Post Refirme Problems - Need Suggestions

[lisalisa]

I am a 40-year-old woman who was often complimented on my nice skin until Refirme - in spite of years of sunbathing, I had no lines or wrinkles; just a few freckles and a slight glabellar furrow that I remedied every 4-5 months with only 6 units of Botox. Still, after seeing a Refirme presentation on television last February, I decided to try it out as a "preventative" anti-aging treatment. I made an appointment online for a free (about 10-minute) treatment. The RN who gave me the "freebie" whispered in my ear afterward that I didn't need Refirme and should "save my money."

I wish I had listened. Instead, I consulted with other doctors and decided to try two Refirme treatments last spring, about a month apart and administered by MDs (one of whom popularized Refirme on national television). Two issues have arisen since.

Issue 1: I now have acne along my jawline. It developed about a month after my second treatment. I have had never had acne before, not even as a teenager. I've tried several otc treatments and nothing has worked. I am hoping that this acne has occurred from avoiding the sun (and not from the Refirme) and that once I resume tanning, these pimples will go away. I am just not sure how long I am supposed to avoid the sun, post-treatment.

Issue 2: This is the really bad one. Along with the acne, about a month after the last Refirme treatment, I have started developing crow's feet by my left eye, and wrinkles under both eyes. These seem to be getting worse. The skin on my neck and along my jaw and around my mouth has also been aging at an accelerated rate; the lower third of my face has lost both tone and volume and I now have lines along the nasalabial area, a half dozen smaller lines outside of those on both sides, and what look like smoker's lines around my lips when I purse them. It also looks as though the fat in a small area of my right cheek (just above the new nasalabial line there) has *disappeared* - creating an odd asymmetry when I smile. My skin - which didn't even require make-up before - now looks thick and old. All this since June.

I am so devastated by this. I loathe leaving the house and am becoming depressed. I don't have money for surgery but I need a solution. I am wondering where it goes from here. The one Refirme doctor who would actually speak to me about this recommended more Refirme or Thermage! These are not options, imo.

Any ideas or advice would be much appreciated.I don't know anything about cosmetic procedures aside from Botox and Refirme. Thanks.

[u4riah]

Stay away from Thermage on the face -- it seems to cause fat loss. It's being used to eliminate fat pockets on the body now -- either by itself or in conjunction with lipo.

Sounds like the Refirme did the same thing to your face. Any slackness in the skin can be eliminated with injectable fillers, which sucks because you didn't need fillers before the Refirme treatment.

[TodaysTrophyWife]

I haven't had this particular procedure done, but after I get peels my skin also showed wrinkles around my eyes and acne that wasn't present before. In time when the dead skin sloughed off, the wrinkles and zits disappeared and my skin looked much nicer. In my case, I think this is because the skin is now dead and dry and still needed to be sloughed off. I am not sure how Refirme works, but since you mentioned that your skin also feels thick, maybe your condition will also improve with time or with a gentle exfoliation with a washcloth? As for any decrease in volume I can't think of anything other than a filler to help out. Let me know how it turns out and sorry you aren't happy with the results.

[lisalisa]

Thank you both for your replies.

I am investigating fillers; I will wait (impatiently) until I can get some sort of referral from someone for a doctor here in San Diego, as apparently a skilled injector is key. I'm a bit nervous about making a selection w/o information... There are so many ads in our local magazines! It seems that every doctor has been voted "best."

In the meantime, I started using sulphur soap on the acne a few days ago (which seems to be helping somewhat). I tried an over-the-counter glycolic solution with a neutralizer a couple of weeks ago thinking that burning off some dead cells might help "erase" the lines, but it only exacerbated the problem. :P

Thanks again for your input. No small part of this is the increasing depression I experience about it. I kept waiting for it to get better, and, well, it isn't getting better. I have increasingly isolated myself and am too embarrassed to discuss this with most of my friends (none of whom have had any procedures that I know of). It's nice just knowing someone is listening at this point; the fact that you both know your stuff is a bonus I very much appreciate.

[u4riah]

Collegen stimulation takes a few months to appear. I had a full face Co2 laser peel about 10 years ago and I still have a good result from the collegen stimulation. I live in San Clemente and work in San Diego, but I haven't recently tried any local docs for fillers in this area. I did go to a really good clinic in Mexico for a filler a few years ago and I am wtill pleased with the result. You can e-mail me at: u4riah@cox.net

[lisalisa]

Thanks u4riah. Do you mean collagen stimulation from the Refirme? It's been six months since my last Refirme treatment; at this point it seems that it broke down the collagen and the fat in my skin and that it is getting worse... Unless it takes longer than six months to get better?

Or do you mean that there are fillers that stimulate collagen? If so, do you know of a filler that doesn't cause the lumps and bumps I read about on other boards? The more I hear about unhappy patients, the more scared I get of both Restylane and Juvederm, which I have been considering.

I'm sorry if these are stupid questions, but I am here to learn and, apparently, I am pretty clueless - in addition to feeling sorry for myself. lol

[u4riah]

The Co2 laser stimulated the collegen. The first six months, my face was really shiney -- I had to use blotter sheets. Sounds like the Refirm laser has different affects on the dermis. As far as injectables -- yes they can cause lumps, be sure to go to an experienced injector.

[Sydney]

Originally Posted by lisalisa

I am a 40-year-old woman who was often complimented on my nice skin until Refirme - in spite of years of sunbathing, I had no lines or wrinkles; just a few freckles and a slight glabellar furrow that I remedied every 4-5 months with only 6 units of Botox. Still, after seeing a Refirme presentation on television last February, I decided to try it out as a "preventative" anti-aging treatment. I made an appointment online for a free (about 10-minute) treatment. The RN who gave me the "freebie" whispered in my ear afterward that I didn't need Refirme and should "save my money."

I wish I had listened. Instead, I consulted with other doctors and decided to try two Refirme treatments last spring, about a month apart and administered by MDs (one of whom popularized Refirme on national television). Two issues have arisen since.

Issue 1: I now have acne along my jawline. It developed about a month after my second treatment. I have had never had acne before, not even as a teenager. I've tried several otc treatments and nothing has worked. I am hoping that this acne has occurred from avoiding the sun (and not from the Refirme) and that once I resume tanning, these pimples will go away. I am just not sure how long I am supposed to avoid the sun, post-treatment.

Issue 2: This is the really bad one. Along with the acne, about a month after the last Refirme treatment, I have started developing crow's feet by my left eye, and wrinkles under both eyes. These seem to be getting worse. The skin on my neck and along my jaw and around my mouth has also been aging at an accelerated rate; the lower third of my face has lost both tone and volume and I now have lines along the nasalabial area, a half dozen smaller lines outside of those on both sides, and what look like smoker's lines around my lips when I purse them. It also looks as though the fat in a small area of my right cheek (just above the new nasalabial line there) has *disappeared* - creating an odd asymmetry when I smile. My skin - which didn't even require make-up before - now looks thick and old. All this since June.

I am so devastated by this. I loathe leaving the house and am becoming depressed. I don't have money for surgery but I need a solution. I am wondering where it goes from here. The one Refirme doctor who would actually speak to me about this recommended more Refirme or Thermage! These are not options, imo.

Any ideas or advice would be much appreciated.I don't know anything about cosmetic procedures aside from Botox and Refirme. Thanks.

Sounds like you have fat loss. Your “acne” might even be blisters.
http://messageboards.makemeheal.com/...pl-t97378.html
Take a lot of photos. Meet with lawyers. Investigate options. You’ll need to sue, or threaten to sue, to get money for reconstruction help.
Fat grafting can help substitute lost volume and help with lost skin quality. At a year youll see pretty much the full extent of the damage. You’re not going to go back to regenerate on your own, as nice is that to hope for.
If you read through a board called makemeheal, your experience is pretty much the norm with radio frequency, ipl lasers