Doctors Specializing in Fraxel Laser Treatment

I know that it is the hope of all acne scarred patients to find a good doctor who will perform their Fraxel laser treatment.  Obviously, I hope that the one who is going to perform mine knows what she is doing.  In all honesty, I haven’t really decided yet as I’m still going through research and plus I’m still trying to get my adult hormonal acne under control before I can even contemplate getting the laser treatment.

My cosmetic dermatologist was recommended by my family doctor who was always reluctant for me to go see a dermatologist.  She always thought it was unnecessary and gave me topical treatments that never really cleared my acne.  I’m in my 30s and I still have mild to moderate acne and I think this is totally unacceptable.  I was tired of being pushed around by doctors who said it was nothing while it has left my face scarred.  In any case, now I have a dermatologist who was reluctantly recommended.  Just great.

I looked up my dermatologist on the Internet to see if she had any patient ratings and it was mixed.  She got good reviews for port wine stains which is her specialty but no reviews on Fraxel laser treatments.  What reviews she did have left her with an average rating.  Some liked her and some didn’t and felt she was cold and only after the money.  That is something that I fear with cosmetic dermatologists – that they always want you to come back for the next treatment as they suck you dry of your money with promises of results that never materialize.

Looking at her very large office suite, you know she has done well for herself.  I don’t know if this is a good or bad sign.  Does this mean that she is doing well because she is gauging or she is doing well because of her reputation involved.  Some patients report that she is a cold doctor.  Personally I didn’t think so but then again, I’m not a chatty person to begin with.  I go in and I come out.  No chit chat.  And frankly, I don’t care if she’s mute.  As long as she does her job and can provide me with an acne scar treament.

In my previous posts about Fraxel laser side effects and Fraxel laser reviews, I pointed out some discrepancies on what I had read and what my doctor answered.  I hope she’s not pushing Fraxel on me to make a quick buck.  On my first consultation visit, I asked her what the side effects were and what is the worse case scenario.  She just shrugged it off and said your acne would come back and that’s it.  It was only during my second follow up appointment to review my acne medication progress that she said that acne might come back with Fraxel due to the aggravation.  Okay, finally what she said matched with what I read on the Internet.  Next, I asked her about the possibilities of hyper and hypopigmentation.  She said no but I wonder if she has any experience with olive skin or if her clientele are purely Caucasian people.  Does she have experience with people of Asian skin, African skin, Latino skin?  In the Fraxel laser literature, they say it is fine and the laser does not affect melanin in the skin.  However, when I read about the reality of Fraxel patient reviews online, I am getting that some darker skinned people have experienced complications.  Discoloration can be easily overcome if the issue is dealt with right away.  However, if my doctor is unaware or is denying the possibility of this then she can’t help me prepare if I am the unfortunate ones who experience this.

I am still torn whether or not if I want this doctor to perform the Fraxel treatment on me.  Hell, I don’t know if I’m going to get Fraxel treatment done at all.  I still have lots to research.  But if I do go through with it, my instincts tell me that I have to develop trust with the doctor.  If I let her go through with it and I have doubts, then it’s as much her fault as it is mine if something goes wrong.  I will say this though.  I would never go to a spa to get this done as I have seen some spas advertise for this and for a cheaper price too.  I don’t know if they have a doctor performing it or a technician/esthetician but I would feel much more comfortable if a doctor performed it.   Maybe it’s on the lightest setting but still, this is your face we’re talking about here.

So, for now, I’m content with my current cosmetic dermatologist treating my acne but later on, I might seek a second opinion about the Fraxel laser from a dermatologist solely so there is no bias to the cosmetic industry.  Just to play it safe.

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