MixTo Laser Resurfacing and Complications with Anti-Virals
As many of you already know, I opted to get the MixTo Microfractional CO2 Laser skin resurfacing treatment in May of 2010. At 54, I had fine lines, a few wrinkles, and smattering of age spots on my face, neck and chest that I hoped to rejuvenate with a single treatment, which is what my doctor had said would be possible with MixTo.
While the MixTo technology has been around for more than 25 years outside of the U.S., it is still relatively new here, with early-adopters in the dermatology and cosmetic surgery industries making the investment in equipment and training only in the past few years. In the right hands, MixTo can deliver highly satisfying results and noticeable improvement in skin texture after just one treatment. But before jumping on the bandwagon, each patient has to explore their medical history, problem areas, desired outcomes, and alternative treatments with their doctor first.
Chemical peels and dermabrasion can be affordable and even less aggressive treatments than laser for skin rejuvenation. There is a quick comparison of these two treatments at:
http://tinyurl.com/2bc3w26A confusing array of other types of laser, such as Fraxel, ActiveFX, SmartXide, ProFractional, and more are also possibilities to explore. You can compare various laser options here:
http://fractionalc02.com/co2laserblog/brief-overview-of-laser-devices/. Some technologies are ideal for acne scarring, others target capillaries, freckles or age spots; still others claim to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles, with visible tightening of the skin after just one treatment. It so happens that the MixTo lays claim to addressing all these issues.
In general, a person's age, skin color, texture and thickness, nature of skin damage, and even one's budget will determine the best route to take for skin resurfacing. The Mayo Clinic provides an overview of what you can expect from laser skin resurfacing, in general:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/laser-resurfacing/MY00560. In particular, this procedure does come with a set of risks that you have to be comfortable with:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/laser-resurfacing/MY00560/DSECTION=risks If the patient and doctor agree that MixTo laser is the best way to go, and the doctor is highly skilled in administering this treatment (as evidenced by before-and-after shots, number of patients treated, etc.,) the patient needs to be completely familiar with what the treatment entails before, during and after. The MixTo website provides an FAQ with a brief overview of the technology and what the patient can expect during and after the treatment:
http://www.mixtoskinresurfacing.com/patients/frequently_asked_questions.htmlYou need to take the information in this FAQ with a big grain of salt! I can honestly say, having gone through this procedure on my face, neck and chest with what was described as “conservative over-all, a bit more aggressive around the eyes and mouth” this is NOT a weekend procedure after which a person can blithely return to work. Nor can the patient be treated and drive themselves home; they are often administered a mild sedative to relax them prior to the procedure.
You may think that having researched all the options for skin rejuvenation and found that MixTo laser is the optimal choice, that you can relax and focus on the outcome. Here is where you need to STOP and re-evaluate the decision. Prior to getting any form of facial laser treatment, you will be prescribed one and possibly two medications: an anti-viral to prevent the outbreak of Herpes Type I cold sores, and an antibiotic to suppress any post-treatment infection. In my case, I was prescribed generic Valtrex, an acyclovir-based medication expressly to prevent a herpes outbreak. I am a healthy, non-smoker, who exercises regularly, maintains my body weight, eats healthy, and has no medical pre-conditions. The last thing I ever expected was to manifest an extremely adverse reaction to Valtrex. I had about 90 percent of the adverse side effects listed here:
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/valtrex-side-effects.html.The reaction completely derailed my recovery from MixTo, which in itself could take up to 3 weeks for the skin to heal and recover to the point that you can appear in public (with or without makeup as your choosing). Valtrex compromised my immune system, which caused a secondary staph infection on my newly-treated skin, plus gave me a fever of 103.7 F. I ended up in the doctor's office for more than half a day, getting a course of two IVs: one with antibiotic and fluids; the other with just fluids to restore my body's balance.
At the suggestion of one of the posters here, I have already contacted the manufacturer, Ranbaxy, and the pharmacy that sold me the prescription. I also filed a detailed report with the FDA. The Ranbaxy representative must've had that same FDA form in front of her as she was on the phone with me, because she asked the same questions, and spent a good half hour with me getting the information. I am not interested (at this point) in taking any legal action, but as a precaution, I will be getting a complete blood work-up including panels for: rheumatoid, liver, metabolic and my TSH level.
I have shared my road to recovery and the before-and-after shots with you here, as well as at other plastic surgery message boards, in the hopes of preventing others from going willy-nilly into ANY laser skin resurfacing procedure without knowing beforehand what the procedure entails, a likely roadmap to recovery, drugs that you may need examine closely for reactions and interactions, and finally, what other options exist outside of lasers for skin rejuvenation.
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