So I just had my first treatment and wanted to share my personal experience. I had okay skin, no horrible crater scars, no major pigment problems, just your average 32 year old face with some minor sun damage and some minor acne marks. I decided I wanted to do this after having some hard times in the health and weight department. I just wanted to give myself a lift :) I want to get my skin back on track and really take care of it. In my 20's, I didn't take care of myself at all. I hardly ever wore sunscreen, ate horrible, drank and smoked. I thought it would never catch up to me, and of course it did. I quit all my bad habits a couple years ago, but the obvious damage is done. Now I am on a quest to correct what I can.
This is me on an average day:
First thing I did was go in for a consult. The dermatologist PA told me what would work best for my skin. She told me basically what to expect. I decided on the laser as opposed to a chemical peel, because the laser is more effective and the healing time is pretty much the same. Might as well get all the bang for the ugly I can was my thinking.
I went in a couple weeks later, expecting to be drugged like my consult lady told me... only to find out that she was new to the place and was not trained in the protocol of this facility. Sooooo yeah... I was not happy. But I was so excited, I decided to go forth and get it done. They were LATE taking me back, which also upset me. Needless, to say... I would never recommend the place I went.
I had an 800 mg Ibuprofen, that I had brought with me and they put numbing gel on my face for one hour prior to the procedure. I found them to be unprofessional and frankly, snobby in every sense of the word. But anyway, you aren't reading this to hear about all that. Let's get to the photo's and what happened.
So here I am, waiting for my face to go numb. My husband sat with me, which helped with the nerves. I had been warned this laser hurts. So to find out I am getting no drugs, I was even more anxious.
Next step, they take me to the laser room I get on this table and they put these stickers on my eyes to hold them shut. I get a pair of little glasses too. Then they hand me a hose that blows like artic cold air. I am instructed to wave this thing around while they do the laser. Then they tell me to be sure I do not hold it in one place too long or I can get frost bite. AGAIN, I am like wtf, really?!?! I am in charge of the frost bite blower? Please remember to ask lots of questions at the office you go to... I will compile a list at the end of this blog lol. I wish I had known what to ask prior. Not all facilities are created equal... even though it is a doctor's office. UGH. Let's move on....
Aright, so I am armed with my artic blower, my eyes are sealed shut, and here comes the laser. The physician assistant tells me she is going to make one pass to show me what it is going to feel like. Ok, go. First response... I can handle this... sure no problem. Then she makes several passes over my hairline and forehead. We have to have 4 passes vertically and 4 horizontally. Lots of people will tell you that it doesn't hurt. Or that it was like a rubber band popping you. LIES. If that was true for them, they are either getting a less aggressive laser or they have no nerves. IT HURTS. It hurts real freakin' bad. The worst part for me was my forehead and temples, followed by my cheeks.
Laser #1 was the most aggressive. It targeted the purple colored acne scars I had. Laser #2 was less painful and targeted my sun damage, the brown spots and freckles. By the time we got to the second laser, I felt like I could handle it, simply because it wasn't as horrendous as laser one. It only took about 15 minutes, maybe 20 to complete the treatment. They told me I needed this Bio cream for my face that will help it grow new lovely skin... so I got it for a whopping $150. So total cost to me was about $2000 by the time I got the sunscreen and moisture balm plus this miracle cream. Which is fine, I wanted it done, and I was willing to pay. Keep in mind I bought the package of 3, so I could get a better price. The consult lady says I only needed 2 treatments but it was cheaper to buy 3... and again, I am not sure anybody has their sh** together at this fancy place I went to... so who really knows.
I walk out and find the hubby in the waiting room. He inspects my face and says wow, you look pretty good already. I take this as a good sign. We get into the car, and I think I am going to cry. My face is really hot and I just feel so tired. Likely from being so stiff/tense from trying to tolerate the pain from the actual laser. But we start the 45 minute drive home, and within about 25 minutes I am feeling some relief. By the time we get to the burger joint and by the pharmacy to pick up my prescription to prevent fever blisters, I am feeling way better.
This was my little before and after picture... directly before the laser and about 20 minutes after:
I feel like there is already a significant difference in my appearance.
Here is day 3:
I have been very scaly like a reptile ever since. My skin literally looks like a brown lizards.
Okay! I am on day 5 now, and looking WAY GOOD lol! The peeling started on day 3, and looked like sand. It was not like flakes of skin at all. It looked just like sand from the beach. I know you are not at all supposed to touch it but I did. It was driving me crazy. I went to work yesterday which was day 4. I was still peeling, but not nearly as yucky. So I did put on just a few dabs of foundation on the pink new skin.
This is me a few days before the procedure with make up on... and then yesterday with just a touch of make up on... the difference is HUGE.
The scars are gone. This is not the norm, they say it usually takes multiple treatments to get rid of scars. Mine must have not been as deep. You can see I am still peeling the brown sandy looking skin on the sides of my face towards the hair line. I am very pleased with my results. I am not done peeling, and it will take 2 months to reach the full effect of the laser treatment. It will only get better! I am going to have 2 more treatments, but plan to really space them out, as it looks like one is plenty effective for my skin. Perhaps I will get one a year in the fall, after the summer sun. Of course I will be lathering my new face in sunscreen daily! I also ordered some retinol to start using next month. I want to keep my "investment" looking as good as possible, for as long as possible. Like I said, I am starting over and going to really be diligent in my skin care routine. I am not 20 something anymore and the time to nip aging is NOW!
Progression photo, taken daily... the first is obviously before the laser. The last is day 6 with make up on. Second to last is day 6 with NO makeup on :)
I will update this as things progress. Come back and visit to see my final results :)
***For now, let me compile that list of things you need to ask and look for when trying to find a place to do this.
What to ask!!!
1.) May I see before and after pictures of patients YOU did this on.
2.) How many times have you performed this procedure? (make sure they are legit, I suggest looking for reviews on the Dr. or facility)
3.) Are you going to give me oral pain or anxiety medication? (go somewhere that does. seriously.)
4.) Is your laser actually a "Fraxel" brand laser? And does it have the cold air attachment on it or am I going to have to blow my own face with the hose!!!)
5.) What do I need to do prior to this treatment? (they didn't tell me anything)
6.) What will I need to do post treatment? (didn't tell me much)
7.) GET A HANDOUT. This place I went didn't give me any paper materials to refer to!
8.) Can you explain what this laser will do, and how well it would benefit my skin type?
9.) Please explain the possible side effects and risks in depth. (again, they didn't really explain anything to me!)
10.) When is it safe to.... (wash face, wear make-up, go swimming, go outside, sleep flat again, etc.)
*Overall, just find out as much as you can, and the way I see it, if you have to ask all this stuff... probably go somewhere else! I was pretty much flabbergasted by the fact that they didn't have a handout and just have a whole run down ready to go over with me. I got minimal information. After my procedure I came home and did my own research. I should have done it first. I just assumed a dermatologist office would have my best interest at heart because that is supposed to be their job. And this building was state of the art and everyone who worked there looked stunning... my husband's jaw was pretty much on the floor the entire time. I liked the fact that all the staff had flawless skin. However, that doesn't make it a great place to go. Don''t be like me... find a place with their ducks in a row. So far things look like they are going according to plan... but I would have felt better if I had a more "with it" set of doctor's and physician's assistants.
2/16/16 Update: I just had my 2nd Fraxel done and it was by the same girl.... who I found out is neither a doctor nor a nurse.... just went to cosmetology school. Not knocking her, I just wish I had understood the situation before I went through with all of this. My face looks good, I went less "aggressive" this time. Will post pictures when it heals.
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