Active FX is not the name of a summer blockbuster movie targeted to the teenage boy demographic.
I know. Last month, I was part of an experimental group of women who underwent a new-ish procedure. (And no, that is not why I slowed the frequency of posts here at MM.)
In a sentence: I had the skin on my face burned off.
The easiest way to understand this is to recall an episode (Season 5, Episode 71) from Sex and the City, when Samantha had a chemical or laser facial peel, she looked into the mirror, and shrieked when she saw her red, oozing face.
The procedure is intended to slough off micro-layers of dead skin to reveal the younger-looking skin below. The argument goes that afterward, the appearance of fine lines is greatly reduced, and that the results last for at least a couple of years - if not more.
The Active FX laser renders almost identical results to the more intense and longer-recovery chemical and full-laser peels, except that it is supposed to take not more than five days to recover, allowing folks to return to their busy lifestyles faster.
In truth, the office that arranged the procedure is familiar to me. I figured that offering myself as a guinea pig was the least I could do.
Here's how it was explained to me:
It will take three to five days to recover.
The procedure itself will take less than an hour.
The office will take photographs before the treatment.
A follow-up visit will be needed to take the after-pictures.
Okay, that sounded simple enough. I signed up for a Friday afternoon appointment. I took the subway and arrived on time. The office was running behind, and I took a seat in the waiting room. A woman, wearing a light aqua-colored, gel face-mask was chatting away on her telephone. I tried not too look, thinking that people in a plastic surgeon's office prefer privacy.
I was told that she had just had the Active FX procedure. Well, I thought, she seemed animated, not in obvious pain.
They called me in to the pre-treatment room. The attending nurse asked if I preferred Vicodin or Valium. In addition to Tylenol or Motrin.
Boing. Huh? Warning signal. Vicodin or Valium? I needed a sedative? In addition to...?
My mind raced. Don't people get instantly addicted to Vicodin? I asked for Valium. And aspirin. I can count on one hand the number of times I have taken prescription painkillers.
The nurse reclined the chair and my feet came up from the floor. She gave me the pill and a paper cup of water. Then she smeared a cold gel or cream all over my face. Sure enough, in about twenty minutes, I felt stoned. Whee. Someone came into the room and wiped the gel off my face. My lips felt numb, as if I had applied Novocaine lip balm. Turned out my whole face was Novocained or something like it. Whee.
I was high and giggling. The nurse walked me into another room and sat me in another recliner. People were talking and I either did not understand what they were saying or I didn't care. I remember "We'll take two passes under the eyes."
The eyes. Right. I am so queasy about my eyes. I cannot watch people insert contact lenses. My knees go all squidgy. It's probably because I've worn glasses since I was two years old, essentially a protective shield between my eyes and the world.
The doctor was there, suddenly, very close to my face. "Look up," he said. And I did. Then he did two things to me that when I reflect on them now, I just shudder.
He lifted my top lid and sprayed a stinging solution into one eye, and before I could yell "No! Are you nuts?" he lifted the other and sprayed the same.
Blink, blink, blink. What??? Sting. Blink.
The next part is still too unreal to me.
While high, semi-oblivious, blinking, and stinging, the doctor then popped in a little suction cup device right onto my eyeball. Oh shit. Oh, holy shit. The stinging spray had numbed my eyeballs and now they were covered by suction cups. Oh, holy shit.
An image went fleeting across my mind's eye (since my actual eyeballs were in shock). I must've looked like an alien or a hell-demon from a science-fiction-horror-slasher film.
A small voice in the back of my fuzzed mind broke through the haze, "Your eyes have to be covered because they are going to laser your face. Otherwise, you may go blind."
And laser they did - although by then I had given up control and let it rip. It felt like a million little stinging pin pricks. The only weirdness was along may hairline, ouch. I wiggled my feet and made small squealing noises. The nurse told me to hold her hand tight - and I did.
The whole thing lasted not more than fifteen minutes, after which the doctor popped those nasty little eye cups out of my head, someone wrapped me in a blanket, and walked me back to that first room. There, they put one of those cold gel face masks on me. Frozen, actually. Oww. At first, and then my body warmed it up. And then they replaced it with a new, fresh, frozen one. Again, oww.
At some point, I was returned to the waiting room, whereupon I started shivering. I felt cold down to my core. I could not get warm. They gave me a cup of tea and saltine crackers. It took an hour or so, but I managed to regain the feeling in my fingers and toes.
I was given a bag of various creams to apply continuously. I figured I was recovered enough to return home. And so I left. I walked back to the subway, and standing on the platform, it appeared that no one looked at me in a strange way. I supposed I looked a bit sunburned, nothing more. The tail-end of summer, not too out of the realm of possibilities.
At the Grand Central transfer, however, I tripped going up the stairs, and broke the tips of both my big toenails. Damn. Must've been a residual effect from the Valium. So how do people take that crap on a regular basis?
I was more concerned about my feet than my face, and after switching two more trains during rush hour (everyone must have been staring at my shredded feet, never mind my face), I hightailed it to the local mani-pedi salon, and got the toenails fixed and repainted.
Some time later, when I went to sleep, I laid my head gingerly on my pillow. It hurt a little.
The next morning, when I woke up and looked into the mirror, I had another oh-shit moment. My face was angry-red and swollen. Thank god it was Saturday. I could not leave my loft. I would scare small children.
After I applied the cream, I read the label. It was a copper-based ointment, And I thought, wait, burns are often treated with something called Silvadine. Copper, silver, there had to be a connection. I had to use Silvadine once after I fell off a bicycle, which resulted in wicked road rash on one forearm - a kind of burn. Ergo.
Full facial burn. I tried to quell the little fear ticking in my mind: Would I ever get my nice, normal skin back? Would I be scarred forever? I signed a waiver, didn't I? Breathe, be calm, I told myself.
The next day, I saw tiny, perfectly patterned dots all over my face. Angry, crimson dots. Over the next two days, the dots turned brownish, dried, and hardened. At a slight distance, it looked like snakeskin. Now I was lizard face. The tiny scales did peel away, first around my nose and mouth - the moving parts - and then more gradually outward. Funky. Fascinating.
The area under my eyes felt tight. In fact, it felt as though my skin was pulled back from the center of my face. Maybe this thing was working.
Four days later, I returned to the plastic surgeon's office for after-pictures, and a luscious facial, where the last of the brown scales were planed away. Planed = razored off. I cannot make this stuff up.
Then, wow: I had new, pink baby skin - and a lot of sun protection factor lotion since. We'll see how this turns out. They say the full effects don't really kick until six or so weeks later.
Good thing fall is here. The radiator started to hiss yesterday. My nose is stuffy. but I need to get back on the wheel, back to the gym, regular.
My face looks normal again, maybe improved and updated. Time will tell. Whew.
The person who posted after me asked about my age - I am 51 and to be honest I have to say I looked quite a bit younger than that. Lets see where I stand after this face clears up!!! The reason I was puzzled that the doctor suggested this treatment for me is that I was only looking for some tightening in the chin/jawline area and had no problems of any sort with my skin. I think a little light lipo on the area of my concern would have been the more prudent option. Hope your consultation goes well but remember this is not a procedure for the faint hearted although you may be told it is a less invasive alternative to going under the knife. I just want you to be informed so that you can make the right choice for yourself. By the way if I was 70 I would cut myself some slack and be eating everything I want and drinking a bottle of Moet rose 1996 instead of getting my face burned and shaved!!! Good luck with whichever option you choose.
Posted by: fificat | Monday, April 02, 2007 at 10:35 PM
Hi again. I am glad to relate that today I look and feel a bit better and managed to wear some make-up this morning. A lot of the swelling has gone down also. One thing I omitted to mention was that I got a couple of cold sores on my lip area yesterday. On the day of the preocedure the doctor gave me a prescription for anti-viral medication but I did not take them. I am going to buy some topical ointment in the drugstore and use it starting today. Seemingly this procedure can bring out a dormant virus such as herpes simplex but I only heard this after the fact and it was not mentioned before. I had a closer look at my hairline area and I do agree that it looks like some of the hairs are singed and I have a lot of little short hairs where the laser was performed up into the hairline area. I am still not over the moon with my appearance but at least I can leave the house today which is a plus. I intend to exercise today also and I have missed that a lot this past six days. To be honest I was feeling too ugly to go to the gym up to now and was avoiding people as much as possible. I was told not to exercise for a week and that can be a big thing when you work out every day. I do believe that the enzyme facial and dermaplaning make a huge difference and I cannot compare how I looked yesterday with how I look today. I am still on the fence about this treatment and will let you know tomorrow how things are going.
Posted by: fificat | Tuesday, April 03, 2007 at 11:35 AM
It will be a week tomorrow since I had the Active FX procedure and I look more like myself today at last. The problem is I look just the same, no better, and can see no improvement in facial contour whatsoever. I look better when compared with the ugliness of a few days ago but perhaps I am just relieved to look halfway normal again. Meanwhile, it will take some time to get my former quality of skin back so, in fact, I have received no benefit that I can see. I am still using the copper cream, which is very heavy and sticky and I still have many red and pink areas that look like psoriasis or some other skin disorder. I am still a little flaky and itchy too and generally uncomfortable. I will have to use some ridiculously strong sunblock because of this procedure and although I never try to tan my face in the summer, I usually get a healthy glow just from being outdoors. Had there been a major improvement in skin tightness and contour, I would gladly have put up with the other annoying aspects. I hope I wake up tomorrow with a fantastic jaw and chin area and then, and only then, would I condsider condoning this procedure. I wore make up for the whole day yesterday and managed to get by with my regular foundation and concealer. Many patients have to buy special heavy make up with a green base to counteract the redness. I also went to the salon to have my hair styled yesterday and managed to have a normal day. Lets see what tomorrow brings!!!.
Posted by: fificat | Wednesday, April 04, 2007 at 08:40 AM
Fificat - In a word: Exactly. I like the idea of Moet rose 1996, and I probably won't wait until I'm 70.
Posted by: HH | Wednesday, April 04, 2007 at 09:31 AM
I had an ActiveFX done about three months ago and loved the result! My freckles were removed and it significantly tightened my skin and erased wrinkles around my mouth. I did have 4 days of redness but to me it was well worth it! Everyone comments on how good my skin now looks..
Posted by: Polly Samson | Thursday, April 05, 2007 at 11:53 AM
About 6 months ago I decided to have an ActiveFX treatment. The doctor explained to me that collogen would be stimulated and it would take several months before I saw the true end point. I can tell you now...6 months post treatment, that the ActiveFX worked. I was amazed at what it did compared to another laser I tried called Fraxell. The ActiveFX results were very noticable after the 3rd month. To me the pain was minimal, and it took five days for me to peel. The eye shields were a little scary but anything around the eye will scare most people. All in all...I would do it again, when I need it, probably in another 3 or 4 years, Fifty is approaching!!!
Posted by: Jennifer K. | Thursday, April 05, 2007 at 12:03 PM
My Mom got the ActiveFX three weeks ago and it did work on her. Her Freckles and wrinkles were almost all completely gone. However, now I notice she has red cheeks. I guess the sun damage covered the redness up. Anyway, I drove her to te doctor's office and drove her home. Yes, she said it hurt a little but she was very comfortable post treatment. She turned brown and "dotted" for three days and then peeled. After the peel she looked much younger, her skin tone was improved and the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth had literally vanished! I saw her entire healing process and result, I am twenty seven now and will make sure I get an ActiveFX done when I am her age! We all are not getting any younger...damit!
Posted by: TN | Thursday, April 05, 2007 at 12:20 PM
You know, there are many ways to check stats and visitors to a personal blog, this one being mine, naturally. I noticed that a chunk of time from just before noon today (EST) to almost half-past was occupied by someone(s) at Lumenis. Skeptic that I am, it makes me wonder about recent participation. A thing that makes me go: "hmmm..."
Posted by: HH | Thursday, April 05, 2007 at 12:45 PM
It has been a week since my procedure and I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. The redness is now only confined to my neck and the only remaining annoyances are the coldsores (a second one popped up yesterday). To be honest, I still do not see much of a tightening effect but I was advised that it would not be instantaneous, which is a pity as I am partial to instant gratification!!!. I am so happy to look fairly normal after the ugliness of last week that I might even be persuaded to believe that I am looking good. I am actually hoping to find some improvement so that I can justify this procedure. It is amazing that I feel so much better than last week as I really thought I would not be able to go out in public for weeks but I went to Florida today on my way to the Bahamas for Easter vacation and wore my make up as usual. Ok so now I feel fairly normal again but I still fail to see enough of an improvement to make the procedure worthwhile. Had I seen some radical difference in my jawline/chin area I would be singing the praises of the procedure but alas that is not the case, or at least not yet anyway. Remember the whole object of the exercise for me was correction of skin laxity and that was my sole concern so I can only speak for myself. I see a number of people have written in praise of Active FX but perhaps their concerns were different to mine. I had no wrinkles and not a lot of sun damage to speak of, nor did I have any acne scarring or any other damage to my skin. I am not intimating that this procedure is wrong for others, depending on their individual needs and I am only relating my own personal experience as I am living it. I will check in again in a few days.
Posted by: fificat | Friday, April 06, 2007 at 02:33 AM
I work in a Plastic Surgeons office as a RN and got to have a ActiveFX treatment done on me. The doctor I work for has many lasers and yes, I have had a good amount of different treatments done. I have had laser hair, Botox, IPL, Fraxel, RF all done on me. I thought the ActiveFX wasn't too painful (compared with laser-hair and the RF systems!)My doctor is very good and maybe his skills made the results and pain tollerance more effective. I recovered in 5 days but was back to work the very next day so we could take pictures for our office to show patients. The pictures on day seven showed significant improvement. The before pictures showed that I had deeper wrinkles prior to the ActiveFX. I have had all kinds of things done to me...in the name of beauty and this was a treatment I felt was worth it. I would recommend staying home for three to four days post treatment if you can...
Posted by: Janet P. | Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 02:32 PM
I have been on vacation for 10 days now and I was still looking a bit swollen and crusty for the first 3 days. I am using an spf50 on my face as I am afraid to take any sun after the treatment. My face is looking brighter now and there may be a little tightening but only those who are aware that I had the procedure have noticed anything. I still think that lipo of the chin/jawline area gives a far superior result for skin tightening than the active fx. I am leaving to go to Europe next week and it will be interesting to see if any of my childhood friends notice any difference. I will let you know shortly.
Posted by: fificat | Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 12:29 PM
I just "had" the Active X procedure done at approx. noon today (full facial). I can answer questions if any are interested.
R. Domino
Posted by: Roberto Domino | Friday, April 20, 2007 at 08:56 PM
I have read all the posted comments. I have been offered this treatment at a very good discount by one of my med spa clients who is a doctor (I'm in advertising)on a demo night. After reading the posted comments it does not seem that anyone has had a significantly positive response from this procedure. I am considering bailing on him because I can't afford to take that much downtime. Is there anyone out there that would do it again, given their current results? Please respond as quickly as possible, if I am going to bail, I'd like to give him enough time to get a replacement.
Thanks
Posted by: Cindy Neptune | Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 12:49 AM
I can speak for myself only, and grateful as I am for having been the beneficiary of discounted or free treatments in the past, I would not have this procedure performed again.
Right now, I am concerned about new sensitivity to the sun, even with use of SPF protection. I like to work out outside - when I can - and I like to work up a good sweat. I am hopeful, but I am sure I will have to be vigilant
Fificat, as ever, thanks for the update.
Posted by: HH | Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Thanks HH for wading through the crapola. I was actually thinking about wasting more money on yet another laser procedure. Thanks again!!
Posted by: bsuzanne | Thursday, April 26, 2007 at 02:51 PM
I just got the procedure done yesterday, and after reading all the posts I am starting to get nervous. The procedure in itself wasn't bad at all, I wasn't given any painkillers and didn't miss them. I also didn't have that scary "eye experience" - the doc just gave me goggles and moved them when he worked on the lower and upper lids. This morning I looked pretty bad, very swollen, especially around the eyes and red. The swelling has gone down some and so has the redness, but I still wouldn't leave the house right now. I have to go back to work on Monday and really am worried I won't look normal by then... Has anybody had positive experiences?
Posted by: ms | Friday, April 27, 2007 at 07:32 PM
I just had a consult with a Dr and was all set to have this procedure done, but now, after reading the above comments, I am having grave doubts.
HH - you say your skin was very good to begin with, does that mean not a lot of wrinkles? If so, then what changes would or could you expect to see?
I am 52 and am beginning to show more wrinkling than I like. Perhaps with my "wrinkle issues" there would be a noticeable benefit...
I wish there were more comments from people who have had this procedure done 3-5 months ago, as that is when the maximum benefit is supposed to be gained.
A big "thank you" to HH for beginning this discussion.
Posted by: Irene | Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 12:00 PM
It's my second day and my appearance has definitely improved. The swelling is almost all gone, except for a little puffiness underneath the eyes. The redness is more brownish now and I've started peeling. I'm still not ready to go out in public but hopefully by tomorrow I will look somewhat normal again. The doctor called this morning and said that the brown stuff will start peeling and should be gone by Monday. We'll see....
Posted by: ms | Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Hi Irene. I had the procedure about seven months ago, and as a woman whose age is closing in on fifty, I can see laugh lines around the outside of my eyes and mouth. I see, for the first time, a loss of elasticity around my mouth and my neck. I've had "shower cap" wrinkles across my forehead since college (and Botox does ease those - remarkable). I can say - without question - that the procedure did nothing for the lines in my face. Others claim that it works for skin discoloration, but yes, since my skin tone is generally excellent, I never noticed any changes in pigmentation. I had some spot laser treatments on some tiny red blood vessels, but I never saw a change there either. Again, each person may have a different result, but I would not an elective laser procedure again. Admittedly, I am a wimp when it comes to pain, so there's that too.
Posted by: HH | Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Today is the fourth day after the procedure, and I look almost normal again. The redness has drastically subsided and the swelling is gone altogether. I am very critical when it comes to judging these things and I have to say I do see more tightness around my eyes and jawline. Fine lines are less visible, but then again, exfoliation will do that, if only temporarily. I started breaking out, which was unexpected but maybe all the "bad stuff" surfaced after that layer of skin came off, who knows. Am still peeling on my forhead and hairline. Time will tell if the "tightness" stays or is only temporary...
Posted by: ms | Monday, April 30, 2007 at 07:06 AM
I succombed to Active FX two days ago. No one at the doctor's office told me much before hand although everyone was very friendly and I really like my doctor. I think they keep information vague so as to not scare away the patients. (I met a couple of people who had it done and read this blog before I went in -- that is how I got information.)
This morning my face is really swollen and I too look like a lizard with brown hard spots covering my face. (My daughter says I look like a monster.)
What makes me want to fight the aging process to the umph degree? I feel like there must be something wrong with me that I would risk burning my skin off with a laser. Perhaps I need therapy...
Posted by: Kay | Wednesday, May 09, 2007 at 08:24 AM
Kay - your honesty is refreshing and brilliant.
Posted by: HH | Friday, May 11, 2007 at 05:39 PM
Okay. It's been a week. Maybe I shouldn't say it...but I see improvement already. Skin tighter. Brown spots gone. Eyes definitely younger looking...
Posted by: Kay | Monday, May 14, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Alas Kay, I wish I could say the same. It as been some eight months later, and perhaps the signs of aging are now out-pacing any resultant effects. If anything, I see more lines in my face, especially around my mouth. Sigh. I ought to get a touch-up Botox on my forehead - with that relatively painless procedure, I have seen actual results.
Posted by: HH | Monday, May 14, 2007 at 10:21 AM
I stumbled onto this site while researching laser skin resurfacing before making an appointiment with my dermatologist. He has been recommending ActiveFX for a few months now and had almost convinced me that it would really revitalize my skin and get rid of signs of aging.
I'm 56 with the beginnings of a turkey neck and "marionette" lines. I have fair skin and lots of freckles that have been renamed "age spots" caused by sun damage. Overall, I'm not all that unhappy with my face but the pressure to look younger is hard to ignore. My 50 year old sister has had numerous procedures including some kind of radio wave thing that cooked deeper layers (to stimulate collagen production) instead of the surface of her face. She had a bad reaction to Vicodin, significant bruising and has yet to see results, even months later.
After reading the comments posted here, it seems clear that the results are not worth the pain and expense. Herpes and pimples, singed hair, swelling, brown scabs, fear and isolation? YIKES! Maybe I'll just save up for an old fashioned face lift. Thanks for the timely and honest information.
Liz (with freckles)
Posted by: Liz | Friday, May 18, 2007 at 11:16 PM