I had Fraxel Dual done 3 times at Eu Clinic near Gangnam Station two years ago around this time. It was a package of (Alex pore + Affinity + Fraxel Dual) x 3 sessions, and the cost was just under 1 million won including VAT. When I visited, I left my personal items there, washed my face, applied numbing cream, and after 30 minutes they did Affinity, Alex pore, and Fraxel Dual in that order.
Affinity felt like a higher-end version of Aquafill, with slightly stronger suction. For pore laser, they said it’s important not only to have the laser treatment but also to clean the pores before the procedure, so I had it done. It wasn’t something I’d call painful, just the feeling of my skin being strongly suctioned, and it felt refreshing because it was sucking out sebum. It was performed by a doctor other than the head doctor.
Alex pore used a laser from the Clariti company, but when I searched it, it mostly came up as Alex Toning. I asked because I was curious, and they said it was indeed a Clariti laser, but depending on the mode, it could also be used for pores. The effect is said to remove fine hairs and residue from the pores, and if that explanation is accurate, it seems they used the hair-removal function for pore cleansing. I received Alex pore in two modes. In the first mode, a strong stream of air comes out at the same time as each laser shot. It lessens the pain, like when a nurse taps your butt while giving an injection, so there is almost no pain and it also has a cooling effect. The second mode gives a strong heat sensation and lasers different parts of the face. The heat can feel so intense that you wonder if it might burn, but when I looked in the mirror after the procedure, there was no redness, the heat was only felt during the treatment, and there was no lingering pain. It was performed by a doctor other than the head doctor.
Fraxel Dual is quite painful. Even with anesthesia, it hurt a lot, and there was quite a bit of bleeding during the procedure, so the nurse kept wiping the blood away. I searched and found that 6 passes are standard for Fraxel Dual, and while they didn’t do 6 passes over the entire face, areas in worse condition were properly treated with 5 to 6 passes. (I remember the better areas got around 3 to 4 passes.) The procedure was done directly by the head doctor.
After all the procedures were finished, they did cold compress treatment. It wasn’t just a cold towel placed over the face, but a cold rod-like device used for soothing care for about 5 minutes. After that, the treatment ends with a cooling pack for 20 to 30 minutes. There is a regenerative cream sold at the dermatology clinic; it was an expensive cream in the 50,000-won range, but honestly I didn’t like it. I wasn’t sure whether it actually calmed the skin, and whenever I applied only that product, it felt like my sebum production increased. The regular cream I already used at home was better, so after using it a few times, I ended up using it as body lotion.
Facial redness lasts for almost a week. It isn’t red the entire week, but for about 2 to 3 days it gets extremely red, so I recommend staying home. After 3 to 4 days, the redness can be hidden somewhat with sunscreen, so going out is possible, but since there is dead skin peeling, it feels a bit awkward.
One week after the Fraxel Dual treatment, there is a regeneration care session. (Included in the initial 1 million won cost.) They provide a pack and electromagnetic induction nutrient care, and depending on your choice, you can add Aqua Peel. I added Aqua Peel, and with that there was an extra charge separate from the 1 million won mentioned above. With the discount, the extra cost for Aqua Peel was about 30,000 won per session.
It was the first laser procedure I had ever received, so I had some expectations, but I didn’t see any dramatic effects, only a slight reduction in pore size. Honestly, after the treatment I couldn’t really feel what had improved. When I asked the clinic to show before-and-after photos, they emailed them to me. Looking at the before and after photos side by side, I could see the pores had shrunk a little. Because pores seem to shrink gradually and the amount of shrinkage isn’t that large, from the perspective of someone who looks every day, it seems hard to notice the change. They say there are various effects beyond pores too, but since I didn’t have issues with other areas (elasticity, wrinkles, scars), I couldn’t really feel them. In short, there definitely was a pore-reducing effect, but it wasn’t large, and it was not immediate but gradual. Individual results may vary, but it doesn’t seem like the effect lasts forever, and after 1 to 2 years it seems to return to the original state.
My overall impression of the clinic is: Because the clinic is small, you end up running into other customers quite a bit during the procedure (and it feels awkward when you meet them with a red face from treatment), and there aren’t many treatment beds, so due to turnover issues you can’t lie down and rest for very long after the procedure, but because they organize the timetable and patient flow well, the treatment proceeded smoothly without delays. I’m not sure whether she is still there after 2 years, but the consultation manager seemed very sales-driven (do this too, do that too) It would have been nice to consult with the head doctor too, but there wasn’t a separate consultation time with the doctor, and when I asked various things before and after the procedure, he was kind.
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