5 months after the 5th fraxel
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enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:55 am Quote

I want to give an update on how my skin looks today. I really thought that it had improved a lot, but it seems that either the micro swelling lasts very long, or the skin reverts back to the way it was somehow... my scars had improved probably 75% until about a couple of weeks ago... today they look exactly the same as before the first fraxel. Sooooo, that's 3,000 dollars for a less than a year of improvement with a lot of pain and a day or two of down time each time. Sad

*and I have brown spots that I've never had before that appeared right after the fourth fraxel and never went away...makeup covers it, but still...

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:57 am Quote

I'm jaded... so I'm going to say something that a lot of you probably don't want to hear... the dermaroller causes micro swelling too... so don't judge your results until around the 6 month point...

Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:59 am Quote

anomaly wrote:

I'm jaded... so I'm going to say something that a lot of you probably don't want to hear... the dermaroller causes micro swelling too... so don't judge your results until around the 6 month point...

Can you elaborate, anomaly? Did you notice this on your skin? I wonder if others have noticed this? Thanks! Smile

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:04 pm Quote

anomaly wrote:

I want to give an update on how my skin looks today. I really thought that it had improved a lot, but it seems that either the micro swelling lasts very long, or the skin reverts back to the way it was somehow... my scars had improved probably 75% until about a couple of weeks ago... today they look exactly the same as before the first fraxel. Sooooo, that's 3,000 dollars for a less than a year of improvement with a lot of pain and a day or two of down time each time. Sad

*and I have brown spots that I've never had before that appeared right after the fourth fraxel and never went away...makeup covers it, but still...

I did 4 Fraxel treatments for $3500 two years ago, and had similar results (meaning none!)

I think it may have also actually caused my hyperpigmentation to get WORSE, sigh.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:05 pm Quote

My face reacts exactly the same way as after a fraxel, redness and swelling... after the first day the swelling goes down a little and actually looks good, makes you look younger and the scars are less evident... I think the swelling lasts longer than we think, to a small degree, and so the effect that you see for weeks after rolling will be only temporary. I'm just saying, wait awhile before you judge the final result.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:05 pm Quote

havana8 wrote:

anomaly wrote:

I'm jaded... so I'm going to say something that a lot of you probably don't want to hear... the dermaroller causes micro swelling too... so don't judge your results until around the 6 month point...

Can you elaborate, anomaly? Did you notice this on your skin? I wonder if others have noticed this? Thanks! Smile

I'll be interested in Anomaly's reply as well.

Anomaly, how long have you been rolling, and with what length needles?

Thanks!

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:06 pm Quote

I've rolled about 4 times with a 1.5 roller.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:31 pm Quote

anomaly wrote:

today they look exactly the same as before the first fraxel. Sooooo, that's 3,000 dollars for a less than a year of improvement with a lot of pain and a day or two of down time each time. Sad

*and I have brown spots that I've never had before that appeared right after the fourth fraxel and never went away...makeup covers it, but still...

I had been considering fraxel for some time but I'm starting to read too much about people not getting results.
Thats a real bummer....at that money and pain and nothing to show for it.

In all my research it seems to be quite common for hyper pigmentation to appear after. I am curious how many who got pigmentation after stayed out of the sun and wore daily sunscreen though.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:22 pm Quote

I so wanted to try Fraxel lazer - I thought it was the foutain of youth..... until I got on here and started reading things - LucyLuc was especially helpful in her advice Against Fraxel lazer. She mentioned something like it Melts skin which scared the beejeezus out of me. She is big on the research of such things. Anyway, I've saved money that's for sure. And travel - it was a long distance to be able to get to a place that actually performed the procedure.

I do want to get two dermarollers. On another site it was recommended to me to try the .5 for product absorption purposes and the 1.5 for collagen deposition. Again these are cheaper options than the fraxel lazer.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:27 pm Quote

I have wasted $4,000 on useless lasers.I wished I had researched before.I have actually gotten better results using certain SkinMedica products and Revive skin care products...and a few others.There is a new laser out called Pearl laser,I think its by cutera.,its supposed to be really good,I have a friend who is having it done under her eyes she will keep me posted on the result,she also had it done for a big melasma spot. Yes, with lasers you tend to swell so it tends to plump up a wrinkle...but that can be temporary!A lot of these drs are very busy and rely on a "salesman" for info, best to check it out online on all the forums.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:35 pm Quote

GirlieGirl wrote:

anomaly wrote:

today they look exactly the same as before the first fraxel. Sooooo, that's 3,000 dollars for a less than a year of improvement with a lot of pain and a day or two of down time each time. Sad

*and I have brown spots that I've never had before that appeared right after the fourth fraxel and never went away...makeup covers it, but still...

I had been considering fraxel for some time but I'm starting to read too much about people not getting results.
Thats a real bummer....at that money and pain and nothing to show for it.

In all my research it seems to be quite common for hyper pigmentation to appear after. I am curious how many who got pigmentation after stayed out of the sun and wore daily sunscreen though.

I wear sunscreen daily without fail and rarely go in the sun. The brown spots appeared during the healing stage while I was hidden away in my home and never went away.
ETA: well, actually they faded after a peel, but came right back with a vengence.

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:44 pm Quote

anomaly wrote:

My face reacts exactly the same way as after a fraxel, redness and swelling... after the first day the swelling goes down a little and actually looks good, makes you look younger and the scars are less evident... I think the swelling lasts longer than we think, to a small degree, and so the effect that you see for weeks after rolling will be only temporary. I'm just saying, wait awhile before you judge the final result.

I can totally see your point, and I certainly can't disagree with you since I am just now wrapping up my first series of rolls (2 more to go before my break). I have also noticed that my results look really great some days, and less great on others, which is a bit disconcerting.

Your skin does look really good a few days/week after a roll, and I think that some people do get addicted to that...perhaps that's one of the reasons that they roll more frequently than the inventors recommend.

I'm glad that I am sticking with the .15mm (as opposed to longer needles) during my break for product penetration a few times a week...hopefully that will keep any residual swelling from hanging around longer than necessary, and keep any new swelling from occuring during my break.

Thanks for the perspective...I really hadn't considered that, and will view my short-term results a little differently now.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:28 am Quote

Anomoly and Bethany, thanks so much for sharing your results. I'm sorry about your experience, but am grateful that you've taken the time to warn us so that we don't suffer the same.

I think any kind of inflammation is ultimately bad for the skin (as well as bad for caps, those little blood vessels). The plumping effect from swelling actually causes damage. This is true for the dermaroller as well as the fraxel. To help with product penetration, try instead a light steam bath to open pores before applying the product and yoga poses like downward facing dog afterward to get a lot of blood flow to the face, chest, and neck.

BTW, I spent hundreds on laser treatments to treat broken caps in my face, only to find new caps came right back in their place a few months later. I think laser and light treatments are bunk.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:41 am Quote

anomaly wrote:

I wear sunscreen daily without fail and rarely go in the sun. The brown spots appeared during the healing stage while I was hidden away in my home and never went away.
ETA: well, actually they faded after a peel, but came right back with a vengence.

I can imagine how disappointed you are. I've had disappointed results with a different procedure. Some people are quite happy with results and others end up even worse off. The % of unhappy people is too high for me to try it. I appreciate you sharing your experience.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 6:43 am Quote

Jeannine wrote:

BTW, I spent hundreds on laser treatments to treat broken caps in my face, only to find new caps came right back in their place a few months later. I think laser and light treatments are bunk.

Me too! What a waste of money! I had 2 treatments and both times with in a few weeks they all seemed to return.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:02 am Quote

I had one Fraxel laser treatment and my skin was so much worse after. Their answer was having the rest of the series done and I would then see the improvement. No way. I am glad to read your review which confirms my decision.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:22 am Quote

I have a friend who did the fraxel laser treatments after another friend told her NOT to do it. The friend that decided to do it is on her 4th "session" and she is so sorry that she did it to begin with. She has brown spots that she did not have before..the gal that performed it said she did not use sunscreen faithfully and that is what she gets. Sounds like not something that is worth the money to me. My friend is out $3,300 so far...and she is being told to continue and wait for the results, she must be patient. I told her to cut her losses.

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 11:40 am Quote

My doctor is doing some Fraxel research right now, and I have seen some of her results pics....some people DO have great results, but they are honestly very few and far between.

It's kind of like buying an expensive Fraxel lottery ticket and *hoping* that you win. Rolling Eyes

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:31 pm Quote

I agree!Lasers are a ripoff.Go to quality creas, obagi etc...

enjoys freebies · Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:51 pm Quote

Jeannine wrote:

I think any kind of inflammation is ultimately bad for the skin (as well as bad for caps, those little blood vessels). The plumping effect from swelling actually causes damage. This is true for the dermaroller as well as the fraxel. To help with product penetration, try instead a light steam bath to open pores before applying the product and yoga poses like downward facing dog afterward to get a lot of blood flow to the face, chest, and neck.

Jeannine, I agree that inflammation is a bad thing, and read the same thing in a number of skincare books recently. However, I am willing to endure it for a short period of time (6 weeks of rolling), provided that I see some longer term collagen-generation.

But if I do not, I will NOT be rolling any more, and will resport to your recommendations and my 3mhz ultrasound for product penetration!

enjoys freebies · Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:41 am Quote

I have been considering getting a Fraxel. I am so glad to see the posts here before I do. Hope something better will come along soon.

enjoys freebies · Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:51 pm Quote

No fraxel on my list thanks to all of you......

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:50 am Quote

ok...I gotta pipe in here. I think anyone who is using a Dermaroller and thinking that their skin is improving almost immediately, is just seeing a superficial effect. I am now 7 months into my Dermarolling adventure, using it once a week (1.5mm) and now I'm going to begin once every 2 wks. It takes about 6 months for the skin to really rejuvenate. (I spoke with a Plastic Surgeon who is rolling clients with a 1.5mm and he emphasized the timing.) That has been true for me as I am FINALLY reaping the benefits. I was discouraged and even whined on this forum about about my lack of results, but alas, now I'm blown away. In the last week I've had 3 comments on my "beautiful smooth skin." I can't stop looking in the mirror...its amazing, it friggin' works!!!!! I am so excited about discovering this, and knowing I don't have to do anything invasive or expensive to improve my skin. Bethany...I have to disagree, Inflammation is not bad! unless you are talking about your joints or something.
Rollin' on.... Laughing

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:24 am Quote

mountaingirl wrote:

I am now 7 months into my Dermarolling adventure, using it once a week (1.5mm) and now I'm going to begin once every 2 wks. It takes about 6 months for the skin to really rejuvenate. (I spoke with a Plastic Surgeon who is rolling clients with a 1.5mm and he emphasized the timing.) That has been true for me as I am FINALLY reaping the benefits. I was discouraged and even whined on this forum about about my lack of results, but alas, now I'm blown away. In the last week I've had 3 comments on my "beautiful smooth skin." I can't stop looking in the mirror...its amazing, it friggin' works!!!!! I am so excited about discovering this, and knowing I don't have to do anything invasive or expensive to improve my skin. Bethany...I have to disagree, Inflammation is not bad! unless you are talking about your joints or something.
Rollin' on.... Laughing

Did your derm think that rolling on a weekly basis with a 1.5 was okay? Also do you roll with a smaller needle for product penetration?
Toby

enjoys freebies · Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:06 am Quote

Toby wrote:

mountaingirl wrote:

I am now 7 months into my Dermarolling adventure, using it once a week (1.5mm) and now I'm going to begin once every 2 wks. It takes about 6 months for the skin to really rejuvenate. (I spoke with a Plastic Surgeon who is rolling clients with a 1.5mm and he emphasized the timing.) That has been true for me as I am FINALLY reaping the benefits. I was discouraged and even whined on this forum about about my lack of results, but alas, now I'm blown away. In the last week I've had 3 comments on my "beautiful smooth skin." I can't stop looking in the mirror...its amazing, it friggin' works!!!!! I am so excited about discovering this, and knowing I don't have to do anything invasive or expensive to improve my skin. Bethany...I have to disagree, Inflammation is not bad! unless you are talking about your joints or something.
Rollin' on.... Laughing

Did your derm think that rolling on a weekly basis with a 1.5 was okay? Also do you roll with a smaller needle for product penetration?
Toby

I agree once a week with 1.5 does seem excessive. But if you're seeing results! I am assuming Mountaingirl does not have sensitve skin issues.

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