Tragic Story Emphasizes Need To Choose Experienced Fractora Practitioner

Sue MarDock is a 57-year-old mother of eight and grandmother of three. In many ways, she is just like anyone else. She took pride in how she looked, but wanted to look a little better and a little younger. So when her Dallas dermatologist pitched Fractora as a “relatively routine, simple procedure,” she thought, “Why not?”

Tragically, her experience became a cautionary tale in exercising due diligence before allowing just anyone to perform a cosmetic procedure, says Dr. Thomas Loeb, widely considered to be one of the best plastic surgeons in New York City.

What is Fractora?

Fractora is an anti-aging system developed by Invasix that delivers gentle radio-frequency heat to the skin, which promotes natural collagen restructuring for optimal skin rejuvenation. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis and is performed with a topical anesthetic so it is virtually painless.

After several 30 to 45-minute sessions spaced a few weeks apart, the patients notice smoother, tighter, more flawless skin.

Benefits & risks associated with Fractora

Fractora dissipates fine or deep wrinkles — including smile lines, deep forehead creases, and crow’s feet — and also minimizes scars and skin discoloration. The procedure is also used to tighten loose skin on the neck and face.

Experienced practitioners can perform the advanced treatment on the eyelids, cheeks, mouth, and neck. Compared to ablation, Fractora offers quicker healing and less downtime.

For an experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Loeb, the procedure really is quite simple to perform. He looks for the best Fractora candidates – people who are in reasonably good health and who can actually benefit from the procedure. He also counsels patients on risks involved. Since the treatment delivers radiofrequency energy to the upper and mid dermis, there may be short-term changes in texture or pigment. Some patients have a little bit of acne immediately following the procedure. Scarring is possible if high energies are used, but extremely rare.

“Any time you are dealing with energy that must be calibrated by a human being, you want to make sure that person has performed many of these procedures,” explains Dr. Loeb, a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery with much experience in performing Fractora NYC procedures.

Texas patient reports Fractora gone wrong

Sue MarDock said that her doctor offered her a “free treatment” back in January because the dermatologist was trying to decide if she wanted to invest in the system for her office. That should have been the first red flag.

A Fractora sales associate was in the room during the procedure. That should have been the second red flag. The sales person told the dermatologist to use “a lot of pressure” and “turn the frequency to a high setting.” The dermatologist questioned these orders, but still followed them.

“It hurt a lot, even though I was very numbed,” MarDock recalls. A minimally-invasive procedure that uses a topical anesthetic should NEVER cause pain. The pain was a sign that the heat was penetrating further than the anesthetic – a sign that something was seriously wrong.

Following the procedure, the woman suffered severe swelling and deep, dark red burns that turned to scars. Now it looks as though her face has been clawed by an animal — and her lips, burned from smoking. Scars scatter across her chin. “My kids tell me I look like I’m all shriveled up now,” she told KHOU News.

Both the sales associate and the dermatologist agreed that something went terribly wrong, but both are pointing the finger at each other. MarDock filed a lawsuit to compensate for all the emotional pain and suffering she has faced because of this traumatic experience. Because of limits on medical malpractice suits in the state of Texas, $250,000 is the most Sue MarDock could win in court.

How to protect yourself when seeking Fractora in NYC

While horrific, this story represents an isolated incident, says Dr. Loeb. Fractora is really a painless, non-invasive, very low-risk procedure unless an inexperienced doctor is taking direction from a sales rep. Great results are possible, but you must go to a doctor who has performed the procedure many times and who can show you a track record of successful outcomes.

The American Board of Cosmetic Surgeons recommends asking a cosmetic surgeon the following questions:

• “How did you train in the procedure I am considering?”
• “For how long have you been performing this procedure?”
• “How many times have you performed this type of procedure?”

Here are other things to look for in choosing the best person to do your Fractora in NYC:

• During the consultation, you should feel as though the surgeon explains the benefits and the risks, and looks to see that you are a good candidate for this particular procedure.
• You should never feel pressured or as though your questions are brushed off.
• Look at the before & after results in the surgeon’s portfolio and try to find someone with a similar look to you. Are the results consistent?
• Choose someone you feel comfortable with – someone who is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

For more information on Fractora or other NYC facial skin treatments, you may contact Dr. Loeb, one of the best plastic surgeons New York City has to offer, at 212-327-3700.