2 Weeks After Active FX

Here are my newest pics - 2 weeks later. I wish I had better before pics because what I have does not do my face justice :) I am seeing a huge difference not only in reduction of brown spots and evening out of skin tone but the lines around my eyes, mouth and chin are significantly less noticeable as well. My doctor also said now that he knows what my skin can handle we will let it rest for about 2 months and then I can come back and he will hit some of the more stubborn spots that did not go away completely so I am very happy about that!!!

How is everyone else doing ?

Ladonna - thank you for the update. Would love to see pics if you have them - you can e-mail me at dmcintyre@socal.rr.com I too used the Aquaphor but for the whole time. I never had a prescription cleanser but he did provide me with antibiotics that I have just finished. Also my doctor told me not to wash with anything but water during the first week so even after washing I had that wonderful aquaphor “glow”. Now I am using my regular cleanser which I get from Merle Norman.

ladonna

ladonna,
Thank you for you message. Please let me know how it goes to day. My doctor says I am a big baby (he said it with a smile though) - that most people don't even get pain medicine. I would like to know if that is true...I did have a baby with no meds :)
When you go to the store don't forget the benadryl!!!
Diane

Been on the road...

Hi Everyone - and especially Sherry :)
I had to go out of town so that is why I have not updated the site. I get back late Thursday night but will take and post new pics on Friday morning.
I am loving my new face. It's only been about a week and half and I think the results are huge but maybe that is wishful thinking. I have a meeting in Charlotte next week with a bunch of people who I only see a few times a year. One of the gals is very observant, especially when it comes t skin, so I am looking forward to her comments.
Look for new pics Friday morning!

144 Hours after Active FX

I’m feeling great today probably because there is no more itching and most of the peeling is over with. I am starting to see the following results:

1) Lines fading around my eyes (as Sherry noticed)
2) Lines fading around my mouth
3) Brown spots less noticeable
4) Skin tone evened out and looking younger.

I will post one more pic on Saturday after my doctor appt. and then will post pictures weekly. If this blog has influenced anyone in a positive or negative way, I'd like to hear about it.

The best advice I can give to anyone contemplating this procedure is FIND THE RIGHT DOCTOR! Don't base your decision on the cost - try to find out where the people who had the treatment and were happy with it went...as I mentioned when I started this blog the satisfied\unsatisfied commentaries I've seen are 50\50 and I am willing to bet a lot of it has to do with the people performing the procedure!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone - I am loving my new face!

Before Pics

120 Hours after Active FX

96 Hours after Active FX

96 Hours and I am starting to see results, especially the fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead. Jury is still out when it comes to brown spots...I can't wait to scrub my face but am making myself wait until after I see my doctor again on Saturday. (If you click on the pic I think it will take you to a larger image).

72 Hours After Active FX

It’s been about 72 hours since my Active FX procedure and I am starting to see the light – literally.

Yesterday was difficult due to the intense itching feeling I had all over my face. This was obviously due to my skin peeling and is normal, so I spent most of the day in bed, dozing, thanks to a couple benadryl every 4 hours.

Today the itching is still there but not nearly as intense and I think I am starting to see some results….what do you think? Results or wishful thinking?

48 Hours After Active FX

It's been almost exactly 48 hours since my Active FX Treatment began. The pain\stinging feeling is almost completely gone, as is my Vicodin, so I guess my timeline must be working. What I am beginning to experience at this point is mild itching which I was told to take Benadryl for.

When I woke up this morning (still finding it difficult to sleep on my back) the first thing I did was look in the mirror and what I saw was a little scary – my face was a very dark brown. I woke up my husband and he said that it just looked like a good tan – I guess I have trained him well.

The newest pic is right after I’ve taken a shower and before I’ve applied the Aquaphor. I was tempted to wash my face with a cream cleanser today but resisted per my doctors orders.

I think that I look the worst today – I am swollen, especially on the right side of my face, and the brown spots are increasing. Some of the redness seems to be going away but the grid pattern all over my face is more prominent. I’ve heard that Day 3 is when most people begin to see an improvement so I am looking forward to tomorrow!

24 Hours Later

It has been almost 24 hours since my treatment and I just had my follow up appt. with my doctor. Everyone is so nice there and very personable – I can tell they really care. All the nurses came up to me when I walked in and said how great I looked (considering) and a couple said they couldn’t wait to get it done…not that I thought they needed it. The pics above were taken this morning about 8:30 AM after I took a shower. I am not supposed to wash my face with anything but water for 7 to 10 days so even though I have not applied any ointment you can still see the residue and the only product I am to use for the next 7 to 10 days is the Aquaphor ointment I was given yesterday. One additional thing the doctor did tell me was that it would be beneficial to dilute 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in 1 quart of water and put it in the fridge. Twice a day I am to soak a clean white cloth in it and soak my face for 10 minutes. He stated it would be soothing and is also an antibacterial.

There are 3 things I am mainly noticing:
-- The brown “dots" all over my face – apparently this is skin that is going to come off so if that is the case my wisdom spots should be gone or at least much lighter and my skin tone should be evened out which is what I wanted out of this in the first place.

-- The areas around my eyes are quite swollen - according to the doctor, when I am healed, it will look as if I have had a minor eye lift, which is a benefit I wasn't really going for but I'll take it anyway!

--The area above and around my lips feels very tight and stings more than then the other areas (except for around my eyes). The doctor said he went deeper in these areas to get rid of my fine lines. I told him I thought the lines came from smoking for over 30 years and he said he couldn’t believe that I had smoked that long, that they should have been much worse, but if they are gone is a couple weeks, or a couple months, I will be thrilled!!!

One of you asked if the pain was really bad enough for Vicodin and I told her no, but with the Vicodin there is no discomfort at all plus it helps me to sleep, on my back, in an elevated position which is really uncomfortable for me. I woke up at 3 AM and my face was basically “stinging” all over – took a couple Vicodin, turned the fan on and pointed it toward my face, tucked Laddie Boy (my puppy) in next to me, and fell back asleep…then I had a dream about having my boobs done….just kidding…but who knows More tomorrow…

Vicodin is My Friend!

Here I am an hour after treatment. My experience was actually very pleasant. I arrived about a half hour early and rather then make me wait around the staff got me started right away. This was important because I was extremely nervous and had they made me sit around and wait I might have chickened out.

Upon my early arrival they immediately took me to an office where I finished filling out the usual paperwork – you know – should I not wake up from the anesthesia it wouldn’t be their fault. That didn’t worry me though because had I not woke up on earth I would have woken up in a much better place! I was more concerned about the part that said there was a chance I would look worse then before the treatment!

After filling out the paperwork I saw the nurse, then the doctor, then the anesthesiologist and then the nurse again. She had me wash my face and massage a numbing crème all over my face. After about 15 minutes washed it off…I have to tell you…it was the weirdest feeling I’ve ever experienced, splashing warm water onto my completely numb face. Even though I knew the water was warm it felt icy hot…very strange feeling, and I didn’t like it at all.

15 minutes later I was laying on the op table with bright lights shining in my eyes – yes, it was an actual operating room – and the man with the drugs was trying to find a vain in my arm. It took him 3 times but he finally found one on the top of my hand. We had spoken earlier and he asked what kind of “cocktail” I wanted. I couldn’t bare to tell him I quit drinking so I opted for the “make me feel really good but not knock me out completely” concoction. A few minutes later that is exactly what I got.

I don’t think I was ever completely out but when I began to wake up the first thing I noticed was that my face hurt really bad. It felt like I had a couple million pins poking into it. My eyes were still closed (they were not ready to open yet) so I just said “ow” and the nurse let me know she was there and asked me to explain the pain, which I did. She got a small fan out and held it to my face for about 15 minutes while I continued waking up and the fan helped a great deal.

20 minutes later I was downstairs at the smoothie store with John getting something in my stomach so I could take my Vicodin, which by the way was not prescribed to me by this doctor but by the doctor I saw first. I am really glad that I decided to fill the prescription even though I went with a different doctor because I don’t think the Darvocet prescribed by this doc would have cut it. (The pic above is about an hour after the procedure and I just took my medicine.)

By the time we got home an hour later the Vicodin was working and I slept for a couple hours and woke up feeling pretty good. It is 7 hours later now and I just took a couple more Vicodin but wanted to post this while it was still somewhat fresh in my mind.

Obviously no results yet, I just feel like I’ve been slimed…more tomorrow because the pills are starting to kick in....

In the Beginning....

About a year ago I attended a business event where pictures were taken and posted on our corporate website. When I saw them I was more than horrified! Not only had I consumed too many cocktails, (which could be a blog in itself, but I won't go there), I noticed that my skin looked horrible. I do not wear much makeup and at the time I was going through a period where I decided to wear no makeup at all. Every imperfection in my skin was showing, especially the brown spots all over my face!
Although I am 47 years old I have very few wrinkles. My problem is mostly with what my dermatologist calls "wisdom" spots. Yes, that's right; I have them because in the wise days of my youth I spent 10 hours a day in the So Cal sun! And it is true - with age comes wisdom - because I have spent the last 15 years sailing with my husband and never bothered to wear sunscreen on my face - the tan is great in the summer but when the tan fades, the wisdom spots remain...

Today is February 7, 2008, the day before my Active FX procedure. In the last month I have researched the best way to undo the damage I did in my teens and early adult life and made the decision that Active FX would provide the best results with the least amount of down time. I also researched Fraxel, which apparently has similar results to Active FX but requires a series of treatments instead of only one. I decided that wanted to get it over with so tomorrow is the big day!

The main purpose of this blog will be to track my results, for myself and also for anyone who is thinking about getting something like this done. In all of the research I did I would have to say more than 50% of those who had the procedure said they were not satisfied with it and would not spend the money to get it done again, but I could not find anyone who posted before and after photos. (Actually I can understand why as I look at my pics above - yuk!)

Apparently this procedure has not been around very long so there are not a lot of before and after photos out there, except those posted by the companies that make the laser machines that do the work. My intention is to post a new photo each day; no matter how bad I look, until I look like 20 again :) Just kidding - but I will keep posting until I am completely healed.
Today’s final lesson - Once I decided that I wanted the treatment I saw 2 different doctors in Orange County, CA in determining who, what when and how I would proceed. The first doctor was significantly cheaper, probably because he had his nurse practitioner do it instead of performing the procedure himself. He wrote me 3 prescriptions before I left his office - 1 for Vicodin, 1 for Xanax and another for a medication that prevents cold sores, which could be a side effect of the procedure. Although he spent a lot of time with me the person I saw first and last was a patient "consultant", who I am pretty sure would get a commission if I signed up. (I did sign up but then had a weird feeling about it so I cancelled, which at first the "Consultant" said I couldn't do - hence my thoughts on his commission).

The second doctor I saw was more expensive but he told me that he does the procedure himself. He also offered general anesthesia plus all bloodwork and post op treatments were included in the cost. After speaking with the doctor he had me talk to his nurse practitioner and that is when I decided to go with him. The nurse practitioner told me I would need to get blood work done and she sent me my prescriptions via Fed Ex. She also told me I would need to come in the day after the procedure for a follow up visit - something the first doctor never mentioned. She then called me yesterday to let me know she had gotten the results from my blood work and that everything looked good. Finally she told me that the anesthesiologist would be calling me tonight. All in all I feel much better about doctor #2 and his team of professionals.

That's all for now - you think the before pics look bad? I bet I look much worse tomorrow!