the injections are painful and now i have craters!

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query. It is normal to find red prominent scars after the first sitting of profractional laser because it works by creating microscopic "wounds" within the targeted areas and hence trigger the body's natural healing process teherby accelerating the production of collagen and new, healthy skin cells.You have got one sitting of profractional laser treatment. This procedure is most often applied over 3 – 5 treatments, spaced 2-4 weeks apart, with each treatment seeing a noticeable improvement in the quality of the skin. So 22 days is not considered a long time for the next sitting.

Basically profractional laser is delivered as individual columns in a polka dot fashion. These multiple columns of laser can be varied in width, depth and density. Hence now your dermatologist wants to go to 800 microns in the next session. The density of the laser columns can also be increased to cover up to 60% of a full resurfacing. Hence when you go for the next session of 800 microns, please be prepared for a longer period of recovery.

For the pain during the procedure, you can get a topical anesthetic applied before the sitting. Also after the procedure, get prescribed an antimicrobial ointment during the healing process. You must apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher (UVA/UVB) after every two hours of sun exposure. Avoid direct sun exposure during the healing process and for at least 3 months after treatment.

I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and regards.