjs for 4 passes? how was it at 18mjs? i was at 16mjs through the whole treatment and it was somewhat painful, perhaps more painful due to the fact that i didnt sleep that night.
are you peeling yet? i'm noticing a lot of peeling from my jaw already. also i'm just wearing a moisturizer i bought from my doc and using a gentle face wash. also i try to intake as much protein as i can, and my vitamins consist of vitamin C with rosehip, calcium, zinc, and MSM. i'm not sure if i'm missing anything else but if i get back to work this coming week, for sure i will buy some cod liver oil and gotu something.
we're somewhat very similiar mz.43026, i'm from Orange County and i'm 21, male asian with fairly light skinned and was treated at 16 mjs for 1st treatment, i still sure hope that i get to try the upgraded version of fraxel next time though.
also i try to intake as much protein as i can, and my vitamins consist of vitamin C with rosehip, calcium, zinc, and MSM. i'm not sure if i'm missing anything else but if i get back to work this coming week, for sure i will buy some cod liver oil and gotu something
I have been taking Udo's oil for about a month, and I love it. No, my scars are not magically filling in, but my skin does look healthier and is softer. It has a good balance of Omega 3, 6, and 9, from many natural sources, i.e. flax oil, evening primrose, etc. etc. So, you get more out of it, in a better ratio, than just taking flax oil or fish oil or the like. Anyway, I won't bore you, you can check it out on your own if you like. They have it at Whole Foods and Wild Oats, but you can get it a lot cheaper if you look around on the internet. It is on the expensive side. Oh, I have been taking the oil form, but I think they have it in pill/gelcap form as well.
I am from Hong Kong and now under Fraxel operated by a renowned dermatologist. He originally advised me to receive mini fraxel, which is only to resurface around 8% of the face each session instead of the formal that treats 16% each time. It means that I have to accept 12 times of mini fraxel so that I could have 96% of my face treated (not including the overlap). After 6 times of treatment, the overall of my appearance is in fact improve, many rolling scars is flattened except some indented scars that are fibrosis.
I notice, as my epidermis is relatively thiner than that on another body part, I want to have some skincare to stimulates the proliferation of epidermal cells so that my epidermis will become thicker. Because some area of my face's epdermis is thin, some area thiner, that makes my face not so even. Do you guys know any skincare could solve my problem and enhance the fraxel effect?
I am from Hong Kong and now under Fraxel operated by a renowned dermatologist. He originally advised me to receive mini fraxel, which is only to resurface around 8% of the face each session instead of the formal that treats 16% each time. It means that I have to accept 12 times of mini fraxel so that I could have 96% of my face treated (not including the overlap). After 6 times of treatment, the overall of my appearance is in fact improve, many rolling scars is flattened except some indented scars that are fibrosis.
I notice, as my epidermis is relatively thiner than that on another body part, I want to have some skincare to stimulates the proliferation of epidermal cells so that my epidermis will become thicker. Because some area of my face's epdermis is thin, some area thiner, that makes my face not so even. Do you guys know any skincare could solve my problem and enhance the fraxel effect?
Hi Newpride,
I am also from hong kong, a year and a half ago i had an accident with a product which caused me to have
scarring. I've seen many derms but i don't know any reilable Dr which deals with fraxel. It would be a great
help if you can give his name and number so that i can have a consult with him. I really would like to try
fraxel but i'm afraid he will refuse because i have very sensitive skin. You have given me hope, maybe i
can improve my scars.
I am so happy you had success with fraxel!
K.T.
Sorry New Pride,
Actually i wanted to pm you, instead i posted here by mistake.
Can you pm me instead, thanks !.
mz43026,
for sure i will keep you updated and everyone else on the thread. i remember reading that you were treated at 15 mjs at 8 passes, then they jumped it to 18 mjs for 4 passes? how was it at 18mjs? i was at 16mjs through the whole treatment and it was somewhat painful, perhaps more painful due to the fact that i didnt sleep that night.
are you peeling yet? i'm noticing a lot of peeling from my jaw already. also i'm just wearing a moisturizer i bought from my doc and using a gentle face wash. also i try to intake as much protein as i can, and my vitamins consist of vitamin C with rosehip, calcium, zinc, and MSM. i'm not sure if i'm missing anything else but if i get back to work this coming week, for sure i will buy some cod liver oil and gotu something.
we're somewhat very similiar mz.43026, i'm from Orange County and i'm 21, male asian with fairly light skinned and was treated at 16 mjs for 1st treatment, i still sure hope that i get to try the upgraded version of fraxel next time though.
I don't really think it was that painful now I think of it. It was particularly in some areas. I guess it feels like having a razor scrape at your skin. The pain is somewhat similar to Micro laser peel I've had and maybe I've tolerate some pain from doing so many chemical peels. You should tell your doctor to turn the cool air up high enough for you. My doctor turned it all the way up for me.
I already peeled on the 4th or 5th day. I've mention it on previous post. I'm taking Vitamin C and B6. I've started Obagi today for 1 week and then I will leave my skin alone for 2 weeks before 2nd treatment. You should be more swollen today right?
2nd day of 1st fraxel. 
sighz, u know what i learned, i woke up today broked out wit a lot of white heads over my chin and other areas, its not a severe break out cuz its like tiny little white heads only but it looks disgusting. i think this is due to the fact that i was moisturizing and my skin was trying to shed and the moisturizer clogged the shedded dead skin with the pores and made me break out with white heads. i'm so glad i can just hide in my house for a couple of days, but i sure hope my skin gets better by next saturday for my uncle's engagement party. the white heads are kinda small, at a feet away, you can't see it, but up close you can see it, its like a moderate amount, i would say its nothing but now its a lesson learn. i'm going to STOP MOISTURIZING and just leave my face alone, no nothing on it and let the remodeling do its job underneath. i know that white heads are collagens stuck to pores known as over produced collagens. so yea... i sure hope them white heads don't last long... i'm still a little swolen, its nothing really, doesn't bother me, i lost about 9 lbs before the 1st fraxel so now it looks like i'm back 9 lbs, lol.
aside from that, no nothing on my face, i'm going to just let it be regular skin and of course avoid sun light at all cost. i pray that it will keep shedding and my white heads will be gone. 
I am from Hong Kong and now under Fraxel operated by a renowned dermatologist. He originally advised me to receive mini fraxel, which is only to resurface around 8% of the face each session instead of the formal that treats 16% each time. It means that I have to accept 12 times of mini fraxel so that I could have 96% of my face treated (not including the overlap). After 6 times of treatment, the overall of my appearance is in fact improve, many rolling scars is flattened except some indented scars that are fibrosis.
I notice, as my epidermis is relatively thiner than that on another body part, I want to have some skincare to stimulates the proliferation of epidermal cells so that my epidermis will become thicker. Because some area of my face's epdermis is thin, some area thiner, that makes my face not so even. Do you guys know any skincare could solve my problem and enhance the fraxel effect?
If you go to the holistic health section of acne.org, they have a topic on putting coconut on the menu. One of the posters claims that coconut increases the thickness of the epidermis. The poster believed that his/her skin was very thin and easily scarred before eating coconut products.
Coconut could be added to a diet by means of coconut oil in cooking or coconut flakes. It has a lot of proclaimed benefits, so I decided to add it to my diet. I put coconut flakes on my oatmeal or cereal in the morning and use coconut oil when I put anything on the skillet. I haven't noticed a profound difference in the thickness of my epidermis yet, but the first few days I noticed I had more energy. The first week I added it to my diet I couldn't fall asleep until about 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning (luckily, I don't have class until noon everyday).
A natural way is worth checking out.
mz43026,
for sure i will keep you updated and everyone else on the thread. i remember reading that you were treated at 15 mjs at 8 passes, then they jumped it to 18 mjs for 4 passes? how was it at 18mjs? i was at 16mjs through the whole treatment and it was somewhat painful, perhaps more painful due to the fact that i didnt sleep that night.
are you peeling yet? i'm noticing a lot of peeling from my jaw already. also i'm just wearing a moisturizer i bought from my doc and using a gentle face wash. also i try to intake as much protein as i can, and my vitamins consist of vitamin C with rosehip, calcium, zinc, and MSM. i'm not sure if i'm missing anything else but if i get back to work this coming week, for sure i will buy some cod liver oil and gotu something.
we're somewhat very similiar mz.43026, i'm from Orange County and i'm 21, male asian with fairly light skinned and was treated at 16 mjs for 1st treatment, i still sure hope that i get to try the upgraded version of fraxel next time though.
I don't really think it was that painful now I think of it. It was particularly in some areas. I guess it feels like having a razor scrape at your skin. The pain is somewhat similar to Micro laser peel I've had and maybe I've tolerate some pain from doing so many chemical peels. You should tell your doctor to turn the cool air up high enough for you. My doctor turned it all the way up for me.
I already peeled on the 4th or 5th day. I've mention it on previous post. I'm taking Vitamin C and B6. I've started Obagi today for 1 week and then I will leave my skin alone for 2 weeks before 2nd treatment. You should be more swollen today right?
The Fraxel packet that the dermatologist had me fill out gave a list of things not to do before a treatment and what to do post treatment. It said to stay away from Retin-A and aspirin which makes sense. What really confused me was that it said to stop all vitamin C & E supplements 1 week prior to treatment (but not to worry about the small amounts in a multivitamin). Does anyone have an idea of why they would request this?
ask your doctor about vitamin C. I can't believe it is telling you NOT to take it. among other things, vitamin C is essential in the chemical reaction that creates collagen. burn victims are given copious amounts with their high protein diet in order to grow new skin. the same principle applies to fraxel. you're cheating yourself out of optimal results if you dont take vitamin C.