The Rejuvenating Treatment Celebs Are Finally Opening Up About

Laser treatments tend to get a bad wrap as being extremely painful, but I’d categorize the experience as just mildly uncomfortable. Most patients, including myself, describe it as the feeling of tiny rubber bands being snapped against your skin. That being said, there are a couple of measures taken to make the experience as pain-free as possible.

For example, no matter where you go, a nurse or esthetician will likely apply a medical-grade numbing cream to the area being treated for about 15 to 20 minutes pre-treatment. The exact brand and formulation depends on your doctor’s preference. Dr. Green preferred to use a numbing cream containing lidocaine and within minutes of having it applied my face was almost completely desensitized. After the cream is removed, it’s time for the doctor to fire up the laser and get started.

First, the doctor will adjust the machine to the level of intensity, or wavelength, appropriate for your goals. “Fraxel is actually two lasers in one. The 1927 wavelength allows us to treat superficial imperfections, improving pigmentation,” Dr. Green explained. “The 1550 wavelength targets skin texture, improving deep lines and acne scars. The components can be used together or separately, depending on your needs.”

Fraxel is technically safe to use on all skin types. But when it comes to people with darker skin tones (who have more melanin), there is a risk of developing darkening or discoloration. If you fall into this category, lower energy levels will be used as a preventative measure during your treatment.

The amount of time spent under the laser takes about 10 to 15 minutes. After a few minutes your skin may start to feel warm, as if it’s being heated from within. Throughout the treatment, your doctor may change the intensity of the laser depending on the area of your skin and the type of damage being targeted. Usually, two passes are made across each section of your face. And then almost as quickly as it started, you’re done.

To help cool and calm skin after your treatment, cold compresses may be applied to your face. There are also specific masks like
<product href="http://www.skinceuticals.com/biocellulose-restorative-masque-3606000497573.html?cgid=face-masque" target="_blank">SkinCeuticals’ Biocellulose Restorative Masque</product> ($125) that were created specifically for use after laser treatments. These can also be applied immediately following the procedure. The Biocellulose Masque was formulated to reduce the feeling of heat while starting the healing process.

Before leaving the office, your doctor or an esthetician will apply moisturizer and sunscreen to your face. These two steps are imperative to your routine for the next for weeks because your skin will be extra sensitive and it needs to stay protected and hydrated. Think of your newly resurfaced skin as that of a newborn baby’s. It must be coddled with a delicate touch and taken care of diligently.

Dr. Green said this means avoiding makeup and any kind of sun exposure for at least a week. Pro tip: I suggest bringing a hat with you to your treatment and wearing one when possible for the next few weeks as another protective measure.

The results of Fraxel are both immediate and progressive. “Soon after the treatment the surface of your skin will feel softer, smoother, look brighter, and show a more even skin tone. The pigmentation will be reduced even after one session and the results revealed after only one week,” Dr. Green said.

For deeper lines and wrinkles, it can take three to five treatments and the results improve with each treatment over the next few months. “Even six months after the last treatment, there will be continued improvement as the deeper layers of the skin continue to create new collagen,” She explained.

I kept a journal of my post-Fraxel results, and here’s the gist of what to expect. Of course, results may vary, but I think it’s important to get a sense of why some downtime is necessary after Fraxel. Day one and two were the most uncomfortable days I experienced during my recovery, because my skin was bright red and felt as if I’d gotten a really bad sunburn. My face also looked puffy and inflamed, two side effects that actually looked a lot worse than they felt. On day three my skin had sandpaper-like texture to it. It was also extremely itchy. By days four and five all of these post-treatment effects had started to subside and I was beginning to look like a rejuvenated version of myself again.

As mentioned, during the healing process, my skin felt incredibly itchy, however scratching is absolutely not allowed as it can severely disrupt the healing of post-treatment skin by impairing the delicate process. It can actually be so damaging it can leave skin worse off than it was before. So as hard as it was at times, I had to act like an adult, keeping my hands to myself and away from my face unless I was applying sunscreen or moisturizers.