Does Fraxel Repair REALLY do all that?

[wenc3160 0]

I recently went to a derm who does Fraxel Repair to see if I am a candidate and how much it costs. She quoted a price of $3,200 for full face. I have deep ice pick scars from cysts. I asked her if fraxel repair would get rid of these and she said yes. I'm skeptical. Any input is appreciated. I hate to spend that kind of money and not have the results I'm looking for.

Thanks,

cysts are the pits!!!!!!!!

[uofababy 0]

I've gone to several doctors and have been told that repair will give some improvement but it may take a couple of sessions. I think it all depends on your scarring.

[Minty Peas 3]

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

[Wantonwonderer 3]

I had Fraxel Re:pair in November. You may be able to find my original post on the subject in this forum. I paid $3500 for very minimal improvement on my deepest scars. Only the very shallowest of scars have improved. Also, the treatment was VERY painful. I generally have a fairly high tolerance for pain (ex: I had my wisdom teeth extracted while awake with minimal trauma). I have been offered second spot treatments with the Re:pair at no cost due to my marginal results. I have not yet repeated the procedure due to pain. I was told to expect 65-70% improvement on my deepest scars and I see maybe 5%. I just wanted to add my input so you know what to expect. I would be very suspicious of any doctor that promises miraculous improvement in a single session with this laser.

[wenc3160 0]

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

[mr. matt 99]

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

thanks for your post. Yes, I am a little skeptical, not only with shelling out that kind of mony but the results she said, she did not hesitate, and I'm worried about the down time and healing. she indicated 8=10 days. I would expect more thatn 50-70% improvement speinding that kind of money.

For icepick scars, I would recommend the TCA Cross Method. It is far less expensive and has been proven to help improve the appearance of this type of scarring.

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

[tia ann 0]

I had it done and it smoothed out my face a bit but i was raw for close to two weeks and i smelled like yard mulch...

i would do it again...........

whenever you see any diff at all it's worth it..

best of luck to you.

[valo_123 1]

I just had my 7th treatments done a week ago. I pay $50 for my cheeks or $100 for my full face. I honestly would never pay $3200 for the minimal improvement i got over time. My guess is it would be even less effective for ice pick scars. I got fraxel done for my shallow rolling scars and it's helped but the results have faded over time. That's why I'm getting some more treatments.

Is it $3200 for a series of treatments or only for one?? I can't believe these places charge such a crazy price for such a little procedure. My face is completely back to normal now and I had it done last friday btw

[DudleyDoRight 144]

I just had my 7th treatments done a week ago. I pay $50 for my cheeks or $100 for my full face. I honestly would never pay $3200 for the minimal improvement i got over time. My guess is it would be even less effective for ice pick scars. I got fraxel done for my shallow rolling scars and it's helped but the results have faded over time. That's why I'm getting some more treatments.

Is it $3200 for a series of treatments or only for one?? I can't believe these places charge such a crazy price for such a little procedure. My face is completely back to normal now and I had it done last friday btw

Valo, you are talking about Restore not Repair. Repair is much more intense than restore.

Wenc, I have had Repair done twice with good results, but I cannot comment on icepick.

[uofababy 0]

I think you should speak to more people like Dudley that have had the REPAIR not the restore because they are two different things! Good luck!

[AcnePwns 8]

I just had my 7th treatments done a week ago. I pay $50 for my cheeks or $100 for my full face. I honestly would never pay $3200 for the minimal improvement i got over time. My guess is it would be even less effective for ice pick scars. I got fraxel done for my shallow rolling scars and it's helped but the results have faded over time. That's why I'm getting some more treatments.

Is it $3200 for a series of treatments or only for one?? I can't believe these places charge such a crazy price for such a little procedure. My face is completely back to normal now and I had it done last friday btw

$50-$100 for Fraxel? That's unheard of! The cheapest I've ever heard was $700 for repair.

[frojo49 0]

I'm new to replying to people's posts, but I myself am considering Fraxel Repair during the summer when I'm off from work. I'm so uncertain if I'm doing the right thing. Money really isn't the issue, although I'm not wealthy. It's just that I've dealt with acne all my life and I would do anything to be less conscious when in public. I am now 59 and I've had it. I have occassional breakouts, but the main concern is the deep scars left behind from all those years of cystic acne. I hope this treatment helps because I get so depressed looking in the mirror every day and trying to disguise it. Any input would much appreciated.

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

thanks for your post. Yes, I am a little skeptical, not only with shelling out that kind of mony but the results she said, she did not hesitate, and I'm worried about the down time and healing. she indicated 8=10 days. I would expect more thatn 50-70% improvement speinding that kind of money.

For icepick scars, I would recommend the TCA Cross Method. It is far less expensive and has been proven to help improve the appearance of this type of scarring.

If your scarring is deep and your doctor is telling you straight out "Yes, it will get rid of your scarring," I would be very skeptical. Fraxel Repair certainly isn't a magic bullet for scars. At the very most she should be telling you that it will probably flatten and reduce the appearance of your scars by 50-70%.

Even then, everyone's skin responds differently to treatment. It works great for some people, while others don't see very much improvement. It could take two or more treatments to get decent results, as well. I had Deep FX which is a similar thing, and it did improve my skin texture and make my scars flatten out somewhat, but they are still there and still quite noticeable.

[MrObi 0]

I had Fraxel Re:pair in November. You may be able to find my original post on the subject in this forum. I paid $3500 for very minimal improvement on my deepest scars. Only the very shallowest of scars have improved. Also, the treatment was VERY painful. I generally have a fairly high tolerance for pain (ex: I had my wisdom teeth extracted while awake with minimal trauma). I have been offered second spot treatments with the Re:pair at no cost due to my marginal results. I have not yet repeated the procedure due to pain. I was told to expect 65-70% improvement on my deepest scars and I see maybe 5%. I just wanted to add my input so you know what to expect. I would be very suspicious of any doctor that promises miraculous improvement in a single session with this laser.

The fact that your derm offered this for FREE, that is really awesome. Just my opinion. If my derm offered anything remotely like that I would've jumped on it.

No pain..no gain!

[Zangief 0]

Hate to burst your bubble but, fraxel or pretty much any laser procedure provides minimal at best for icepick scarring or any type of deep scarring. The only benefits you will see is a huge dent in your wallet. Trust me, I had it done a year ago by supposedly one of the best derms in the Boston area and was fed the same sales pitch. After a few treatments, I did notice a smooth tone to my complexion but it is not worth the money for that benefit.

[drexel 0]

Hate to burst your bubble but, fraxel or pretty much any laser procedure provides minimal at best for icepick scarring or any type of deep scarring. The only benefits you will see is a huge dent in your wallet. Trust me, I had it done a year ago by supposedly one of the best derms in the Boston area and was fed the same sales pitch. After a few treatments, I did notice a smooth tone to my complexion but it is not worth the money for that benefit.

I think you may be talking about the RESTORE. The OP is talking about the REPAIR.

[kidrock29520 4]

I recently went to a derm who does Fraxel Repair to see if I am a candidate and how much it costs. She quoted a price of $3,200 for full face. I have deep ice pick scars from cysts. I asked her if fraxel repair would get rid of these and she said yes. I'm skeptical. Any input is appreciated. I hate to spend that kind of money and not have the results I'm looking for.

Thanks,

cysts are the pits!!!!!!!!

I've heard from alot of people that they didn't really see great results. I'm sure you could probably get great results with a strong tca peel or tca cross or possibly even a phenol peel if you want to go that route. Good thing about those is your not gonna pay anywhere near 3200 dollars. You could also do TCA's yourself if you wanted, just make sure to do lots of research first.

[DudleyDoRight 144]

Frojo49, the summer is not the best time to have Repair done because of the need to avoid the sun. With that said, Repair is by far the best treatment I have used, and I have done Dermabrasion and CO2. The key is that is is NOT a "one and done" procedure and you must expect 2-4 treatments to achieve optimum results. I have already had 2 Repairs(I try to avoid the word Fraxel because of the confusion), and I am planning my 3rd in the fall. Some of the posters above are talking about Fraxel Restore, which is a totally different animal and not nearly as intense as Repair. The results are cumulative so do not expect miracles after the first Repair. Pay particular attention to the treatment level, 70mj is the max level

[Brad22 0]

Frojo49, the summer is not the best time to have Repair done because of the need to avoid the sun. With that said, Repair is by far the best treatment I have used, and I have done Dermabrasion and CO2. The key is that is is NOT a "one and done" procedure and you must expect 2-4 treatments to achieve optimum results. I have already had 2 Repairs(I try to avoid the word Fraxel because of the confusion), and I am planning my 3rd in the fall. Some of the posters above are talking about Fraxel Restore, which is a totally different animal and not nearly as intense as Repair. The results are cumulative so do not expect miracles after the first Repair. Pay particular attention to the treatment level, 70mj is the max level

I had a full face fraxel repair done in July of 08, an area on my left cheek done in October, Feb, and just recently a week and a half ago. To start with I had I guess a few boxscars that really bothered me, over the course of the treatments they really filled in and became smaller to the point now where they look like large pores. My doc charged me 4000 for the full face and 150 for each spot treatment.

[DudleyDoRight 144]

Brad22, WOW, you got off very cheap, especially since you had Repair in July 2008. I paid 5k in May 2008 and 2k in Jan 2009, but both times were full face and the 2nd time included the neck. Basically you had 4 Repairs on your most difficult area with good results. I am thinking it will take 3-4 Re:pairs for optimum results for me.

[the_se7en 1]

Is there no treatment for deep scarring? I am in desperate need for deep scarring treatment after accutane!

[UC 951 0]

I had Fraxel Re:pair in November. You may be able to find my original post on the subject in this forum. I paid $3500 for very minimal improvement on my deepest scars. Only the very shallowest of scars have improved. Also, the treatment was VERY painful. I generally have a fairly high tolerance for pain (ex: I had my wisdom teeth extracted while awake with minimal trauma). I have been offered second spot treatments with the Re:pair at no cost due to my marginal results. I have not yet repeated the procedure due to pain. I was told to expect 65-70% improvement on my deepest scars and I see maybe 5%. I just wanted to add my input so you know what to expect. I would be very suspicious of any doctor that promises miraculous improvement in a single session with this laser.

I'm curious, what anesthetic did you have, if any? topical, or did you also have injections of some sort? I'm getting the DeepFX and I'm a baby, so I want to demand for some kind of injection.

[Vanzzzz 0]

Is Repair any different from MiXto SX CO2 Fractional Laser?

[DudleyDoRight 144]

Is Repair any different from MiXto SX CO2 Fractional Laser?

I have finally found the link I had lost some time ago. I will also post this as a seperate link because the question has been asked so often. Pay particular attention to the Laser Specifications Table near the bottom of this site. From what I have heard doctors say the depth of penetration is the most important factor. ie 700 microns = .7mm

http://www.mixtoskinresurfacing.com/downlo...heticTrends.pdf

[MrObi 0]

Dudley,

Perhaps you can answer this question....I looked at Mixto laser in that chart....ablation depth is only about 500 micron, and when I finished with my Fraxel Restore last Thursday, the screen showed '1176 micron'...how is this possible? Can non-ablative lasers actually penetrate deeper than ablative?

[DudleyDoRight 144]

MrObi, "Fraxel (re:store) is an erbium laser, and is considered non-ablative (does not remove tissue) whereas the re:pair causes ablation. Removing tissue will result in more wrinkle correction and tightening. The CO2 also causes some peripheral heat damage which also leads to more tightening. The erbium causes very little peripheral heating."

"Fraxel Restore is a non-ablative laser. By that I mean, it does not remove the top layer of skin(epidermis). It works at a 1550nm wavelength. Because it is non-ablative, recovery time is faster, although multiple treatments are necessary to achieve desired results. Recovery time is minimal.

Fraxel Repair is an ablative fractional CO2 laser, that works at 10,600nm wavelength. It achieves better results for skin rejuvenation, often in a single treatment. It does have a recovery healing time of 3-7 days"

Both of these quotes come from doctors on RealSelf. I don't pretend to understand how non-ablative lasers work. Everything I found mentions depth of penetration for Restore(I like to not use the word Fraxel because of all the confusion), but nowhere does it give a number. Interestingly in my research I saw it mentioned that the Depth of Penetration for Big Bad CO2 was .3mm. This does not really answer your question, but here is another site with doctors who will be better able answer your questions.

http://www.medicalspamd.com/display/Search...oduleId=2388248