My Fraxel Laser Treatment Experience

i have a younger sister who was blessed with a complexion that is darker than my own. people always thought she was older, and when most of us were all slathering up with hawaiian tropic tanning oil and taking naps in the sun on spring break to get the perfect sunburn that turns into a tan, she was probably laughing inside because she only needed a fraction of a moment to get the same look without the pain. 

she also worked at a tanning bed salon, and somehow had the foresight to know she would need some cosmetic help with those tan wrinkles by this point in life. i didn't have that foresight (prob 'cause i didn't work at a tanning salon and see a bunch of old leathered ladies multiple times a day). i am also not basic like my sister is. 

anyway, she convinced me to get botox. my bf convinced me to get it from a doctor rather than a med spa. so, i headed to my dermatologist - westlake dermatology, a place i've been many times to get skin checks, but never for anything cosmetic. i love going to this place, because i love the staff, and the office decor makes me feel like i'm at a cocktail party. after getting a consult, dr. tomc hooked me up with dysport and some fillers, and also suggested fraxel. i had zero intention of getting laser treatment because i had never heard of it, but then my curiosity and twist of vanity got the better of me, and i started doing some research. what i found was a bunch of people who had the results i had been trying to achieve with make-up tutorials on youtube after they had the treatment. that, combined with a very reasonable quote from the good doctor, and i was sold. if you're curious, my gripe was with acne scarring for the most part. 

if you're looking for another story of how it went for someone else because you can't decide, here is my candid feedback, with photos. 

this is me, after getting lubed up with numbing gel at the doctor. i wore this for about an hour, and after that long, the nurse, ashley, had me pop out to the restroom to wash off the gel with some gentle cleanser. i then returned to the treatment room, where i was given a stress ball and a vibrator. no, not that kind of vibrator. it's used to distract from any pain you might have. this is also what they did when i got needles stuck into my face at my injectables appointment. 

the treatment lasted about 20 minutes, dr. tomc and ashley talked to me the whole time, which was probably a better distraction because during this pandemic, i am craving conversation with people outside my immediate circle pretty badly. she started on one side of my face and moved all around. it was not painful until the second time she did that, and the third was the worst. but, as someone who has a number of tattoos in a number of different places on the body, i can tell you this pain was comparable, and maybe a tiny bit worse at times, but those times were much shorter than they would be if you were getting inked. 

after all the laser portion was completed, she coated my face with a gel, then a moisturizer, and she let me sit in the room with a cool air hose for as long as i wanted. i stayed a few extra minutes. she went over post-treatment care, as well (stay out of the sun, sleep elevated, use a light moisturizer, oil-based cleanser, that kind of stuff). 

the rest of the day, i felt like i had a sunburn on my face. i still felt numbness for a while, which is kind of like the numb you might feel from getting a cavity filled. except your whole face and not just half of it. 

just after the treatment, in the car.

at the end of day 1.

day 2 was not as uncomfortable as day 1. my face is obviously drier than it was before, but i felt a little relief after using my cleansing and moisturizing regimen. there are patches like the smoother side of sandpaper around my nose and on my chin. just before bed time, i began to feel some slight itching sensations around the edges of my face. 

day 2 morning

    day 2 evening

this is what i've been using to clean my face, then soothe.

day 3 morning.

day 3 was a lot like day 2, except i had a couple of times throughout the day where i wanted to scratch my face. mostly, my chin area is rough, and looks like it's peeling away like snakeskin after washing it at night. my skin felt dry as the sahara by dinner time, so i put a little moisturizer on to help with the tight feeling. found it difficult to wrap my mouth around my sub sandwich without feeling like my skin would crack. other than that, no real discomfort. 

day 3 night time

day 4 morning

still did not feel uncomfortable on day 4 after washing my face, but i will tell you the cetaphil gel i got feels really nice on my skin. the sandpaper texture on my chin and cheeks is still there.

day 4 morning

i noticed when washing last night that i have some brown spots that looks like dirt popping up on my forehead and cheeks. i feel like there should be some peeling happening. 

after 11 days, i believe my healing process is over. i can tell that there are wrinkles missing from my cheeks, and my scarring is not as terrible on my chin. i'm very happy with the overall result. trying makeup the first time, i was able to completely skip liquid foundation and just use light powder and mascara.