Usually pores become more prominent when the sebacious glands are overreactive. It may be possible the laser/heat devices can disturb the sebacious glands?

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DCNGA, thanks for posting this. It is interesting that some people do end up with this kind of result and others don't.

I had laser, but it was before all of this was made public bout the potential side effects, before forums and the internet, etc. I did have negative side effects, pores worsening etc. But I have known others who had laser who did not have the negative side effects of enlarged pores, etc. One derm I saw said pores go deep into the skin and have different shapes, including a circle shape, a tube shape, and a v shape. He said as skin is removed, at different depth points you can see more improvement on some of those shapes and worsening on others. Imagine a cross section of these shapes: the opening at the top of a circle will first become larger when you go deeper, and then will eventually become smaller again; the opening of a tube shape will stay the same size when you go deeper, but will give the illusion of being less noticeable because as the tube itself becomes more shallow, there is less shadow darkening the opening; the opening at the top of a v shape will become smaller as you go deeper.

This was also before I knew that laser caused fat loss, and so I ended up having more laser done to correct the pore issue (though I am not recommending this). It did help with the pore issue, though it is still not the same as before anything was done. But it did cause some fat loss around the eye area, specifically below the eye. I wish I had known what the potential side effects were, worsening of pores, shiny skin, fat loss, etc. And, I wish I knew how you could tell beforehand who was going to respond to the laser in which way. As I said, I know people who have had laser and did not have these negative side effects.

DCNGA, the little bit that I know about this pertains to the face, where the skin tends to be more porous. Do you have any info on lasers being used for scars on other parts of the body? Like mild scarring or stretch marks or sagging like from pregnancy? I have seen a few before and afters online (and honestly they look pretty good), but couldn't see enough detail to get a sense of whether these things are issues on other parts of the body. I have considered looking into the fraxel for this kind of scar treatment, but wouldn't want to end up with issues on other parts of the body. Do you know about other areas? Thanks!

The pore info was very informative. I've never heard that before, so thank you.

Yes, we have members (mostly males) who have had IPL to their chest or back for hair removal and now have scars or rough texture. We have a few members whose legs were damaged during hair removal with IPL. A few have had fraxel to their necks/chests and have severe hypo/hyper pigmentation and some have issues and sagging. But, the vast majority of our members have had facial skin problem. To be honest, I think if it was a place on their bodies they could hide and not been robbed of their identity by their feelings of loss of self, they could accept what has happened to them better.

I don't recall anyone having lasers/light treatments elsewhere on the body, although I have read many stories of those who have had improvements with laser to scars and I don't discount that it is possible for some people to have good results for such things or even for facial resurfacing. My issues come with the things that have happened to my forum members are TOTALLY discounted and disbelieved by doctors even in the face of proof, literally. Just terribly unjust and wrong for future victims who might not want to take the chances if they were fully informed. But, therein lies the rub. If everyone knew that these things were possible and they were revealed on an informed consent, there would be a whole lot fewer people having these procedures and device/doctor revenue would fall. Neither faction will stand for that. Sigh.

KM, I remembered you were harmed by a chemical peel. We have actually had a handful of people join who've had similar results from overly aggressive peels and even retinoids. They all feel displaced with nowhere to turn with their grief so they end up with us. My heartfbreaks because three or four times a day I open my email to find more people wishing to join the fourm who've been harmed, lied to or discounted.

I'm sorry you've been through all of that but glad you found your own way of coping with it all on some level, some never do and are scarred emotionally and physically for life.

I am so sorry Kosmeds. You must have been filled with despair often but it is so good of you to use the experience to warn others

B.b.b..but have you not had laser to the periorbital area?

Independent of lighting/angle impact on the "after" result shot, I wonder if that pimply, orange-peel like skin is due to the nature of fraxel (and other micro-fractional lasers): during the treatment, only a fraction of the surface skin cells are nuked - the others are left untouched. So perhaps, this accounts for a final result that looks more "textured" afterwards. What happens after multiple treatments, though? I doesn't appear as if the skin becomes baby-smooth.

Funny, but after my MixTo Microfractional Laser treatment in May 2009, I have more textured-looking skin right between my lower lip and chin area. Lines around the eyes are diminished, but I also have more capillary show around my eyes & eyelids. Definitely a trade-off.

I don't notice fat loss on my face - a small compensation for the recovery hell I went through with that Toxic Shock Staph infection.

I am hoping to NEVER, ever have any kind of laser treatment on my face again. Ain't worth it to look 2-3 years younger (or even just "refreshed") with the downside risks.

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I Bug U