<p>50 is approaching and I am noticing changes I dont like in my skin and body! I took the plunge and had a fraxel laser treatment to my face last Friday. I look rather frightful today and wondering if this is going to be worth it? Has anyone had this treatment (suppose to remove discolorations/freckles/and give smoother/fresher looking skin?) and did you find the results worth it?</p>
<p>I had to google this. Does it work like a peel, with solution on your face and then the doctor moves the laser around your face? I’ve know people who have had blue peels, but perhaps thisis the latest technique.</p>
<p>With the peels, its like a bad sunburn, then all clear around day 5.</p>
<p>Are you happy with the results?</p>
<p>I have heard of this (but never had it done). Did you have it done in a dermatologist’s office? They should have told you what the recovery time is – I think it’s 5-7 days and you should really not be out in the sun at all. But it’s supposed to have really nice results!</p>
<p>I have rosecea and visible capillaries on my face (there’s a name for the capillary thing that I never remember)and have had fraxel (as well as some other lasers) as well as IPL treatments over the past 10 or so years. I have found my face is back to “normal” - no swelling or excess redness - within 24 hours.</p>
<p>I did have this done in my dermatologists office…they suggested it after I pointed out my freckles on nose and brownish “grandma” spots on the sides of my cheeks…they said they have nothing but happy customers with this treatment (although they do recommend several treatments for most) I was warned that I should not have anything “important” scehduled in the next 3-4 days as I would not look good!<br>
They put numbing creme on for 1 hour prior to the laser, the laser part takes about 45 minutes…my doctor does 3 passes over every area for a deep treatment…It is a little painful, but not bad durning the procedure due to the numbing…but after…wow! Liek my face was on fire and red and swollen…I went to bed with a Norco and ice packs propped up on 4 pillows so as not to swell more! Next few days you keep alot of greasy cremes on your face and the skin feels like sandpaper…then flakes away and I now have quite pink, incredibly smooth and soft skin…with much diminished freckes and spot…I am told any sun will burn and cause damage to this “new” skin so am usng a cool powder 50 SPF brush on sunscreen and hat if I leave the house! Happy so far, and will probably do my chest next…results are suppose to improve over the next month or so as the laser also stimulates collagen growth…and only had a day or two were I felt a bit uncomfortable leaving the house…but if you didnt know better you would probably think I had just been very foolish and received a bad sunburn and was peeling and red from that!</p>
<p>I get IPL regularly for rosacea. My skin is too sensitive for Fraxel (I’ve asked). Even after IPL, my face really burns and is red and swollen for a few days. It will go away. Like Katie93 said, keep it moist. I use hydrocortisone cream the first day and aquaphor for a few days aferwards. I’ve also had it done on my chest and arms. Works great for brown spots as well as redness due to broken blood vessels. </p>
<p>Most important thing is to use lots of sunscreen…forever. Any improvements to your skin with diminish with sun exposure. Brown spots will reappear. I put sunscreen on my face, chest and arms several times a day. Makes a big difference.</p>
<p>OP</p>
<p>I have used it only on a small scar and have been happy.</p>
<p>Women I know who did it are happy with the results. The down time is not fun - however I think you will be posting before too long how it was well worth the investment. (here it is quite pricey)</p>
<p>One thing to know is sunscreen is super important.</p>
<p>Katie93-would gracelessly work in sun damaged skin in that v- neck area? Is that where you’ll do it next? I tried microdermabrasion there but it didn’t really do anything</p>
<p>^ I had IPL done on my neck and chest and it worked great. I was getting that V shaped sun damage on my neck.</p>
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<p>It cost me about $900 to do 2 sessions. I’m not sure how much Fraxel is but according to my aesthetician (who does both IPL and Fraxel), IPL works better for sun damage, Fraxel for wrinkles. Here’s a comparison:</p>
<p>[Light</a> vs. Laser: Which Treatment is Right For You?](<a href=“http://www.freshvancouver.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=235:light-vs-laser-which-treatment-is-right-for-you&catid=35:skincare&Itemid=76]Light”>http://www.freshvancouver.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=235:light-vs-laser-which-treatment-is-right-for-you&catid=35:skincare&Itemid=76)</p>
<p>ok…I’m hooked…the Fraxel was worth the money! Almost all of the brownish areas of discoloration (call them “sun spots”, “age spots” “freckles” or “melasma”)are gone…and the texture of my skin is better than I can ever remember…I am not even wearing makeup and have to say I am impressed! I will be having the additional treatments (the recommendation is a series of treatments for best results)
Classof2015–I am going to do my chest next as well…I dont have the condition MomLive referenced…I have brownish spots from sun exposure (remember “tanning” with baby oil? I Do!) and the texture is not as smooth and fine as I would like…
My dermatologist did say that the fraxel was not for broken capillaries or red spots…there are different lasers for that! I guess there is a laser for everything these days skin-wise!</p>
<p>thanks katie93mom – I’m glad you could figure out what I meant (how does my phone change fraxel laser to “gracelessly”?) – please let me know how it turns out. I’m glad you now have younger pink smooth baby skin! Worth the pain and healing time, it sounds like.</p>
<p>MomLive – thanks for letting me know about the IPL results. I’ll ask my derm if he offers it. I would really like to eliminate all that sun damage from the v-neck area – bumpy skin, rough texture. </p>
<p>So IPL for sun damage; fraxel for wrinkles; something else for capillaries and red spots. Got it. :)</p>
<p>Hi Classof2015…I think you will find fraxel works really well for sundamage…I really didn’t have wrinkles (what few I was getting I corrected with botox! …wow I sound vain…really not that way…just want to look how I feel!)
The fraxel for me corrected sun damage (brownish spots and rough texture to the skin) the greatly improved the texture of my skin… I am impressed with the results…just going to be hard to maintain by staying out of the sun! (I am a sun lover!)</p>