Photoderm

[Guest guest]

I had my 6th Photoderm treatment this afternoon and it was quite an

interesting experience.

Some of you may remember that I had previously been getting my

treatments (the first 5) at Vein Solutions in Indiana with Dr.

Finkelmeier. I have since put my trust in a local (New York State)

cosmetic surgeon's office, where his office nurse administers the

treatments.

Just prior to my appointment, I was scurrying around town looking for

the Nioxin Shampoo as some of you have used it to stimulate a facial

flush. I didn't find it, but found one that the clerk told me was

very similar, called Nutri-ox (it does contain Niacin.) Well...I

slathered it--undiluted---onto my face just before sitting down in

the chair and it didn't really produce much of a flush. I almost got

a ruddier look just giving my face a good scrub after removing my

makeup.

The nurse had looked at my records from Vein Solutions and was

commenting that the reason I probably had purpura (bruising) with my

first treatment was that Dr. F used a single pulse--which apparently

packs more punch than the double or triple pulses. In fact, as we

looked at my chart, we realized he had used the single pulse setting

(570 filter, 45-47.5 joules) for each of my 5 treatments. Today, the

nurse, Joan, used a 590 filter, triple pulse, 60 joules. Boy, that

felt about 50-75% less painful!!! I'm now wondering if those of you

who have commented that the treatment isn't all that painful might

have been experiencing the multiple-pulse rather than the single

pulse setting. That was my observation, anyway--very, very

noticeable difference.

It's only been a couple of hours post-treatment and I am red but with

little or no swelling (a FIRST for me!!). Of course, it will be

weeks before I am able to properly assess the outcome of this

treatment. I have scheduled another in three weeks. I'll keep you

all posted on my observations along the way.

Take Care,

Beth