FRAXEL - the honest, (fully-paid) truth

No pain, no gain

Before > After

Earlier this year, I went to the dermatologist to address some spider veins on my face. In true American fashion, the doctor proceeded to pick out all my other flaws, concluding with “We should probably address your sun damage”. My reply: “By sun damage, do you mean my freckles?”. “Yes”. Oh.

My freckles had always been a point of youth, a point of endearment, a point of (dare I say it) attraction. They were part of me, my identity. I’d always been “blonde, blue eyes, freckles”. After a vacation in the sun, they’d illuminate my face in all their glory - and I felt good. 

But, there in lies the evidence. They were in fact sun damage. Heartbroken, I asked my options. “Fraxel” came the response. I started my research. 

Many before me have done a photo diary of their Fraxel treatment - for the most part, beauty editors. Having now re-surfaced (quite literally) out the other side, I feel there’s a few extra details that might be eluded by a dermatologist-funded review. So, without further ado, here’s my experience - fully funded by me. 

For the record, this procedure took place at Center Aesthetics in New York, which came recommended by several friends and articles. 

The Before

Day 1

I was excited for this day to come. By now, I’d done a lot of research and the ‘after’ pictures I was becoming acquainted with online made me desperate to get it underway. 

On a cool November day (the day before Thanksgiving), I arrived an hour before my treatment as directed and a numbing cream was applied. 

Then, the treatment began (I might add that goggles were not applied like I had seen in videos - my British stiff upper lip got the better of me. I should have asked!). This is where my experience begins to differ. It hurt. A LOT. It wasn’t ‘mildly uncomfortable’, it was fucking torture. I asked the ruthless nurse to pause a few times (Was I pathetic? Did other people ask for breaks?). She complied. Thankfully, it was over pretty quickly (maybe 7 minutes or so in total). Heads up - cheeks and forehead were by far the worse part. 

My face and neck was then packed full of ice - and in my ice chamber I remained for twenty minutes. If I’d had my choice, I would have stayed there for three hours; the minute I removed the ice packs, the heat was unbearable. ‘Severe sunburn’ - bollocks! Now, let’s remember, I did this on a cold winter’s day - and I think the central heat of the building was intensifying the burn. Once I stepped out of the building and into the cool air, I felt relief. Until I arrived home - back into the central heating. I contemplated walking around outside in the freezing temperatures for three hours, but resorted to sitting directly under my aircon vent face up searching for god (in the form of cool air) for a further two hours. 

At last, the heat subsided and within three hours, it had completely settled. 

Back at home (with A LOT of tinted SPF)

So, how can you prepare better for the treatment itself? One friend suggested she might take a Xanax (not no). The nurse suggested Tylenol and I’ve read some places administer additional anaesthetic injections to the site (yes please). Next time, I will also ask the nurse in advance to do 30 second intervals of treatment, rather than trying to muscle through it (what am I trying to prove?).

Disclaimer: Do not do this treatment in summer - for reasons I will come on to explain, but also because the intensity from the air temperature and humidity may cause your face to combust (this is not scientifically proven). 

Pro tip: do this on the snowiest day of year and upon exiting the doctor’s office find a clean (non-yellow) heap of it and plant yourself face down. Remain there for two to three hours (if the radioactivity permeating off your face doesn’t melt it first), and your recovery will be smooth (again, not scientifically proven but I think I’ll try this next time). 

Post treatment:

• Ice packs, ice packs, ice packs.

• I got given a gauze mask. Soak in cold milk, apply to the face and layer with ice packs. 

• Do not make plans that evening 

• Slugging will become your new best friend

• Take Arnica 

• Sleep upright - it will reduce swelling in the morning. 

Day 2

Did I sleep upright? No. Should I have? See for yourself. 

I woke up to swollen eyes and cheeks but the redness is way down. The sandpaper texture has begun to form and I feel particularly tight skinned and flakey around the mouth. I am slugging, slugging, slugging. 

Throughout the day the laser lines got more intense and obvious. I was startled by how much it changed and progressed throughout the day. My neck remained soft and was a little tender but by and large, I was feeling positively cool (by dictionary and colloquial definition) in comparison to the previous evening. 

Day 3

Healing continues - and with that comes the itch! The level of sand paper texture has stepped up a few notches and my face is now qualified to strip varnish off an old wooden floor. My mouth remains very tight and is the most uncomfortable area. 

Day 4

Much of the same. I woke up surprised to learn which areas of my face were ‘most damaged’ - these were the areas that had turned darkest with the laser and were taking the longest to heal. 

This was not helped when at around midday I briefly popped out to buy some groceries and was exposed to the sun for 10 minutes. I stupidly hadn’t applied SPF and I am now living proof why this procedure and the sun do not mix. 10 minutes! That’s all it took. 

Pre-Sunburn

I went home and resorted back to the ice packs. Whilst rummaging through every bathroom drawer and cabinet in an effort to find something to soothe my face, I stumbled across The Quiet Botanist salve - and it traveled with me for the rest of my healing journey. Truly, buy some of this before your treatment and just lather it all over - I wish I’d slugged with this (rather than what they gave me) from the beginning. It’s the most beautifully soothing product - and non perfumed too. I did have to sleep with a towel on my pillow but it was worth it. 

Sunburn

Day 5

Progress started to feel slow at this point and I kept feeling surprised and forlorn at how long it was taking to heal in comparison to other diaries I had read. The skin was slowly starting to break / flake off but I was still angry at myself for allowing my face to get sunburnt and now having to deal with additional after care. Wear sunscreen, kids! 

The skin under my eyes that is slowly starting to shine through is beautifully soft and glowingly clear. 

Day 6

Things were progressing in much the same way. Slowly. Much of a muchness, so I made the decision to end my photo diary here (until my final shot two weeks later - see below). A week after treatment, I began to very gently use a warm, wet muslin to help encourage the dead, dry skin to move off. Do this carefully, but I did find it helped to progress things - as well as relieve some of the itching and dryness. 

Final observations:

The hairiest parts of my face took the longest to heal - along the hairline, the cheeks and jawline and across the eyebrows (the latter is also where I had some of my darkest spots). 

On Day 6, I had an event so tried to apply some light make up. My skin didn’t like this and began to sting so I immediately removed it. I would recommend a full week+ before returning to any people-facing activities, and two weeks until you’re fully healed and the final results are revealed.

Expect to have greasy hair for 10 days - your hair will get slugged too. 

Final results:

All in all, a fairly traumatic experience that I felt I was mis-prepared for. Was it worth it? I’m sorry to say, absolutely! Even my husband noticed. “It’s like they’ve taken an eraser to your face.”

Would I do it again? Give me a few more weeks to mentally recover and allow the brain to do its clever thing of editing out the pain (I think that’s the reason people have more than one baby) and then yes, sign me up. 

Do I need to do it again? There’s still a few areas that I feel could be ‘erased’ a little more. 

What would I do differently? I’d take a full week off work, I’d ask for anaesthetic injections at the treatment site, I’d pop a pain pill (or two), I’d have ice packs in the freezer at the ready and I’d begin using The Quiet Botanist salve from the very start. Oh and two hourly SPF smotherings daily. 

I’d love to hear your experiences (am I total whimp?) or thoughts / questions on getting it done.