Acne Scar Treatments Archive 3
Return to the Acne Support Group in Cyberspace home pageMr. G -- Charlotte, 05:49:02 10/10/03 Fri
Beth,
Back in March, I was thinking about getting a second subcision and emailed Mr.
G to see how he felt about his second one. He said his skin still wasn't
perfect, but he was happy with the results from his second subcision. He said
that close up he still had shallow scars and thought about getting fat
injections. But when he backed away from the mirror a little bit, the scars
really weren’t a big deal like they once were. The shallow ones that remained
really weren't that bad.Then I e-mailed him in the summer to tell him that I had needling in July
instead of a second subcision. I don't think he had heard of it. He seemed
interested in needling since it is similar in concept to subcision. I told him
I'd keep him posted with my progress, but I haven't yet. I wanted to send a
link with photos when I contacted him again and I haven't pulled it together
yet. I think he said he was not pursuing the idea of fat injections anymore.I had a second needling just today, and I've started on a series of Smoothbeam
laser treatments.Anyway, I think Mr. G is happy enough with his improvement that he doesn't
hang out with us anymore :(
Super CP -- Robert, 23:08:20 10/09/03 Thu
Thank you, everyone, for the comments. I forgot to mention that, in addition
to the CP Serum, I'm also using a 15% glycolic acid cream twice a week. I
can't use it daily 'cause it burned me slightly a couple of times and so I
have to be careful with it. I'd like to try a 30% peel but seem to be very
sensitive to glycolic acid. The 15% cream has been exfoliating me well,
though, and has really cleared my skin of red marks. My scars are mostly
shallow or medium in depth, so I'm hopeful I'll see some improvement with the
topicals alone. I've been using them 8 weeks, and am waiting for the Super CP
and Super COP to arrive in the mail.
Everyone, about Super Serum -- Denise1, 19:31:03 10/09/03 Thu
Hi everybody. I told Maya the other day I was gonna write to Dr. Pickert at
Skin Biology to see if he could formulate a Super Serum version that was
salicylic acid free. I will get back with everyone and let you all know what
he says.I also wanted to remind everyone too that there are many things that slow
collagen production down. Smoking for one does, ofcourse, and so does the use
of SSRI antidepressants (Prozac, Paxil). There are ofcourse many variables
that go into how people respond to different products, but some of you may not
be aware that things that are used to stimulate collagen may or may not do
much if you smoke or are on an SSRI.I am fortunate, I am very fair: Irish/German/Scotch/English/Native American.
My mother and her siblings were dark, but I seem to have inherited my father's
skin tone. I just have very tough skin that tolerates a lot of peels and
whatnot with no trouble at all. I use Retin A micro .10% and do peels with no
problem. I have had a TCA with no problem. All of these things stimulate
collagen production, Retin A by UP TO 80%.As Steve said, the Super Serum works excellent with peels. I'm not sure what
it does by itself as I've always used it with Retin A and peels. I don't
smoke, am not on an SSRI, and take many supplements that help with the skin.While all of us are different, I think that there are many thing we can do to
help us get the best results from various topicals.So anyway....that's my buck fifty on the serum. I truly hope that Dr. Pickert
comes up with a salicylic acid free formula. It truly has worked like a charm
for me, ofcourse, along with the Retin A, which is almost like getting
microderm everynight.
Anyone know how Mr. G is doing? -- Beth, 15:54:22 10/09/03 ThuI have not seen any posts from Mr. G in the longest time. Has anyone been in
touch with him or know how his subcission results are holding up? Thanks! Beth
Thanks, sam-e! -- Beth, 15:50:27 10/09/03 Thu
I'll do that! I hope to have a good report for you after trying needling.
For everyone-- I may post some pictures so you can all help me to determine
the level of scarring and the best treatment for my situation. I have a
digital camera, but the close range pictures are a bit too blurry. I'm going
to invest in a better camera soon so you all can compare before and after
pictures of my needling.Thanks again for your concern.
Beth :-)
Maya/Steve/CP and Super CP -- John, 13:49:12 10/09/03 Thu
Maya...it sounds like I'm in the same court as you when it comes to Dr.
Pickart's Super CP Serum. It just hasn't done anything positive for
me...although I am glad to hear that it IS helping others. I am of
Irish/Italian descent with light Olive skin, so the Asian factor you described
doesn't apply to me. I guess it's just one of those things...Steve...can you please tell me where I can purchase the Lactic Acid Peel? Is
there much downtime after using it? I hesitate using a Glycolic Acid Peel.
Glycolic historically breaks me out and causes A LOT of redness and itching.
But I would like to try the Lactic Acid Peel, to see if using it will help the
CP Serum work better for me.Thanks very much and continued good health & success to both of you,
John
Super Copper Peptides -- Maya, 10:14:36 10/09/03 Thu
I know Denise and others have had great success with Super CP from skinbiology
- but this is my negative experience:I used the regular CP for a few months, found it soothing after peels and it
had a skin softening effect, I then moved up to Super CP, which I found quite
staining and I can't say it helped fill in any pits.What I did find was that it was starting to cause inflammation under my scars,
causing them to slightly raise and become lumpy (felt like zits under the
scars) - I continued to use the super CP for maybe 2 months.I had some scars excised 5 weeks ago and I applied the Super CP, then Emu oil
... but I was finding that each excised scar was becomeing inflamed .. last
week, I stopped using the super CP and withinn 2 days, the inflammation
dissapeared and my scars have continued to improve since.I spoke with Dr Chu yesterday (when I had more excision performend) and he
told me that a few of his patients had had similar experiences with Super CP
and SuperCop - that it can cause inflamation and makes his scar revision
methods less effective).I have conversed with Denise about this and she had recently found that some
Asian type skins can have adverse effects with glycolic (I do) and with
salyctites (spelling?) as founn in the super CP - so I am staying away
although the standard CP was fine or me.
Beth -- Sam-e, 07:06:06 10/09/03 Thu
Hi Beth I was hoping to hear that you were 100% now since I had not read any
posts from you in a while. I dont have glycolic damage, just laser damage.
Anyway I was just wondering how you were doing because I know you were in such
distress before, I do hope you find the answer soon. Keep us posted as I will
continue to wonder.
John -- Steve, 02:30:14 10/09/03 Thu
You probably need to use the Super CP serums in conjunction with AHA peels..
Even Dr. Pickart from SkinBio has stated this.. I would recommend you purchase
a 30% Glycolic or maybe a latic acid peel to use with your Serums..
CP/Super CP Serum -- John, 01:58:40 10/09/03 Thu
Hi Robert,
I'm not Denise but I've been using the Super CP serum for several months now.
I started out with just the regular CP Serum and then in a couple weeks I
upgraded to Super CP, which I use in conjunction with the Exfol Serum. I'm
sticking with it but I must be honest with you and say that I haven't really
noticed that much of a difference. My skin FEELS a little bit better, but
there has been no reduction of scars whatsoever.(And no "healthy glow",
either!) In fact, that is the very reason why I have just made an appointment
with a Dr. Rapaport in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, to discuss doing subcision or
using a cool laser on my face to eradicate my scars. The CP Serums seem to me
to be little more than fancy moisturizers with some mild exfoliating
properties, and that's all. I don't believe they are potent enough to erase
scars on their own. I guess I'll keep using them for a while, but then again,
I have to ask myself.....why?? I guess they're helping some people, though,
and I hope you'll have a better experience with them than I've had.
Question For Denise -- Robert, 23:55:12 10/08/03 Wed
Denise, are you the person who has been using Super CP Serum? If so, how often
do you apply it? And have you seen visible improvements? I'm about to
"upgrade" from CP Serum to Super CP.
To: Sam-e --- Re: Glycolic Acid Damage -- Beth, 15:15:02 10/08/03 Wed
I think you are referring to me. Do you have some glycolic acid damage too?
To answer your question...No. I have not found the solution yet, but I am
leaning towards needling.I have to say that my cheeks are much better in that they are starting to look
more normal and can handle Aveeno soap very well. My chin area is still a
mess, however, and more sensitive to products than the rest of my face.The only area I had a corrective treatment done on was my forehead. I had one
microderm treatment done on my forehead about 2.5 years ago and I DO think
that treatment helped a bit. At first I thought it made my skin look worse for
about a year or so afterwards, but now I can see that my uneven texture has
smoothed out and my forehead is more tolerent than the rest of my face when it
comes to skin care products. Somehow I think the microderm thickened my skin
back up in that area.Even though I eventually had a good result with microderm, I am hesitant to
have this treatment done on the rest of my face as it was quite harsh and the
rest of my face is much more fragile than my forehead. For this reason I am
leaning toward needling -- unless someone on one of these message boards
advises otherwise.I am thinking of having this needling treatment done soon, so I'll keep you
all posted.Beth
Message to girl whos skin was ruined by glycolic acid -- sam-e, 04:22:17
10/08/03 WedDid you ever find your solution? How is your skin these days? I hope that you
are better.
Message to PK -- HT, 09:53:49 10/07/03 Tue
Hi PK
Im a newbie on this board and reading your recent posts about you trip to
australia has given me hope. I am planning to see Dr Schieber but just
wondering about downtime for this treatment, I know its not like evasive laser
treatment but are you still red from the treatment, what does your skin look
like after the treatment? when did the redness subside?
Hope you can help me.
Thanks again for your detailed reports, they are much appreciated!
Robert and Larry -- Denise1, 16:48:41 10/06/03 Mon
Robert I tend to agree with you.
Larry, you always want to start with lower amounts of glycolic acid. Glycolic
tends to be the harshest of the AHA's. It's best to start with lower amounts
and work your way up.Keep in mind that over time, your skin does become immune to glycolic acid,
and you will actually be forced to work up to higher amounts. At some point,
you ought to go to salicylic or lactic acids.
70% Glycolic acid peel -- Robert, 19:31:21 10/05/03 Sun
I wouldn't let ANYONE do a 70% peel on me. Order some 15% glycolic acid cream
or a 30% peel online. 30% works just as well as 70%; it just takes longer. And
yes, you can be burned! Err on the side of caution, and be patient. I'm using
a 15% cream with CP Serum and am seeing decent results. I know it will take
many more months to see significant changes, but I also know I won't be burned
or scarred in the process.
What's the worst that could happen? -- Larry, 14:22:50 10/05/03 Sun
I would like to know what's the worst thing that could happen to someone like
me that has never used any peel higher than 10% glycolic, suddenly applying
the 70% glycolic peel? I would apply a lower one but since where i'm living
there isn't any other lower peel.. Is there any serious danger? could I
actually get seriously burnt or get a bad reaction? what if I told the doctor
to apply it for less than 2 minutes? and how long until the redness fades?And did anyone ever try the product Bio-Oil? It's quite good but I would like
to know about anyone who has tried it?Ok, thanks a whole lot.
PK First Full Report after treatment by Dr. Scheibner -- PK, 07:21:53 10/05/03
SunDear Friends,
First, thank you everyone for your prayers and support. The past 2 months have
been a real roller coaster, as I daily saw the worsening condition of my skin
following a botched laser job, and ultimately sought treatment from Dr.
Adrianna Scheibner, herself, in Australia.Let me try to answer the most urgent questions first, with what time I have
now to jot down some notes:First, I was treated 3 separate times by Dr. Scheibner during my week-long
visit to Sydney. Dr. S. uses as CO2 laser, which she has “tweaked” or adjusted
differently than other laser practitioners would, to be able to very gently
laser the skin and stimulate each cell to begin healing again. It does NOT
remove any skin, NO destruction of the epidermis. All the work is done at the
cellular level at the dermis/epidermis juncture where the perfect blueprint
exists for the re-healing of each cell.No anesthesia was needed. I could feel the laser, it felt like a slight
burning sensation, but nothing that I couldn’t handle . Each session lasted
about 30- 60 minutes. Very carefully, Dr. S. went over every inch of my face,
seeing as there was scarring over its entire surface, gently stimulating the
damaged cells to trigger the rehealing process.I am a bit hesitant to report fully yet as to my degree of healing thus far.
Immediately upon my return, 2 days ago, my nose (the most scarred area)
appeared to be some 40% healed, and the rest of my face filling in as well. I
now realize that part of these perceived results were the result of my nose
having been swollen slightly, and now that it’s subsided, I can see more of
the original scars reappearing. However, there is definitely improvement from
prior to my treatments, and the rest of my face continues to look better than
before, as well.I am praying that the skin will continue healing or filling in these indented
scars, and will report back regularly as things progress. What this DOES tell
me is that Dr. S’s technique DOES absolutely work, in that I have already
witnessed skin growth, however, it would likely take several more treatments
to more fully reverse these scars.Dr. Scheibner and her family were saints to take me in and help me as they
have. I am forever indebted to them, and we have agreed to keep in touch and I
will be working here to further her efforts to return to the states.Thank you all, again, and please keep me in your prayers, as I will also be
praying for each of you, that we can together find a FINAL cure to these
blasted scars!!PK
Anna -- John, 01:02:30 10/05/03 SunThat sounds like good advice, Anna. Thanks very much.
P.S. Please give PK my best. I hope she's doing all right. We'll all be happy
to hear her next report.
Take care.
John
Accutane and Surgery -- Anna, 00:49:48 10/05/03 Sun
John,
If I were you I would call Dr. Rapaport before your appointment and ask him or
his staff whether they think it is still too soon for you to start treatment
after being on Accutane.Good Luck!
Anna
To: PK -- What treatment did you have? -- Beth, 00:33:09 10/05/03 SunI've been away for quite some time and think I may have missed reading what
kind of "gentle" treatments you were getting. Please fill me in. It sounds
wonderful. Thanks! Beth:-)
Dr. Rapaport/Subcision/Accutane -- John, 14:59:22 10/04/03 Sat
I have an appointment on October 13th with NJ dermatologist, Dr. Jeffrey
Rapaport, who is supposed to be an expert in subcutaneous subcision and laser
resurfacing and I was wondering if anyone here can give me some guidance on a
question I have. I was on a dose of 80 mg. a day of Accutane for several
months in 2002 and 2003 and when I had Zyplast Collagen injections in February
2003, it left my scars far worse than they were before. I now know (too late)
that the Accutane likely impeded my ability to heal and that's why the last
round of Zyplast injections CAUSED more scars, rather than CORRECTED the ones
that I previously had.My question is: if Dr. Rapaport thinks he can help me a protocol of subcision
and lasering, is it still too soon after the end of my treatment with
Accutane, to consider having these procedures done? (I stopped taking the
medication in April of this year.) I went to different dermatologists for both
treatments--the Accutane and the Zyplast--so I have no one to blame but myself
for not telling the Zyplast doctor that I was on Accutane. However, I wasn't
being deceptive...I honestly had no idea at the time that Accutane caused
scarring, or that it made past scarring, worse.I hope someone here can give me some advice on this, and to those out there on
Accutane, please take this as a warning not to have any surgical or invasive
treatment done on your face while you are taking that drug. If I had only
known......
WHITE SPOTS -- Victor, 23:59:01 10/03/03 Fri
Hey guys,
I had some CO2 laser treatments about eight years ago and although I think
they helped, We probably all go into a semi-dark room and play with the
shadows to see how bad or good we look.
I am left with white skin where the laser was applied. Are there any others
out there who have had this happen with that laser? Has anyone done anything
about it?
I am working with Novitel gel (not sure on the spelling) for the
hypopigmentation.Vic,
anything would be appreiciated
Eric And Vs -- Steve, 22:17:07 10/03/03 FriEric.. THe healing process since my touchup has been pretty slow..Its been a
little over 2 weeks and my scars are still very redish..Which i feel is a
positive sign, because it means Dr. Rullan really got under the scar tissue
and burned them well.. And yeah ive been using Regular CP Serum and EMU oil
twice a day for healing..Hopefully ill see good results within the next month.. But im also doing alot
of experimenting with various topicals and peel the acne.org people are
using.. Like the Alpha lipoic home cream, mandalic acid, and even got my hands
on 50% TCA peel.. So the next couple of months should be interesting..VS, Sure we can meet up...Email and ill give you me number.. as of right now
my schedule is free, ive been trying to get a job recently so i may end up
being a bit busy.. But im sure we can find time to meet up..
Steve...PK...Dr.Rullan -- VS, 23:26:07 10/02/03 ThuWell I made an apt to see Dr. Rullan. My apt with him is on the 7th. I'm
driving down to the LA area this weekend.
Steve Can we meet while i'm down there?PK i'm so happy for you. Can you describe what exactly she does. what laser
she uses? i'm confused on her whole process. Does she just set the laser to
really low setting and abrade the skin or what?:)
PK & Steve -- Eric, 20:31:03 10/02/03 ThuPK-
That is awesome news! I am very pleased to hear such miraculous stories of
recovery, not only on your part, but also on the part of the former patients.
The Lord is good! I e-mailed Dr. Scheibner a few weeks ago requesting to be
added to the list of petitions, I believe it was, to have a clinic opened in
California again, as well as to get a brochure from her. It seems that she
truly wants to bring her methods back to USA to help as many people as she
possibly can recover from the ravages of scarring. I look forward to what the
future will bring!!Hey Steve-
Just wanted to ask how you are doing after your Exoderm touch-ups! Is your
skin healing OK, and are you using CP Serum to help? Any new improvement yet?
Sorry to bug you, but I am hopeful and enthusiastic for your continued
progress!Peace out y'all...
-Eric
PK -- Denise1, 15:33:23 10/02/03 ThuPk: That is truly wonderful news. I'm so impressed with the Dr. To think that
she put you up, let you use her frequent flier miles, etc....and now you can
already see such good results. This is truly incredible. I truly hope and pray
that you will continue to heal and continue to testify to the goodness of the
woman who unselfishly helps others.Thanks for the update, and happy healing!!!!
PK -- John, 14:54:22 10/02/03 ThuThat is great news, PK! Like everyone else here, I can't wait to hear more. I
have the feeling that your treatments with Dr. Scheibner will be the catalyst
for many life-altering miracles--not only for you, but somehow, for the rest
of us, too.
I hope that each day finds you more and more pleased with the results of Dr.
Scheibner's work. I am elated for you and will keep sending lots of good
thoughts your way.
John
PK - Scheibner -- Sweety, 12:50:16 10/02/03 ThuPK, thats wonderful news!!
PK -- Maya, 09:59:39 10/02/03 ThuWow, your good news is exactly what we all needed to hear right now!!!!!! So
many have followed your anguish and now there really seems to be so much hope
again. I believe in miracles :-) :-) :-)Please could you post more details about the full procedure. Are you saying
that you had 3 lots of CO2 laser performed on you at low setting?Thanks so much for your update even though you were tired, and I wish you
continued success!
VS -- Steve, 04:22:27 10/02/03 ThuI believe the URL to Dr.rullans site is http://www.drrullan.com/
You can get all the info you need from there..
PK Your an Inspiration -- John, 02:01:02 10/02/03 ThuHi PK,
I am so pleased for you and thanks for your posts.
As I live in Australia, I had better make the most of it while she is actually
here.For all others in this country we had better make the most of this wonderful
technique.
PK initial reporting in after visit to Scheibner Center .... -- PK, 01:51:54
10/02/03 ThuThank you, Anna, for covering for me earlier. Still very tired, back to sleep
in a moment, but wanted to first post this.I AM NOW CONVINCED BEYOND ANY DOUBT THAT DR. SCHEIBNER IS THE "REAL THING" AND
THAT SHE HAS DEVELOPED A METHOD WHEREBY SCARS CAN BE REVERSESD COMPLETELY, OR
NEAR COMPLETELY, DEPENDING UPON HOW MANY TREATMENTS GIVEN!My trip to Sydney and visit for a week with S. Family was nothing short of
miraculous. I saw with my own eyes patient photos wherein scarring far worse
than mine was eradicated entirely. I met a half dozen former patients whose
skin looks completely normal - in fact every one of her staff members is a
former patient who was so changed by the experience of being made whole, that
they entered her employ. Pretty outstanding testimony.MY OWN SKIN is looking far improved - after three gentle treatments, thus far
it appears that to be a maybe 30-40 % improvement - depressed scars actually
filling in and the skin healing after having been "permanently" scarred by
laser resurfacing.Given that teh whole world maintains that scarring is permanent, what I see
occuring on my face is such a miracle, and Dr. S. is determined to bring this
technology to the US to help others like me. I, along with "Anna" plan to be
helping her. By the way, I informed her of Marcsheeps' death, and she was
devastated. Had only he waited but a short week to hear this news. I am so sad
about this....But please everyone, keep the faith, God is at work here and I am delighted
beyond my wildest dreams to provide all os us good news.I promise, more later. Sweetie and others, I DID ask your specific questions.
NO type of scarring is beyond help, and there is absouteuly no "recovery time"
as she does not remove any tissue. She is a miracle.THank you all for your prayers, more later...
PK
PK -- John, 22:53:14 10/01/03 WedThanks for letting us know that PK got home safely, Anna, and that Dr.
Scheibner was able to help her. That is terrific news! I am looking forward to
hearing all about PK's experiences with Dr. Scheibner, when she posts her
update. I really feel the need to hear something positive these days. I must
admit that MarcSheep's passing did a real number on me and I have been very,
very down since I first heard about it. I am probably too sensitive for my own
good and I hate to hear of ANYONE being in ANY kind of pain. And of course,
Marc was suffering the ultimate pain, which, I guess, is a total loss of hope.
He is in my thoughts a lot.
It will be encouraging, I think, for all of us, to hear PK's report as I'm
sure she is feeling much better by now.
Anna, I send you, and PK, and everyone here, my best.
John
Dr. Scheibner -- Anna, 21:01:55 10/01/03 WedPK is back!
She is very tired, but she called to tell me that in the week she was staying
with Dr. Scheibner she was treated three times. Each treatment lasted from 30
- 40 minutes, no anesthesia or numbing cream. Dr. Scheibner herself performed
the treatment which involves a CO2 laser at a very low setting. She says that
she can't believe it, but she sees about 40% improvement and Dr. Scheibner
says that she should continue to see improvement over the next two months. PK
will post more later...
LT, Larry, and Greg -- Denise1, 15:22:43 10/01/03 WedGreg: I sent you an e-mail! Hope you got it.
LT: Please don't blame yourself. That's the last thing you should do. Please
don't do it. Marc is the only one responsible for doing what he did. Think
about it....!!!Larry: 70% sounds incredibly high if you are only at 10%. You can always try a
30% peel, or a 50% lactic acid peel and spot treat your minor scars with Super
CP Serum, which will help over time. This isn't a one-time thing where your
scars disappear in one application. It's a procedure that shows good results
over time. You can try it, but keep in mind to be patient. Retin A micro .10%
is very good for helping with scarring too, if your skin can handle it.Try: www.homepeels.com
LT -- Maya, 09:27:34 10/01/03 WedIt wasn't your fault in any way. Marc was already depressed although he hid it
pretty well when he posted. I had many private 'chats' with him. In fact, it's
better when people post if they are feeling down, it allows others to support
them. After all, most of us are in the same boat, and being able to give and
receive within this community is important.Please don't let this stop anyone from posting if they need emotional support.
Don't go through it alone. There are so many here who are willing to help.Maya
please help with skin tattoo -- Tina, 21:23:01 09/30/03 TueI have been a listener for a while on this site. This is my first time
posting. I need help. When will I see the results of my skin tattoo. I am 6
weeks post procedure and scars look the same. I am anxious to see results, but
when?
Insurance -- Anna, 20:39:20 09/30/03 TueJohn,
My insurance company does cover treatment of acne as a medical condition. It
does not cover acne scar treatment though. I think this is because the
efficacy of these treatments remains unproven. I believe if a sure fire
treatment existed insurance funds would become available. I truly think that
with the advances in the study of growth factors and other biological
processes we are on the verge of having reliable scar repair available to us.
Many doctors become arrogant and hostile when they encounter a condition they
can't address and don't understand. Anyway, that is just my view.
My best,
Anna
Elaine -- Marcos, 06:28:02 09/30/03 TueSorry Elaine, but I´m not in the United States.
You could try to look for Olcadil using "SANDOZ" (its manufacturer) or
"CLOXAZOLAM" (scientific name). I took it about 9 years ago for some weeks and
quit when I felt I didn´t need it anymore, since it´s a very heavy drug!
70% Glycolic Peel -- Larry, 05:45:35 09/30/03 TueAbout a year ago a few months after my break-out (had just left Roaccutan) my
doctor told me he could apply a 70% glycolic peel on my face for 3 minutes and
then remove it. I've been using a 10% glycolic peel and retin-A mostly for the
past year.I have some mild acne scars which I want to take care of before passing to the
deeper problems.
I was wondering if this is a good idea? I've never used a glycolic peel higher
than 10% in my life. But the doctor doesnt have any lower ones.. I was pretty
shocked when he suggested it.. But I want to give it a try, should I go for
it?Thanks. I'm really Sorry about Marc.
70% Glycolic Peel!!?? -- Larry, 05:41:48 09/30/03 TueAbout a year ago a few months after my break-out (had just left Roaccutan) my
doctor told me he could apply a 70% glycolic peel on my face for 3 minutes and
then remove it. I've been using a 10% glycolic peel and retin-A mostly for the
past year.I have some mild acne scars which I want to take care of before passing to the
deeper problems.
I was wondering if this is a good idea? I've never used a glycolic peel higher
than 10% in my life. But the doctor doesnt have any lower ones.. I was pretty
shocked when he suggested it.. But I want to give it a try, should I go for
it?Thanks. I'm really Sorry about Marc.
Steve Dr Rullan -- vs, 02:15:57 09/30/03 TueHey steve, or anyone else, whats dr rullans email
I'm going to be in southern california soon, and I wanna have a consult with
dr. rullan. He is in southern cali right?
LT -- John, 18:57:03 09/29/03 MonLT, don't do that to yourself. I think A LOT of us have felt that way (about
wanting to commit suicide), from time to time. To be honest, the thought
crosses MY mind--albeit, fleetingly--EVERY DAY. I am very angry right
now...NOT at MarcSheep. On the contrary, I feel nothing but sorrow that he
felt so desolate and alone, he couldn't see past the pain of his acne scars. I
am angry at the medical insurance communities that not only refuse to
acknowledge acne as a medical--rather than a COSMETIC--disease, but also
minimize the far-reaching negative effects of having facial scars. I can say,
without equivocation, that my scars were the direct cause of my having
developed a severe Social Anxiety Disorder over the years, that has only grown
worse over time. I am CERTAIN I would not have this disorder if I didn't have
these damn scars! The devastation of a person's spirit is an EXTREMELY SERIOUS
consequence of having acne scars....WHY CAN'T (AND WHEN WILL) SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE--AND THE MEDICAL AND INSURANCE COMMUNITIES, IN PARTICULAR--recognize
this?? Yes, having these scars may have made me a more compassionate, kind and
empathetic person, but you know what? I would trade in ALL those qualities to
have a clear, scar-free complexion. If that doesn't sufficiently explain how
physically and emotionally ravaged I feel by this problem, I don't know what
else I could say, that WOULD...
God bless MarcSheep and all of us here. Kindred spirits, we are, and believe
me, if I could take every last one of our scars away, as God as my witness, I
WOULD.
Marc -- LT, 16:38:38 09/29/03 MonI came here a month ago, and posted about wanting to die. I come back today
and read that Marc, who replied to my post, has killed himself. I feel that my
post, talking of not wanting to live with acne scars, might have pushed him in
that direction.
Olcadil, acne scarring -- Elaine, 07:44:11 09/29/03 MonHello. Actually, I don't have any idea what this page is about. I was looking
up "olcadil" to see if I could buy it in the United States, as I am almost out
and can't go back to Brazil and get more. I saw that "Marcos" mentioned it and
wondered if he got it here. Just as a coincidence, I have acne scars too. I've
just started using Elicina, a cream that over time is supposed to really help
acne scarring (I don't have money for surgical treatments). Anyway, I've liked
Elicina so far. It does seem to at least smooth out the skin. Maybe Marcos
could leave a note about the olcadil? I don't have a prescription, although I
could get one, as I have a legitimate reason. Still, it is much more
convenient when you don't need one. In Brazil, I never needed a prescription.
Good luck to everyone here. Elaine
DENISE1...you are famous:-) -- greg, 03:47:26 09/29/03 Monhi denise,
Mimi is flying up to D.C. from Florida to get needled by Lilian and she wants
to meet you as you were the pioneer of needling- she nor I have your email
address so am posting here...My support group is having a needling "live demo" this Saturday 10/4 at 1pm at
Lilian's place- mimi & I are gonna both get needled as my group watches...she wants to see your face:-)
I know it's a long drive from Richmond but Mimi's coming all the way from
Florida:-)Hope you can make it!
Greg
Marc's death...saddened but not surprised -- greg, 03:35:14 09/29/03 MonI am very sorry to hear about Marc's passing- but i am not surprised- i am
actually amazed there are not *more* suicides from this scarring mess...this
is a topic that is hardly ever discussed..but i would venture to say that
suicide has crossed most if not all of our minds..sorry to say this but i feel
it's the truth...what angers me is that this was a fixable situation-if he could've just gotten
over the shame part...yes-back scarring is harder to fix than facial
scarring(not sure why but it is) but this coulda been fixed...the horizon is
neon-bright for us...within a few years we'll have new sheets of new skin
grown from stem cells-scars will be 100% fixable soon...I'm sure Marc's life was *extended* by this message board- it gave him hope &
comfort- a place to land , but scarring is still sometimes just too much to
bear for a young person...
Greg
Clarification about Marcsheep -- Denise1, 20:54:25 09/28/03 SunMarc was more severely depressed about his back than anything. His acne scars
only seemed to exacerbate his feelings to feeling out of place. His back was
badly scarred due to a botched surgery, not acne.I think that in his last conversaton with Maya, he said that needling had
helped him in his facial scars. He was thinking about getting needling done on
his back, but was very ashamed of anyone seeing it.I hope this helps everyone understand what was going on with Marc. It's very
tragic and sad. I only wish I had known everything that was going on with him,
like so many of us.Hope this clarifies things a bit.
About Marc -- Marcos, 06:21:40 09/26/03 FriI have never posted here because of my poor English, but it´s very hard to
know that one more person from this board gave up living because of acne
scaring. I feel like trying to help.
I have also considered suicide many times in the past. I couldn´t stand that
intense endless pain 24 hours a day. Today, many years later, the reasons for
the despair I used to feel seem so insignificant (scars one of them) but I
know the situation. When we feel desperate, we can´t see the reality, so
rational thoughts (such as thinking about people that have worse problems)
don´t usually help - we are out of the "normal" world. Everything becames
emotional.
Fortunatelly, if science haven´t found a cure for scars, it has provided many
treatments for depression, including great drugs. I used a medicine called
Olcadil that was amazing, and today I have read there are others even better.
I´m sad for knowing Marc died when I know (from personal experience) that a
good psychiatrist could have saved him.Time is also a good remedy. After some years, acne scars are no longer an
obsession, just an annoyance that don´t occupy the mind all the time and don´t
torture us anymore.
About Marc -- Marcos, 06:19:18 09/26/03 FriI have never posted here because of my poor English, but it´s very hard to
know that one more person from this board gave up living because of acne
scaring. I feel like trying to help.
I have also considered suicide many times in the past. I couldn´t stand that
intense endless pain 24 hours a day. Today, many years later, the reasons for
the despair I used to feel seem so insignificant (scars one of them) but I
know the situation. When we feel desperate, we can´t see the reality, so
rational thoughts (such as thinking about people that have worse problems)
don´t usually help - we are out of the "normal" world. Everything becames
emotional.
Fortunatelly, if science haven´t found a cure for scars, it has provided many
treatments for depression, including great drugs. I used a medicine called
Olcadil that was amazing, and today I have read there are others even better.
I´m sad for knowing Marc died when I know (from personal experience) that a
good psychiatrist could have saved him.Time is also a good remedy. After some years, acne scars are no longer an
obsession, just an annoyance that don´t occupy the mind all the time and don´t
torture us anymore.
My doctor search -- elizabeth rohan, 06:22:15 09/25/03 ThuIt's my 45th birthday and 3 years since I started having acne scaring. I
wanted to take this opportunity and tell everyone, find a good doctor. I spent
over 5 months seeing Dr. Llorente for scars. It cost me over 2600 plus travel
and alot of promises from her that she could fix the skin. Terrible if any
results.
I saw Dr. Romano in sfo, I have depressed acne scars. I went to him and said I
had congested sking, clear that up and I probably be be happy. I have 2
craters, clearing up the skin would not help those. I saw Romano because he
was in a clinical trial for Artecoll in California.
I asked him about subcision and he thought Artecoll and not much of that
either. I saw a board certified doctor in Carmichael and he was insulting. He
told me, get your hair cut then maybe you can get a job. I saw a doctor at the
skin laser in Sacramento and she was pushing themage! I think it was her new
toy, which would have just pulled the skin tighter.
She mentioned laser resurfacing and I informed her that was for shallow acne
scars. I saw a different doctor at the skin lasers, and by the time I saw her
my acne was flairing up and I was extremely depressed and she wouldn't treat
me. I had a collagen test done, told her about Artecoll, which she had never
heard of. She told me to see a doctor for depression and then she help me.
Enough, I went to Canada and saw Dr. Cauthers, the botox king. He is not cheap
but a very good doctor. He thought artecoll was the way to go. He does do
subcision but he said I had lost a of tissue. I began to show major
improvements with Artecoll. I went back to the skin lasers thinking I'd try
subcison and avoid a trip back to Canada.
The doctor thought maybe another trip to Canada might be worth my while. She
said you look so much better.
I had one really ugly scar that dermbasion did nothing for.
She cut it out and first I thought it still looked pretty
white and yuck. The scar is finally showing improvment.
I've been using some home peels and it it looks like the
scar tissue is breaking down.
I saw Dr. Ann Haas, who I like very much for a doctor in Sacramento. She
thought maybe some subcison and the scars except the one I had excision done
on. I have to wait on that one a bit. The one scar was really teatherd down
and they both bleed. I didn't bruise at all. I did look like a chipmunk at
work for a day. I'm not sure subcison will cure all the depression but it will
help if I go back to Canada for more Artecoll.
I also saw Dr Fitzspatrick in San Diego. I think he treats the rich and famous
there. He wanted $8500 for 3 excision and laser resurfacing. It was such a
deal, where do I sign up? I also saw Dr. Groot in Edmonton Canada, who was
ok,he wouldn't treat me because they were having
problems with people from the states suing.
He was a kind doctor. It seems like everyone of these
doctors has a different opinion on how to treat acne scarring.
Do your research. I'm like everyone else here. We are victims of a skin
disease, but we are not eligible for help, they consider it cosmetic. I lost 3
years of my life because I was too ashamed of my scars to be seen by people
who knew me before.
If you live near Sacramento, I can recommend Dr. Ann Haas.
She is very upfront. If you live in Britsh Columbia, Dr. Cauuthers get a big
A. I think he should have done subcision on the scar but he seemed to think
Artecoll was the way to go. I still have scars but they are better.
It's been a hard time as it is for everyone.
Marc -- VS, 23:13:15 09/24/03 WedI still cant get Marc outa my head.
He seemed so ok. On the acne board I remember telling him that needling doesn't work
and to wait for his swelling to go down and his scars would come back. And he
replied saying his swelling was down and his skin looked awesome. But I kept
persisting to wait at least 2 weeks before he gives his verdict, he was only
like 5 days into the needling. I kept watching the acne board for his responses and
like the past 2 weeks I hadn't seen one response from him. I thought to my
self "ya i bet all his scars came back so he isnt responding anymore because
he was claiming how great his needling went before." I kept thinking about
Marc in the back of my head, thinking "why isnt he writing anymore on
on the acne board?" And then poor marc commits suicide. THis gonna sound crazy and
weird, but maybe i was having sychic powers or god was sending me a message to
reach out to Marc, cause lately I been thinking about him and kept checking
the acne board for his needling updates, and he wasnt posting.I dunno. I sound crazy for saying that. But i'm so sad. I'm so angry, I'm lots
of emotions mixed together. I'm angry that he had to go through that pain.
That everyone of us here has to go through this pain and weight on our
shoulders.We cant just forget this, we cant have Marc be a forgettin memory and in 2
weeks start posting about our scars without doing something about this. We
dont deserve to live a life of misery, and no person deserves to be soo
miserable and sad that they take their life away.I've been reading online, and online it says that many people commit suicide
because of acne scars. We have to make a change. Marcs familly cant just burry
him and forget this. They have to lobby, we have to lobby. Something has to
change. I dont know what exactly has to change but something. Maybe have drs
consider acne more seriously with better drugs. Have insurance companies cover
scar revision instead of saying its cosmetic. THIS IS NOT COSMETIC, something
that makes someone commit suicide, something that causes you to see a
therapist and go on anti-depressants is not just cosmetic. acne scars ruin
your mind, emotionally, physically, mentally its devestating.I'm so confused and sad and angry and ugh so many things built into one, i
just dont know what to do.
I dont understand why we dont have any drs in this whole united states of
america, who can solve our problem. why wont at least 1 dr in this whole US or
world rather, devote his life to acne scar research to find a cure to our
problem. I just dont understand, its 2003 and we cant solve an acne scar?Sorry for rambling, i know i prolly made no sense. But i'm so frustrated.
About Mark Sheep -- Maya, 20:39:01 09/24/03 WedSo many on the acne scar board have been pretty shocked and distressed..
and at the same time the community pulls itself together to reach beyond its
own pain to see how it can support each other. In fact, I think this incident
has made an enormous impact in terms of healing for others. Strange how a
tragedy can help the masses see that choices and hope is within their grasp.For my sanity, I can only see it as part of Marcs life purpose was to be
'chosen' to be a sacrifice so that others could gain wisdom and understanding
from this experience.It's been a really emotional ride last night and today, but it's opened doors
for people too and that's what counts - to be able to achieve something
positive out of something which could've sent people the other way. It's
helped people open up more about themselves and those seeking more help than
originally envisaged have kind of let down their false, cheerful masks and
revealed more about themselves so that they can be supported.It's interesting to note at times like this how many people believe in God,
prayer and have their own sense of something more than the ordinary. It's been
like a prayer circle, with all the good wishes sending his spirit to some
place of healing. When I lit a candle for Marc, I felt a sense of peace in
myself too. Knowing Marc, I'm sure he's sending lots of blessings to everyone
right now! He was a great guy in many, many ways, I'm really pleased I got to
know him.Thanks Marc!
marcsheep passing -- amez, 18:42:26 09/24/03 WedThis saddens me as well. As an occasional poster to the board I found his
messages informative and articulate. It seems he was putting on a brave front
when he posted the below message. If it's not acne scarring that caused the
suicide, it certainly didn't help his outlook on life. Hang in there
everyone...and look at yourself in good lighting a few times a day. this does
help (in a "fake it till ya make it" kind of way)...vs and LT -- Marcsheep, 23:13:11 08/24/03 Sun
i agree with vs that in some cirumstances suicide is ok ie. terminal illness
or utterly unbearable living conditions, but to KILL YOURSELF over acne
scarring is an appalling waste, especially considering how treatable it
is....I defy anyone with severe acne scarring to say that they have never
considered suicide as a solution, but LT you've got to realise that people
exist with worse problems than yourself and myself....Goto a burn survivor
website to get some perspective on how little significance our problems really
have...Better yet volunteer at a burns unit in a local hospital (which I have
done) and see real beauty, strength and pain...If you would rather die than
live with scarring then rather than kill yourself LT get a facial tattoo,
literally a black tattoo...It will hide your scars (as black cant cast a
shadow on black) and though you would look different at least you could live a
full life...This is however a very extreme solution...Marc
Marc -- Antz, 13:17:22 09/24/03 WedThat's truly a shocking and awful thing, he seemed so together from his posts
on here and on the acne board. I'm a staunch aethiest and the only good thing I can
see is that he no longer feels suffering day in, day out any longer. My
feelings go out to his loved ones.
In memory of Marc... -- Denise1, 05:09:58 09/24/03 WedI have spent much of today in tears and shock. I had gotten to know MarcSheep
pretty well through private messenging at the acne board and am so hurt and
disappointed at this tragic turn of events.I see that people have mentioned God and whatnot in their comments and my
belief is that God can use things in our lives but he doesn't destin us to be
horribly disfigured by things. God is sovereign but this is a fallen world;
diseases abound. The goodness of God is hard to see and comprehend sometimes
but it is there if you are open to seeing it.I personally believe that totally incompetent and ignorent doctors are to
blame for the way acne is treated and the subsequent scarring. I am going to
crusade for changes in the way acne is treated. I have thought about writing a
book for a long time on acne and related scar treatments. I will dedicate my
book to Marc, who I believe probably suffered needlessly. Doctors put young
teens on antibiotics and it doesn't do anything but overburden the liver and
guess what...?? When you stop taking antibiotics, the acne comes back way
worse, so the doctor puts you on more antibiotics. Is this what sane people
do? The same thing over and over with no result, but a worsening of the
symptom?The more I have studied about what antibiotics do, and how doctors make acne
worse by keeping people on them, the more outraged I get. I have always known
this but recently I have done more studying for my book and am completely
shocked at just how dangerous antibiotics can be.Words cannot express how broken my heart is. Marc was a funny, vibrant, warm
young man with his whole life ahead of him. I don't believe that God choose
such a path of torment for Marc or any of us. I do believe that God can make
good come out of bad things, but I don't believe He authors them. God is
active on this earth through His people, but this is a fallen world. Diseases
and sickness are a part of life.Well, I have ranted and raged enough. I am just so frustrated and hurt I
really am quite sad at this. Marc could've been the most awesome man alive and
yet he was so alone in his pain. I only wish I had known how much.
In loving memory of Marcsheep -- PK, 00:32:47 09/24/03 WedLike any of us reading today's posts, I am devastated by the news of
"Marcsheep" taking his life. THis is so utterly sad - such a loss, such a
young life. I hadn't corresponded with him, but have read the posts of those
who had, and how well they spoke of him.I concur with all that has been said, especially in the sentiments expressed
by as Eric, who, like me, apparently is a Christian who believes that there
must be some greater purpose in all this and a solution to the suffering of
all of those with facial scarring.I'm certain that the scarring on my face as a result of a botched lasering job
(see former posts...) is NOTHING as compared to what Marcsheep and others must
suffer with. Yet I know how even this has devastated me, and soured my entire
outlook on life. I can't imagine living an entire life feeling as such.I realize how incredibly blessed I am to be able to receive treatmemt by Dr.
Scheibner in Austrailia. I am racing around getting work and packing done, as
I leave tomorrow. As my past posts have indictaed, Dr. Scheibner has been a
true saint, in making possible for me such treatment, and she and I both
believe, as Christians, that God has a larger purpose in our meeting. (I am a
lobbyist in the state of California, and intend to make public
her...ideally... successful treatment of my scars, publicize her unique
lasering techniques, and lobby for the reinstatement of her California
license, which she states was revoked/surrendered as a result of fraudulently
and falsely filed claims against her.)Dr. Scheibner has a real heart for God and those suffering from scarring, and
has made her life's work treating people such as us. Please don't lose hope,
please pray with us that through our collective efforts Dr. Scheibner may be
able to return to the US and not only reestablish her practice, but also teach
others how to use her unique scar reversal lasering techniques.I have faith that my scarring will be completely reversed. But whatever the
outcome, I'm here for the long haul, and hope to help others like Marcsheep
not lose hope, but find real solutions.May God have mercy on his soul, and may he find the peace and comfort which
elluded him here.PK
In loving memory of Marcsheep -- PK, 00:30:58 09/24/03 WedLike any of us reading today's posts, I am devastated by the news of
"Marcsheep" taking his life. THis is so utterly sad - such a loss, such a
young life. I hadn't corresponded with him, but have read the posts of those
who had, and how well they spoke of him.I concur with all that has been said, especially in the sentiments expressed
by as Eric, who, like me, apparently is a Christian who believes that there
must be some greater purpose in all this and a solution to the suffering of
all of those with facial scarring.I'm certain that the scarring on my face as a result of a botched lasering job
(see former posts...) is NOTHING as compared to what Marcsheep and others must
suffer with. Yet I know how even this has devastated me, and soured my entire
outlook on life. I can't imagine living an entire life feeling as such.I realize how incredibly blessed I am to be able to receive treatmemt by Dr.
Scheibner in Austrailia. I am racing around getting work and packing done, as
I leave tomorrow. As my past posts have indictaed, Dr. Scheibner has been a
true saint, in making possible for me such treatment, and she and I both
believe, as Christians, that God has a larger purpose in our meeting. (I am a
lobbyist in the state of California, and intend to make public
her...ideally... successful treatment of my scars, publicize her unique
lasering techniques, and lobby for the reinstatement of her California
license, which she states was revoked/surrendered as a result of fraudulently
and falsely filed claims against her.)Dr. Scheibner has a real heart for God and those suffering from scarring, and
has made her life's work treating people such as us. Please don't lose hope,
please pray with us that through our collective efforts Dr. Scheibner may be
able to return to the US and not only reestablish her practice, but also teach
others how to use her unique scar reversal lasering techniques.I have faith that my scarring will be completely reversed. But whatever the
outcome, I'm here for the long haul, and hope to help others like Marcsheep
not lose hope, but find real solutions.May God have mercy on his soul, and may he find the peace and comfort which
elluded him here.PK
In Memory Of Marcsheep -- vs, 23:19:40 09/23/03 TueI just found out marcsheep commited suicide. I'm in complete shock and sad. I
can feel his sadness during his last moments, lost of hope and frustration
with life with scars. I pray to god he is in a peacefull place. A place where
he doesnt have weight on his shoulders. A place of happiness.I hope Drs who only care about money could hear about stories like marcsheep.
A young man who was so devestated with scars, he took his life. Drs consider
acne scar revision cosmetic, but i'm sorry its NOT cosmetic. Acne scarring is
something that causes great emotional and physical distress and depression.God please help us all, and take care of Marc and give him the happiness he
deserved on earth.
MarcSheep's passing -- John, 23:12:04 09/23/03 TueI am haunted, heartsick and feel ill by the news of MarcSheep's passing. I
didn't know him personally but he took the time to answer my inquiry about
needling, here at the Forum. I know the mental anguish that scarring causes
and I can almost imagine the absolute misery he was feeling. I am so sorry
this kind soul had to suffer like this. God bless him and his family and
friends. I send everyone here my condolences. Man, am I ever depressed over
this news. Please, God, why can't there be resolution for our skin concerns?
The pain for many of us is just unbearable!
Remember Marc -- Eric, 22:15:00 09/23/03 TueHello all-
It was with sad news from the acne board forum that I came here and found that
Steve had already revealed what I have just discovered... that Marcsheep
committed suicide. The reason for this does not have to do with scars that
improved from needling... rather from severe scarring on his back that he had
discussed only with Maya, and his fears of sharing housing when he was to
begin at the University. These fears I guess were the reason why he chose to
take his life.I am deeply grieved and shocked by this event. Marc was one of the youngest
members of this forum, he had his whole life ahead of him. I know the pain and
the suffering that he has felt all too keenly and have myself considered
suicide in the past. But I will not go there again. Yes, it is true that God
had an intent for giving us scars. But it is not his intent that we kill
ourselves over them. He has a plan for each and every one of us, and although
we suffer, remember also the suffering of Jesus, who died on the Cross. He who
had done no wrong died for our sins, so that we may be put right with God.
Jesus has suffered like few mortals have suffered before. He feels our pain
and he is there to help us, if we will only open the door and let him in!Our situation is not hopeless! I will pray for Marc and hope that in death he
will find the peace and salvation he has sought at the Lord's side. As for the
rest of us, remember that it is not for us to judge God's choices or question
the path he has laid out for us. But do remember that God intends for us a
full and fruitful life, and that if resolution of our scars is one of the
hurdles that needs to be jumped in order to achieve this, THEN HE WILL DO IT
FOR YOU. All you need is resolution and belief that through God, you CAN and
WILL accomplish this! There are many success stories out there by people who
have triumphed over their scarring. The reason why we are not hearing about
them so much is because many of those people have left this forum and are no
longer agonizing over their scars! So take heart, and remember that there is
hope!Let us pray for Marc and for each other and remember that death is not the
way! In dire times and situations such as this, ask for the Lord for guidance
and assistance and when he gives you an answer, be prepared to receive it!Bless your courageous, noble souls one and all. Remember that we are being
tested now, as Jesus was tested on the cross, and that if we hang on and
believe, we will find salvation.-Eric
PK-Heading to Australia -- cb, 21:39:05 09/23/03 TueHello:
Just wanted relay a message from PK, that she's really busy getting ready for
her trip to visit Dr. Scheibner. She'll post to the forum upon her return. I'm
wishing her the best and keeping her in my thoughts and prayers.On a more somber note-that is very sad news about Marcsheep. I remember him
talking about his needling procedure. I read his posts on the acne board also. My
thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Scarring can affect
more than your physical appearance, evidently in Marc's case it was too much
to bear.
Everyone.. I have sad news.... Marcsheep Committed Suicide Last Week -- Steve,
19:48:27 09/23/03 Tueright now i have mixed emotions about what has happened.. IT kind of makes me
mad that he gave up so soon, but really i dont know how extensive his scarring
was and how deeply depressed Marc was.. I understand that Marc had needling
done not to long ago with good success.. So i just dont understand why he gave
up so soon.. It seemed as though he was on the path to great skin..This situation i admit makes me question God.. Why Does he choose to Humble us
with dreadful scars knowing that some of us will take our lives because of
it...I pray that Marcs soul is with God.. People Please Never give up.. NEVER EVER
GIVE UP
To MarcSheep - thanks -- Mary, 08:35:11 09/22/03 MonThank you for responding to my question on 9/1/03 about how the skin heals
after another trauma/wound such as laser etc. Sorry about the late reply - I
forgot to check back in here.
Mary
John -- J, 02:51:13 09/22/03 Monhey John,
So I called up a few places in Sydney that performs aquamid and they all quote
me like $1000-$1500 per ml. Is that realistic?
I'm still puzzled by how cheap you got it for, but am happy for you. Is your
Dr. a normal GP or a plastic surgeon? and did he give you a mates rate because
you personally know him?
dvsadavssdv? -- Anna, 02:20:22 09/22/03 MonWas hat das mit Narben zu tun? Bleib auf dem Thema.
(translation)
What does this have to do with scars? Stay on the topic.
dvsadavssdv -- asdv, 19:03:12 09/21/03 Sun
deutsche
geld verdienen
Fat transfer - scarring at location of fat removal -- Cameron, 13:19:32
09/21/03 SunCityslicker, thanks for your detailed reply on fat transfer. I had my
dime-sized scar that was caused by subcission filled in the depressed areas
with collagen (as a test), and it looks great. Once the collagen wears off,
I'll probably do fat transfer on it.
Scheibner -- liz rohan, 05:32:33 09/21/03 SunI did met Diane and Jim at Dr. Llorente office in Orange County. Dr. Llorente
was my doctor there I had terrible results with her for a scar treatmentsDiane said she was burned with a laser, part of her
lip was missing, holes in her skin,
She looked great I know her ordeal went on for 5 years, searching for doctors.
I know Scheibner was one of the
doctors involved in the repair. I think Diane had
fat injections done. She said what written in that
article about Scheibner wasn't true at all.
I spoke with Scheibner awhile back and considered going
to Australia and having the laser treatment done, but I
cowarded out. She told me it was a 6-7 hour treatment
of low heat co2, can' remember what the so-call low heat was, so many
centigrades, thought it was around 700.
It is all I know about Scheibner, she maybe a great doctor.
I always wonder why no other doctors try her treatment if it really works.Liz
Alice -- meme^^, 09:14:56 09/20/03 Sathey there..is smoothbeam available in singapore now? wat type of scars do u
have??
Cooltouch in Singapore -- Alice, 03:38:29 09/19/03 FriAge :28
Gender :Female
Country :SingaporeThanks for the column here, and useful suggestions from Ping and LT. I didn't
feel comfortable with Skin Centre's approach to smoothbeam.I finally flucked up enough courage to do my Cooltouch. I still feel more
comfortable with my doctor's explanation.
PK saying "thanks" -- PK, 21:49:10 09/18/03 ThuI am humbled and so touched by the each of your messages, offeirng
encouragment and prayers. THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH! Dr. Scheibner and I,
along with "Anna" who has posted here before, really feel that this is GOd at
work in bringing about a solution which will help far more people than just
me. That is certainly my aim.TO all of you who have tried to reach Dr. S. and have been unsuccessful, I
will do my best to relay your specific issues and concerns and will report
back upon my return.PK
Good Luck, PK, and God Bless -- John, 21:31:41 09/18/03 ThuPK, you are a wonderful example of the great things that can happen when one
is proactive and determined. I believe--deep down in my gut and in my
soul--that you and Dr. Scheibner will be a winning combination and that her
expertise will totally correct the bungled work of your previous physician.
God bless you for your courage and your fortitude and I will send my good
thoughts with you (all the way to Australia) for your speedy and complete
recovery.
PK- Scheibner -- Eric, 19:29:41 09/18/03 ThuYeah, PK!! That is awesome news, and a most miraculous intervention only God
could provide for you. I congratulate you and wish you the best of luck as you
travel to Australia to be treated by Dr. Scheibner. It is my hope that
Scheibner can restore your face to normal and that with your help, she may
make a triumphant return back to California... for my sake and everyone else
who is interested in her laser methods!Never forget that if you ask, you shall receive, and God helps those who helps
themselves. I think, PK, that you are a perfect example of this.Best of luck to you, and please keep us updated after your return from Sydney.
-Eric
PK- Scheibner -- Guest Again, 19:23:22 09/18/03 ThuHi,
Would you als ask her if her technique could be used to treat pitted and
shallow ice-pick type scarring?
PK- Scheibner - -- Guest, 19:10:48 09/18/03 ThuHi PK,
Good luck with your treatment. Could you ask her a couple of questions while
you are in sydney1. Is it okay to use peels before "her" laser treatment( not any technique,
but "her gentle laser technique"? And if its not okay, then how long should
one wait to ger "her" treatment after the peels? (Like Jessner peel)2.can her method be performed on asian skins?
3.how soon can we expect her here in US? Will she be treating the patients?
thanks so much and once again best wishes
PK-Aussie bound -- cb, 18:17:31 09/18/03 ThuPK:
What a story - best of luck to you on your trip. Thank you for sharing. Hoping
good thoughts for you-a safe trip, successful procedure and speedy recovery.~cb
PK responding to email re Scheibner -- PK, 16:21:27 09/18/03 ThuCopied below text of email re Scheibner:
HI Simon, not a bother at all. It was a couple named Jim and Diana, I guess
the best way to put it really what that Diana (her husband was not so much a
scar victim but someone who lived through the whole experience with his
wife...) well, Diana had her face lasered about 8 years ago, and the dr went
so deep that she had "holes" all over her face. Her lip was melted away - you
know, the defining line between your lips and skin, etc. She didn't go out of
her house for 2 years, she was so horrified by her looks.Well, she was treated by Scheibner and says that her skin gradually "filled
in" and is now completely normal. She looked beautiful. They say it changed
their lives dramatically, and have since devoted their lives to trying to help
Scheibner get her license back here in states. We met for 2 hours, and they
raved the entire time about Scheibner, her humanity toward treating those
unable to pay, her amazing abilities AND the fact that she was able to heal
Diana when everyone else had told her she needed skin grafting or other
dramatic answers. Truly, this woman had been lasered by a guy who was just
starting to use lasers, and she was bloody and raw for about a month. The dr
himself admitted gross negligence, she must have been far worse than I. Yet
she was healed by Scheibner and was able to resume a normal life. What a
miracle.Hope this is helpful. I think I'll copy text of msg to post on forum, if OK
with you.PK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon">
> Hi PK,
>
> Thanks for your response. Sorry to bother you as I know you are busy but
> can you just let me know what those two previous patients of Dr Sheibner
> had said who you met with two years ago. Were they happy with their
> results and her? If you could please let me know I would appreciate it.
>
> Thanks
> Simon
>
Aquamid -- John, 10:47:49 09/18/03 ThuCity,
Website address is www.aquamid.info
Hope this helps
PK / John -- Cityslicker, 09:18:11 09/18/03 ThuPK, that is wonderful news, an incredible and miraculous turn of events. Good
luck with your trip, I'm so hopeful, this will be the answer to your prayers.John, I do find your postings about Acqumid of interest, however, I can't find
any additional information about this filler. Do you have any additional links
or information for further review. Thank you. Regards. :-) Cityslicker
PK - Sheibner- Australia -- John, 08:17:15 09/18/03 ThuHi PK,
That is fantastic news!!! When I met her about three weeks ago, I have to say
she seemed one of the nicest people plus she tapped me on the shoulder when I
came in and I thought that was a terrific gesture. I had a real good gut
feeling about her.She also told me how the doctor who is taking over from her was a former
patient who had scars yet when I saw this doctor her face was floorless. Plus
the fact that her son works for her has got to count for something. She also
mentioned how she would be writing a book soon.I honestly believe that those reports against her were false as there is no
way she would have been able to treat for over 23 years if they were true.I am prepared to give her a shot....I really hope it works out for you and
thanks for your posts. You will love this country it is a beauty
To PK -- Maya, 08:12:31 09/18/03 ThuWow!! Good luck - I'm sure everyone here wishes you a great recovery. This is
an amazing story.
Exodem touchup -- steve, 07:33:37 09/18/03 ThuHey guys i just had an exoderm touchup with Dr. Rullan..
THis is actually my second exoderm touchup in which my first yielded little or
no improvemen..But since my last touch Dr. Rullan has revised his techniques.. Dr.Rullan
basically spot treated all my scars with exoderm solution then tape my face
over with type of masking tape.. The next day which would be today i went in,
had the tape removed, then Dr. Rullan scraped off all the dead skin around my
scars, applied more exoderm, then applied the masking agent used in the main
exoderm procedure.. So currently my face is all green..This touchup was far more invasive then my last...And hopefully much more
effective.. Ill keep you guys updated on my progress.. his mask will stay on
my face for a few days
PK To Donald -- PK, 06:58:23 09/18/03 ThuDear Donald,
thank you for your kind message. YEs, dermabrasion helped most all of my skin
tremendously, but the dr did carve in too deeply on my nose, leaving me with
the blasted scars which started this whole journey. Pleaes read msg re
Scheibner, this is my answer for now. THanks again!
Dr. Adrianna Scheibner calls PK to lend support!!! -- PK, 06:56:07 09/18/03
ThuListen everyone, you’re not going to believe this!!! I had emailed the
renowned Dr. Adrianna Scheibner since this debacle occurred regarding my
facial scarring, and actually called her clinic in Australia last week,
seeking some sort of insights into my skin’s condition following this botched
lasering job.In fact, I had met with 2 of Dr. Scheibner’s former patients here in Newport
Beach when originally researching how to cure the original scar on my nose
caused by a dermabrasion surgery 2 years ago. Since then, I’ve emailed
Scheibner occasionally inquiring as to her return to the states, in the hope
of being treated. But then, I finally gave up on her returning to the states
any time soon, ended up at a Beverly Hills laser center, and the dr not only
made my entire nose worse, he lasered my entire face, causing scars over about
80% of my face!! After this horrific series of events of late, I updated Dr.
Scheibner as to what all had occurred…..Well, last night my phone rings, and the caller identifies herself as Adrianna
Scheibner. YES! The worlds’ leading laser scar revision expert had called me,
from Australia! It was unbelievable!! She said that she was so concerned by my
emails, in that I was made far worse by the dr who was supposed to be helping
me, that she wanted to offer me any insights or help which she could. WE SPOKE
FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR!!When I told her that this idiot doctor had lasered my entire face in less than
3 minutes, when audibly gasped. No joke. A typical lasering face job should be
about 1-2 hours. She confirmed that there is NO WAY that I could NOT have
sustained severe damage to my dermis and epidermis given the incredibly hasty
and shoddy job done, and also the newly created craters and abraded textures
of my skin. BUT she assured me that scars such as this ARE reversible, with a
laser in the hands of the right practitioner.Scheibner explained at length that THE SKIN SHOULD NEVER BE REMOVED
(“Ablative”) WITH A LASER OF ANY SORT! That the only way to properly treat
scars is to use a laser (such as what she has developed and patented) which
very gently targets each individual dermis cell and helps stimulate the
reactivation of that cell’s’ own genetic blueprint, triggering it to resume
perfect healing and regeneration of the heretofore damaged tissue. Scheibner
has treated more than 10,000 scar victims, here and in Australia and other
countries. At one point, she actually filmed a television documentary in which
she lasered her own skin to created a scar, ON CAMERA! and then over time
gradually reversed it entirely. This is how confident she is of her abilities
to reverse scars, that she would use her own face for demonstration purposes.Well, given that conventional wisdom even here in Plastic Surgery Mecca
Southern California, states that the scarring which I have sustained will be
permanent, Scheibner is the ONLY person who believes that I can be helped.I asked her about the published reports regarding her surrendering her license
here in the states: she explained that she had been the victim of an
incredible scheme by her former office manager, to embezzle from her and
defraud her, and that this person orchestrated the filing of false complaints
against her to the medical board. It’s a long story, but she insists that her
license was wrongfully suspended, and that she has been writing a book which
describes the whole, unbelievable story and all that occurred. She seemed very
sincere and was listing facts and dates and a litany of events which occurred
culminating in the loss of her license in the US. While it all sounds so
strange, I do believe her. Anyone who has treated some 10,000 patients has got
to know what they’re doing.Well, it gets even better: Scheibner offered to treat me, AT NO CHARGE,
however, the airfare for me to fly from LA to Sydney is close to $3,000, and
this would be near impossible for me to swing at this point. In response to
this, SHE THEN OFFERS TO ALLOW ME THE USE OF HER OWN FREQUENT FLYER MILES SO
THAT I CAN FLY FOR FREE TO BE TREATED BY HER!! YES! You read it right!She insisted, and I couldn’t believe it, but accepted her kind offer.
I just now got off the phone with Dr. Scheibner again, WE SPOKE FOR ANOTHER 30
MINUTES OR SO TONIGHT, arranging travel logistics, etc. Her son has arranged
travel plans for me, AND DR. SCHEIBNER INSISTS THAT I STAY AT HER HOME WITH
HER FAMILY, is this incredible or what!!!???? I will be staying 5 days, so
that she can treat me several times, very gently, trying to ensure that my
skin will be on its way to perfect healing by the time I leave.I asked repeatedly whether there would be any remote chance of ADDITIONAL
scarring or problems, given all I’ve endured, and she has assured me that this
would be impossible. Of course, that’s what the last guy said too, and look at
me now, but her track record is just remarkable in this arena, and I feel safe
in her hands. What other choice do I have? Resign myself to living with scars
on my face for the rest of my life?So my friends, I leave Wednesday, September 24 for a week’s stay in Sydney
with the Scheibner Family, where I will be treated by the scar revision guru
herself. And all at no cost. (Naturally, I’ll be treating them to dinners and
finding ways to repay them, etc. but their incredible hospitably and
generosity is really unbelievable.).Oh, by the way, during my visit, that weekend we will be traveling to a small,
rural town about 2 hours outside of Sydney so that Dr. Scheibner can treat
several poor residents of that town, who have facial scarring. Somehow I
suspect she’s not earning much for this, if anything. Does this tell us
something about this person’s character? To spend her weekend treating poor
patients who cannot travel to her offices.All I can say is that this woman is an incredibly selfless and genuine
individual, a true humanitarian, to go to such lengths to help someone such as
me. Please pray that all goes well, and I will report in when I return!Now, finally, let me address how all of this may ultimately help scar suffers
elsewhere: First, Dr. Scheibner is working diligently to be able to resume her
practice in California. She has an attorney representing her and signed
affidavits from office members, her former aesthetician, etc. who attest to
the fact that Scheibner never committed the acts of malpractice or negligence
alleged by her former office manager who conspired against her. Why this is
just now going forward, I don’t’ know, but suffice it to say that she believes
that she will be able to overturn the revocation of her license fairly soon.As luck or providence would have it, I am a lobbyist in the state of
California, the type of person hired by companies to cut through government
red tape and get things done. I also serve on the board of directors of a
local hospital and have access to the physicians who serve on the California
Medical Board, etc. I truly believe that God put Dr. Scheibner in my path so
that we could be of help to each other, and ultimately, I pray, of help to all
those suffering from scars here in the US and elsewhere, whom she could treat
if able to reinstate her practice. In response to Dr. Scheibner’s generosity I
of course have offered to help her in any way possible.Furthermore, you may recall prior posts in which I raised the issue of using
“micro current” technology to treat tissue wounds, as is already used in
sports injury therapy. My sister in-law, a licensed acupuncture physician, had
used this technology very successfully in treating a variety of illnesses, and
she is convinced that it can also be calibrated to treat facial scars. When I
ran all this by Dr. Scheibner, she believed that the micro current technology
– which ALSO works by stimulating the individual cells to trigger their
continued growth and to resume prefect healing – is similar to her specialized
laser technology and COULD help scar victims. To that end, perhaps my sister
in law (Lives in Florida) could start treating scar victims and see if there
is any success.Well, I must get back to work. But wanted everyone to know what has transpired
here…wish me luck!!Lastly, I suspect that I will get alot of emails about all this, please
understand that I am swamped with work and may not be able to respond soon.
Typed all of this for the edification and encouragement of others.PK
Dr. Adrianna Scheibner calls PK to lend support!!! -- PK, 06:55:06 09/18/03
ThuListen everyone, you’re not going to believe this!!! I had emailed the
renowned Dr. Adrianna Scheibner since this debacle occurred regarding my
facial scarring, and actually called her clinic in Australia last week,
seeking some sort of insights into my skin’s condition following this botched
lasering job.In fact, I had met with 2 of Dr. Scheibner’s former patients here in Newport
Beach when originally researching how to cure the original scar on my nose
caused by a dermabrasion surgery 2 years ago. Since then, I’ve emailed
Scheibner occasionally inquiring as to her return to the states, in the hope
of being treated. But then, I finally gave up on her returning to the states
any time soon, ended up at a Beverly Hills laser center, and the dr not only
made my entire nose worse, he lasered my entire face, causing scars over about
80% of my face!! After this horrific series of events of late, I updated Dr.
Scheibner as to what all had occurred…..Well, last night my phone rings, and the caller identifies herself as Adrianna
Scheibner. YES! The worlds’ leading laser scar revision expert had called me,
from Australia! It was unbelievable!! She said that she was so concerned by my
emails, in that I was made far worse by the dr who was supposed to be helping
me, that she wanted to offer me any insights or help which she could. WE SPOKE
FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR!!When I told her that this idiot doctor had lasered my entire face in less than
3 minutes, when audibly gasped. No joke. A typical lasering face job should be
about 1-2 hours. She confirmed that there is NO WAY that I could NOT have
sustained severe damage to my dermis and epidermis given the incredibly hasty
and shoddy job done, and also the newly created craters and abraded textures
of my skin. BUT she assured me that scars such as this ARE reversible, with a
laser in the hands of the right practitioner.Scheibner explained at length that THE SKIN SHOULD NEVER BE REMOVED
(“Ablative”) WITH A LASER OF ANY SORT! That the only way to properly treat
scars is to use a laser (such as what she has developed and patented) which
very gently targets each individual dermis cell and helps stimulate the
reactivation of that cell’s’ own genetic blueprint, triggering it to resume
perfect healing and regeneration of the heretofore damaged tissue. Scheibner
has treated more than 10,000 scar victims, here and in Australia and other
countries. At one point, she actually filmed a television documentary in which
she lasered her own skin to created a scar, ON CAMERA! and then over time
gradually reversed it entirely. This is how confident she is of her abilities
to reverse scars, that she would use her own face for demonstration purposes.Well, given that conventional wisdom even here in Plastic Surgery Mecca
Southern California, states that the scarring which I have sustained will be
permanent, Scheibner is the ONLY person who believes that I can be helped.I asked her about the published reports regarding her surrendering her license
here in the states: she explained that she had been the victim of an
incredible scheme by her former office manager, to embezzle from her and
defraud her, and that this person orchestrated the filing of false complaints
against her to the medical board. It’s a long story, but she insists that her
license was wrongfully suspended, and that she has been writing a book which
describes the whole, unbelievable story and all that occurred. She seemed very
sincere and was listing facts and dates and a litany of events which occurred
culminating in the loss of her license in the US. While it all sounds so
strange, I do believe her. Anyone who has treated some 10,000 patients has got
to know what they’re doing.Well, it gets even better: Scheibner offered to treat me, AT NO CHARGE,
however, the airfare for me to fly from LA to Sydney is close to $3,000, and
this would be near impossible for me to swing at this point. In response to
this, SHE THEN OFFERS TO ALLOW ME THE USE OF HER OWN FREQUENT FLYER MILES SO
THAT I CAN FLY FOR FREE TO BE TREATED BY HER!! YES! You read it right!She insisted, and I couldn’t believe it, but accepted her kind offer.
I just now got off the phone with Dr. Scheibner again, WE SPOKE FOR ANOTHER 30
MINUTES OR SO TONIGHT, arranging travel logistics, etc. Her son has arranged
travel plans for me, AND DR. SCHEIBNER INSISTS THAT I STAY AT HER HOME WITH
HER FAMILY, is this incredible or what!!!???? I will be staying 5 days, so
that she can treat me several times, very gently, trying to ensure that my
skin will be on its way to perfect healing by the time I leave.I asked repeatedly whether there would be any remote chance of ADDITIONAL
scarring or problems, given all I’ve endured, and she has assured me that this
would be impossible. Of course, that’s what the last guy said too, and look at
me now, but her track record is just remarkable in this arena, and I feel safe
in her hands. What other choice do I have? Resign myself to living with scars
on my face for the rest of my life?So my friends, I leave Wednesday, September 24 for a week’s stay in Sydney
with the Scheibner Family, where I will be treated by the scar revision guru
herself. And all at no cost. (Naturally, I’ll be treating them to dinners and
finding ways to repay them, etc. but their incredible hospitably and
generosity is really unbelievable.).Oh, by the way, during my visit, that weekend we will be traveling to a small,
rural town about 2 hours outside of Sydney so that Dr. Scheibner can treat
several poor residents of that town, who have facial scarring. Somehow I
suspect she’s not earning much for this, if anything. Does this tell us
something about this person’s character? To spend her weekend treating poor
patients who cannot travel to her offices.All I can say is that this woman is an incredibly selfless and genuine
individual, a true humanitarian, to go to such lengths to help someone such as
me. Please pray that all goes well, and I will report in when I return!Now, finally, let me address how all of this may ultimately help scar suffers
elsewhere: First, Dr. Scheibner is working diligently to be able to resume her
practice in California. She has an attorney representing her and signed
affidavits from office members, her former aesthetician, etc. who attest to
the fact that Scheibner never committed the acts of malpractice or negligence
alleged by her former office manager who conspired against her. Why this is
just now going forward, I don’t’ know, but suffice it to say that she believes
that she will be able to overturn the revocation of her license fairly soon.As luck or providence would have it, I am a lobbyist in the state of
California, the type of person hired by companies to cut through government
red tape and get things done. I also serve on the board of directors of a
local hospital and have access to the physicians who serve on the California
Medical Board, etc. I truly believe that God put Dr. Scheibner in my path so
that we could be of help to each other, and ultimately, I pray, of help to all
those suffering from scars here in the US and elsewhere, whom she could treat
if able to reinstate her practice. In response to Dr. Scheibner’s generosity I
of course have offered to help her in any way possible.Furthermore, you may recall prior posts in which I raised the issue of using
“micro current” technology to treat tissue wounds, as is already used in
sports injury therapy. My sister in-law, a licensed acupuncture physician, had
used this technology very successfully in treating a variety of illnesses, and
she is convinced that it can also be calibrated to treat facial scars. When I
ran all this by Dr. Scheibner, she believed that the micro current technology
– which ALSO works by stimulating the individual cells to trigger their
continued growth and to resume prefect healing – is similar to her specialized
laser technology and COULD help scar victims. To that end, perhaps my sister
in law (Lives in Florida) could start treating scar victims and see if there
is any success.Well, I must get back to work. But wanted everyone to know what has transpired
here…wish me luck!!Lastly, I suspect that I will get alot of emails about all this, please
understand that I am swamped with work and may not be able to respond soon.
Typed all of this for the edification and encouragement of others.PK
J Guest & Cityslicker from Australia -- John, 02:20:32 09/18/03 ThuCityslicker,
Man don't bother with Fat Transfer in my opinion. I am telling you guys
Acqumid is something really really good. Look I have had dermabrasions, laser
etc and this thing is really good. I only had 1ml J but I am hoping to have
2mls more or maybe only one ml but I really think this is a good product. OI
do believe though that you should have scars get to their best result by
excision and dermabarasion (definately not laser) before having fillers. In my
opinion it is far better than Isolagen and to be frank my doctor and I weighed
it up and he advised Aquamid ahead of Isolagen based on a number of reasons
but especially cost. I can't see see how your own collagen is going to work
better than a soft permanent filler made of 97% water plus isolagen is very
expensive. Plus I know a woman who had a $20,000 face lift and was far happy
with the results of Acquamid. I am telling you guys it is so soft and smooth
as a filler...cheek impants would be firm I would imagine.J I will speak to him when I see him next ( he is an Australian Board
certified surgeon) and ask if he minds me giving his name as I was the first
person he has tried with this and I suppose would like to finish my treatment
before recommending him.Guest I reply more about Shiebner when I have more time
TO: JOHN -- J, 00:31:38 09/18/03 Thuhey john,
Thats great news with your aquamid treatment. $400? thats quite
cost-effective, how many mls did you need? Can I ask which Dr performed this
procedure as I am from Sydney Australia.
to john -- J, 00:28:47 09/18/03 Thuhey john,
Thats great news with your aquamid treatment. $400? thats quite
cost-effective, how many mls did you need? Can I ask which Dr performed this
procedure as I am from Sydney Australia.
Good Luck - City -- cb, 16:17:00 09/17/03 WedCityslicker - thanks for the update, I admire your tenaciousness in improving
your self.Best of luck w/your procedure w/Dr. Rullan - sounds like you are in good
hands. I hope you get the result you are looking for.Best regards
~cb
Mike D. / CB -- Cityslicker, 07:53:13 09/17/03 WedMike D., my fat transfer was $1500 for 2 sessions. I was told that I should
see results after 2 sessions and that sometimes a third session is needed and
would be an additional $250. Though, I've had 3 sessions now and they didn't
request any additional monies at my third visit. I was a little surprised in
the last week since my last report, I've seemed to lost an additional 5-10% on
my right side which was about 90-95% improved. And my left side appears to be
about 70% improved.One of my concerns about fat transfer is what my long term results will be.
While I've been extremely happy with the fat transfer results, I've had it
done 3 times (total) since March, I'm not sure what my final results will be.
The Dr. that did the fat transfer said that if you laid it down right that it
would attach to the blood vessels and begin to grow on it's on. He also said,
each time you have it done that a little more will stay permanently.I visited with a plastic surgeon last week who also does fat transfer. He
stated that in his opinion fat transfer was not effective long term and to
achieve the results I wanted, he recommended that I do cheek implants.I've not allowed enough time to elapse to make a final determination one way
or the other, but am happy with the improvement thus far. Though, I am
considering the cheek implants as that would add a lifting effect to both
cheeks and also improve any depressions that the fat transfer doesn't
completely correct. The plastic surgeon had the digital imaging to show what
my simulated results might be and it made a good improvement if it turned out
as he projected.CB, yes I'm going to do the oxygen therapy after Exoderm, though I realized
today, I'm not sure if I'll be able to stay in town long enough for 3
treatments of which Dr. Rullan stated that he recommended or if I'll only be
able to squeeze in just 2 treatments. One of the things I'm up against is it
may be a Friday, my 11th day in town, and I may only be at my 2nd oxygen
treatment. If Dr. Rullan is not open Sat., I'm not sure if I'll be able to
afford an additonal 3 nights hotel to wait til Monday.If I'm able to get my laptop working I'll try to update as I can, otherwise,
I'll update as I return. Take care everyone. :-) Cityslicker
PK -- donald, 05:58:34 09/17/03 WedI wonder about your full-face dermabrasion. What did you get the full-face
dermabrasion for? Since you said that before your laser tragedy that your face
was perfect except for the nose, I suppose that the full face dermabrasion is
what perfected. What sort of problems did you have before the dermabrasion?
Perhaps your answer lies in another dermabrasion, seeing as how you seem to
have an expert practitioner as well as only one month of downtime for perfect
results. I've never heard of anyone else with "perfect" results before...
Isolagen? -- Hawkeye, 04:29:51 09/17/03 WedHI,
Has anyone who's had Isolagen done feel its been worth the cost and has given
them the results they expected or were told to expect be their doctors? So
many people have had it done, yet there don't seem to be many people, who
so-far are really recommending it. From what i've read and been told, the
final result depends on the person more than the product and still may not
give a life long result.
PK providing copy of email to laser expert re repairing skin -- PK, 21:31:29
09/16/03 TueHi everyone. I'm going to paste the body of a message to a Dr. Gladstone
recommended to me by, I think it was "VS", whom I have contacted. THought that
this would be helpful to others:Dear "PK":
It usually requires up to one year for the skin (collagen) to remodel after
laser resurfacing, so I would not attempt any procedure for several months. It
may improve a great deal during that time. The best person in Southern
California to see is Ron Moy, MD at 100 UCLA Plaza. You can say that you had
emailed me.
Sincerely,
Hayes B. Gladstone, MD
Director
Division of Mohs Micrographic Surgery,
Cutaneous Laser Surgery, and
Aesthetic Dermatologic Surgery
Department of Dermatology W0076
900 Blake Wilbur Drive
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA 94305-5334...
Dear Dr. Gladstone,
You were recommended to me by a poster on the "Voy Forum" website for scar
sufferers. I pray that you can offer me some hope that recent scarring of my
face can be reversed. If there is any hope, I will gladly fly from So.
California to consult with you.I underwent what was SUPPOSED to be a very light, non-aggressive lasering of
my nose 6 weeks ago, to raise atrophic scarring caused 2 years ago by
dermabrasion surgery. The laser was supposedly 90% non ablative (building up
collagen), 10% ablative, akin to getting a sunburn.Through a tragedy of errors, the doctor ended up lasering my whole face, which
I DID NOT WANT! I have been left with my face covered with shallow, intended
scars where there were none! Two plastic surgeons have confirmed that this
doctor invaded my dermis and has created new, permanent scars. They range from
deep gouges to very shallow reddish patches of skin, all over my face. Some of
them are quite shallow, but I can see the difference in texture and level of
my formerly perfect skin and it bothers me immensely. My skin, up close,
resembles a patchwork of different textures and slightly different levels,
where it had been perfectly uniform and smooth.The doctor who performed this procedure as well as his staff have been
systematically avoiding me for 4 weeks now, ever since the horrific results
became evident. No response to emails or phone calls. I am in an outrage.
Yet my primary concern is finding a way to undo this damage.Dr. Gladstone, let me pose the following questions:
First, I will next be emailing several photos: first are examples of what my
skin looked like before, then some taken today, which do not really show the
full extent of the scarring, but if you zoom in, you can get an idea as to the
varied textures of my skin and especially new nose scarring.What are the chances of being able to stimulate the memory in the dermis to
cause the upper layers of my epidermis to keep "filling in" and return to
their normal level and texture?How long does the skin take to fully heal after a laser treatment? My skin has
not improved one iota for 3 weeks now. Doesn't this mean that it is finished
healing?Is there any product which you can recommend which will cause the dermis to
heal and the skin to "fill in" and return to its normal level and texture?Do you feel that you could successfully treat such indented scars caused by
lasering too deeply? What I do NOT want is for what little of my facial skin
remaining which is "normal", abraded lower to match the now-intended patches
of skin on my face. I want these scars/patches to be able to be stimulated to
return to the former level and texture of my formerly perfect skin. (Again, my
nose was the only real problem with a couple of scars...the rest of my face
was flawless.)Lastly, are you familiar with microcurrent therapy used to stimulate soft
tissue wound healing? (Acupuncture specialists use it here for certain
injuries.) Would this in any way the stimulate the dermis to resume healing
and filling in?Thank you so much, Dr. Gladstone. I am praying that you can help me restore my
skin to normal.
To Antz from PK -- PK, 16:47:15 09/16/03 TueDear Antz, I am so sorry to learn about your experience with laser. I don't
know what to believe, I of course want to believe those who say that the skin
will keep healing and "filling in" - but my own, personal experience has been
that after one month my skin pretty much stops healing. After a full face
dermabrasion 2 years ago, after one month, that was it. Now I'm in week 6 of
what was SUPPOSED to be a primarily non ablative laser (only removing a mere
"one thousandth of an inch of skin at the epidermal layer...") and I have
these indented scars and waxy texture ALL OVER MY FACE. THere has been no real
progress for weeks now, hence my panic. I hate the dr who did this to me, the
audacity, to not even respond to my urgent pleas for help. This is all I need:
my face ruined and now the pain of reliving this experience thru the tedious
legal system.
CO2 experience -- Antz, 15:00:51 09/16/03 TueHi PK, I've had two laser treatments, one 10 months ago and one 4 months ago.
I was told my skin would take 18 months to heal. I'm really worried though
because my skin tecture is so waxy and strange looking and the laser has given
me many shallow scras I never had before. It did help make my deeper scars
shallower and smoother, but now my scars seem more prominent for some reason.
To JOHN, PK---Scheibner -- Guest, 14:47:09 09/16/03 TueHi John,
I am trying to get her side of the story. So lets see what she has to say
about this whole thing. Did she tell you how many treatments you would need?
Did she gaurantee any results? Did you get a chance to meet the other doc?
When did you meet her? I am asking this bcoz someone mentioned that she is
retired and Dr.Della would be treating the patients. Did you ask her if you
could talk to her other patients? You said you had mixed feelings. Do you have
any apprehensions about her ttreatment? Please let us know.PK,
The coolaser is supposed to be non ablative and has been approved by FDA.Your
doc is an asshole( excuse me for saying taht). Maybe if you have before/after
pics you can talk to someone at the FDA.
PK to Antz -- PK, 14:43:30 09/16/03 TueAntz, hi it's PK, I am so sorry about your skin, and thank you again for
having written me earlier. How long ago did you have your face lasered?
Skin texture after laser Vs??? -- Antz, 12:27:18 09/16/03 TueVs you say it took your skin a year to heal after laser. By heal do you mean
return to its normal appearance? My skin looks very waxy since having CO2 and
I was wondering if it is something that goes away with time or if it's
permanent.
From Australia saw Sheibner PK & VS -- John, 05:34:40 09/16/03 TueHi Guys,
I am from Australia and saw Dr Sheibner herself recently. I have to say my
reaction is mixed. There was a dog that came running to the door, which may
not worry some but I didn't like it. Yes the photos looked great but how does
one know if we will get the same results. A plastic sugeon i know and respect
really well is very scepitcal and says well if the laser works I will send all
my patients there. I have to say though she does seem nice and I was told that
she will be there if I want for the first treatment which would be performed
possible by her or Dr Di BellaI mean reading that article though is a real worry posted by PK. I think it is
too big a risk. I can live with myself now but if it got worse that would be
horrific. Will I see her? I don't know. I really wish that someone who has
been treated by her could post on this board---if there is anyone please postOnto some great news. I had some Acquamid injected by the same plastic Surgeon
mentioned above and it worked really really well. For once I am very pleased
with the results. And it was not really that dear---$400 Australian. Itis
exactly like Collagen but permanent and it is silky smooth unlike other
fillers. Personally I think it is better and much more cost effective than
Isolagen. I think if I have 2-3 more mls my pits will be fine. The only
problem I have is a few raised ones caused by the great drug Roaccutaine.PK I want to thank you so much for your posts, we should all help eachother
when we canVS thanks heaps for all your posts. I was really looking forward to trying
BenzaClin but couldn't get any in Australia which is a real problem. I only
get the odd few pimples everynow and then but like VS said they take 2-3 weeks
to go so wish I could try BenzaClin.
PK again, with some hopeful news, homeopathic remedies -- PK, 05:08:29
09/16/03 TueWell, I promised to share any information which I found which could help
others, and here is a start:My terrific sister in law, "Toni", is a highly-trained and licensed
practitioner of accupuncture and eastern medicine. I've of course told her
what's happened to me, adn she, along with my brother and father, have been
incredibly supportive. AND my best friend, "Anna", who, belive it or not, I
met on this board 2 years ago when trying to correct my ORIGINAL scar! We met
and have become fast friends.Well, Toni has just emailed me with some info as to homeopathic remedies which
she believes will help heal my new scars, and trust me, everything she has
treated in the past, all types of maladies, have responded extremely well.
She's basically the doctor who people go to when traditional western medicine
has not worked.Here is Toni's email to me. If anyone is interested in getting some of these
same remedies, either check locally or email me and I'll forward along to Toni
and she could quote you a price and mail to you. I hope that this helps.PK
PK – I packaged together some remedies for you today and dropped at overnight
ship, however they may not have made Airborne Express in time for last pickup
– I’m really sorry -- I was so busy with patients and calls today right up
until 5:30 – but it is overnight so you should have it by noon on Wednesday at
the latest. This is what I am sending you:
Acute Rescue cream ---- this is a truly amazing and awesome healing cream for
all kinds of injuries; it is homeopathicInjurotox ---- this is a homeopathic designed specifically for the healing of
all kinds of injury and trauma to the body; speeds up healing process and is a
must for anytime any tissue to the body is torn, broken, burned, traumatized,
sprained, bruised, etc.Anti-Scar – this is another homeopathic designed specifically for treating
scar tissueMagarite Pills – these are Chinese herbs for skin conditions on the face
PK again, with some hopeful news, homeopathic remedies -- PK, 05:07:02
09/16/03 TueWell, I promised to share any information which I found which could help
others, and here is a start:My terrific sister in law, "Toni", is a highly-trained and licensed
practitioner of accupuncture and eastern medicine. I've of course told her
what's happened to me, adn she, along with my brother and father, have been
incredibly supportive. AND my best friend, "Anna", who, belive it or not, I
met on this board 2 years ago when trying to correct my ORIGINAL scar! We met
and have become fast friends.Well, Toni has just emailed me with some info as to homeopathic remedies which
she believes will help heal my new scars, and trust me, everything she has
treated in the past, all types of maladies, have responded extremely well.
She's basically the doctor who people go to when traditional western medicine
has not worked.Here is Toni's email to me. If anyone is interested in getting some of these
same remedies, either check locally or email me and I'll forward along to Toni
and she could quote you a price and mail to you. I hope that this helps.PK
PK – I packaged together some remedies for you today and dropped at overnight
ship, however they may not have made Airborne Express in time for last pickup
– I’m really sorry -- I was so busy with patients and calls today right up
until 5:30 – but it is overnight so you should have it by noon on Wednesday at
the latest. This is what I am sending you:
Acute Rescue cream ---- this is a truly amazing and awesome healing cream for
all kinds of injuries; it is homeopathicInjurotox ---- this is a homeopathic designed specifically for the healing of
all kinds of injury and trauma to the body; speeds up healing process and is a
must for anytime any tissue to the body is torn, broken, burned, traumatized,
sprained, bruised, etc.Anti-Scar – this is another homeopathic designed specifically for treating
scar tissueMagarite Pills – these are Chinese herbs for skin conditions on the face
PK with summary of laser article -- PK, 04:56:41 09/16/03 TueWell, upon reviewing copyright issues, let me just provide the gist of what
this LA Times article was about, plus explain that the link was provided by
another poster earlier today, if anyone wants to get their own copy:
"Sally" began to notice her aging skin soon after her daughter was born. When
she decided her face needed laser skin resurfacing--better known as a laser
peel--she didn't expect miracles. She just wanted to look fresher, more
rested."No problem," she remembers hearing from the doctor she had selected carefully
and trusted. Within two weeks, he told her, expect to look better and be back
to normal.But at the two-week mark, healing wasn't progressing. Scars appeared. She
recalls: "I looked like I had been in a knife fight."Now, nearly two years and four corrective surgeries later, the 40-year-old
mother says she is more than $16,000 out of pocket and still needs one
additional procedure.The article also explains that re: Dr. Adrianna Scheibner the Medical Board of
California suspended Scheibner's license, accusing her of gross negligence,
repeated acts of negligence, drug abuse, incompetence and excessive
prescribing.The board cites the cases of four patients who underwent laser facial
procedures that left some with third-degree burns and permanent scars. In one
case, a patient supposedly wrote Scheibner a check for $60,000 after being
medicated, underwent up to 20 hours of laser surgery over two days and is
permanently scarred, according to the board.Wow. What a tragedy for these poor people.
PK responding to kind messages, Scheibner, laser article, etc. -- PK, 04:45:00
09/16/03 TueTHank you so much everyone who is emailing me and posting here. It's
encouragement like this that helps me even get out of bed each day. Despite so
many negative prognoses (drs and all) I am determined to do anything I can to
reverse this damage AND I am going to commit my time and energies to helping
others in this same boat. My boyfreind doesn't understand the devastating
impact which facial scarring has on someone, I feel as though I will never be
the person who I was. As though I'm grieving the loss of a loved one, well,
who I was in terms of how I looked is certainly dead.More answers: Yes, Dr. "Della" is the person now handling Scheibner's work.
Scheibner seems to have been both the "guru" of scar revision via lasers and
also someone who horrifically scarred several patients here in US. I am going
to try and copy the text of an article which another poster tipped me off to,
which speaks to this whole issue and ALSO informs us of what happened with
Scheibner. IT was printed in LA TImes in 1997. I'll delete name of girl who
was interviewed to protect her privacy, but in fact, I ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO
TRACK DOWN THIS WOMAN BY A TON OF RESEARCH TODAY, AND WE ACTUALLY SPOKE BY
PHONE!!!!you got it, I contacted the very person who is described in the article I will
next post on the board, and she tells me that her face was just destroyed by a
botched lasering job, likely far worse than mine, and yet after 5 additional
laser treatments, co2 plus erbuim yag, she is about 80% better. Deepest scars
still there, but more shallow ones pretty much gone. I write this for the
edification and encouragement of others.I will next try to copy the text of this article for everyone's
information.....PK
PK responding to kind messages, Scheibner, laser article, etc. -- PK, 04:42:23
09/16/03 TueTHank you so much everyone who is emailing me and posting here. It's
encouragement like this that helps me even get out of bed each day. Despite so
many negative prognoses (drs and all) I am determined to do anything I can to
reverse this damage AND I am going to commit my time and energies to helping
others in this same boat. My boyfreind doesn't understand the devastating
impact which facial scarring has on someone, I feel as though I will never be
the person who I was. As though I'm grieving the loss of a loved one, well,
who I was in terms of how I looked is certainly dead.More answers: Yes, Dr. "Della" is the person now handling Scheibner's work.
Scheibner seems to have been both the "guru" of scar revision via lasers and
also someone who horrifically scarred several patients here in US. I am going
to try and copy the text of an article which another poster tipped me off to,
which speaks to this whole issue and ALSO informs us of what happened with
Scheibner. IT was printed in LA TImes in 1997. I'll delete name of girl who
was interviewed to protect her privacy, but in fact, I ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO
TRACK DOWN THIS WOMAN BY A TON OF RESEARCH TODAY, AND WE ACTUALLY SPOKE BY
PHONE!!!!you got it, I contacted the very person who is described in the article I will
next post on the board, and she tells me that her face was just destroyed by a
botched lasering job, likely far worse than mine, and yet after 5 additional
laser treatments, co2 plus erbuim yag, she is about 80% better. Deepest scars
still there, but more shallow ones pretty much gone. I write this for the
edification and encouragement of others.I will next try to copy the text of this article for everyone's
information.....PK
To PK -- Scheibner -- Guest, 04:26:57 09/16/03 TueHi,
I dont know if thi shelps you but i rememebr someone at the acne board posted about
some research going on in london. The website is www.renova.com. I think its
about skin regenerationa nd stuff like that.
About Dr.Scheubner i really dont understand why she souldnt have tauht others
about her technique. Many others would have benifited from thta technique.Did
they tell you that it was Dr.Della who would be treating the patients??
PK...hang in there -- amez, 03:08:34 09/16/03 TueI just wanted to let you know that I've read the trail detailing your
nightmare and my thoughts are with you. That your doctor is avoiding your
messages is disgraceful, and criminal! My only advice is to carefully document
every attempt and reply so that you can sue the @#$#@ out of em.I know the money means nothing at this point. I was also thinking...since
these are relatively fresh wounds, what do people on the board think about emu
oil and peptides? I know emu oil is gentle enough but would the copper
peptides help at all? If this is applied after needling I would think it could
work here too. It can be so discouraging getting expert medical opinions that
say "you're scarred for life." I say keep researching all of your options to
work on the situation. Good luck to you.
--amy
To "Guest" and "VS" from PK -- PK, 19:26:06 09/15/03 MonI can't thank you both enough for resonding, yes, I have been going out of my
mind, as every day I see more and more scarring, and all I have researched
thus far tells me that atrophic (indented) scarring is permanent, once the
dermis is invaded too deeply. 2 plastic surgeons, including a burn center
expert, told me that I have sustained permanent scarring, AND at the burn
center, they are presently treating another patient marred by this same
doctor! You can imagine my panic!It is now 6 weeks since my treatment. All their literature states "1-2" day
healing time. SO you can understand my fears - this was supposed to be a VERY
gentle laser, far less invasive than the CO2 or Erbium Yag, yet here I am, 6
weeks out, with patches of skin about teh depth of a dime, in all shapes and
sizes all over my face. My chin and nose are teh brown, waxy texture, oh, it
is a nightmare.But VS, your input helps me greatly, I am so encouraged to hear that you, too,
had these weird intended craters which eventually healed? Can you tell me more
about what they looked like? Does anyone know if lasering such as this
destroys the elacticity of the skin, or damages the dermis or epidermis
irreparably? Honest to God, my skin feels less plump and supple, like i've
aged 15 years. Which, at age 45, is all I needed. But again, VS, thank you for
your input. My skin was lasered 6 weeks ago, the bloody and ozzing stage ended
5 weeks ago, now it's been just seemingly getting worse and worse as my skin
is "settling in" from having been swollen and I see these new, abraded
textured and intended patches all over my face, new ones every day.What I don't understand is, if in fact this may heal OK, why the laser
apparently went so deep as to create all these indended areas which now need
to be "filled in" in the first place? My skin HAD no such craters! Can you
explain this VS, did your doctor explain this at all? My dr, of course, isn't
responding to any of my phone calls or emails.As for Scheibner, I also had heard about her botching someone's face, but not
the details Guess provided. How uttterly tragic. What was she thinking, 20
hours of lasering????? I feel so sorry for that patient. Oh my God.I CALLED the Scheibner center in Austrailia today! Got thru - get this:
Scheibner has basically retired, is "travelling" and has turned her practice
over to some woman who has been there a whopping 4 weeks. Great. Here, some dr
with 20 years experience seems to have ruined my face, who would trust their
face to a dr at the practice 4 weeks? No matter her former training...Thank you again everyone, I pray that my skin will start healing rather than
continuing to get worse. Keep those messages coming! This is my main source of
input and support in this debacle.PK
TO PK----- About Scheibner -- Guest, 15:05:45 09/15/03 MonHi,
Did they get back to you? I found an article on the web and i thought you
should know this. Search for Adrianna Scheibner and you will find some
articles. click on the first one. You have to pay 2$ to view it online.
whoever wrote atht article mentioned that Dr.Scheibner burnt some patients at
her Los Angeles Office and the dept revoked her license (dut to repeated acts
of negligence, drug abuse etc) in 97. One patient wrote the doctor a check for
$60,000 after being medicated, underwent up to 20 hours of laser surgery over
two days and is permanently scarred, according to the board.You will find the article here:
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/search.htmlI was really surprised. I have their brochure and the pics look really
amazing. I dont know what to say now. If they get back to you let us know.
Maybe you can ask them about this case and her license and see what they have
to say about this.Good luck with your tretament
Needling does not work for all -- vs, 11:55:48 09/15/03 Moni guess this is my final update.
Its been a while since i had needling done. NO improvement. Even no
improvement in areas I let scab over.
Along my temple I have hyperpigmentation spots from the needling, i'm using
hydroquinone to bleach them out, but its a slow process. I hope its not
permenant.ANyways my verdict is, personally for me Needling does not work. And issues
such as not being completley sterile 24/7, and having someone who doesnt know
the the medical background basics of skin working on your face can be
dangerous. I dont recommend this procudurem, it cost me 400 dollars. Although
black and blue claimed this was still cheaper than a drs office visit.
Obvoiusly they never been to plastic surgeons, cause plastic surgeons charge
around the same price, subcision is 500 full face, smoothbeam is 300 for full
face. And there you got trainded MDS and esthicians doing it.
So thats my verdictHowever, if you find someone who charges 100 bucks.. I say give it a shot!
maybe it will work for you, and if it doesnt work for you, big deal you lost
100 bucks. worth the risk!
Sterility I noticed wasnt a major concern at tattoo parlors. The equipment of
course was sterlie, need was sterlile, gloves were sterile, but when you go
touching things such ass stuff on other counters, or a water bottle to get
some water, or a bunch of other things you touch....that isnt sterile anymore
you automatically destarlized everything. Now you run the chance of bacterial
infecntion in your freshly bleading face. Much more care is takin for
sterility at a drs office. Steriliy is usually their top concern.
So thats something else to think about!
anyways take care you all
TO PK -- VS, 11:42:08 09/15/03 MonDear PK
Listen to me, I know your totally going paranoid right now. your very scared
and confused. Take a breather, try to relax for a second, everything will turn
out ok.How long has it been since the procedure?
I'm sure not that long yet. Your skin is still molding and growing. Just make
sure to keep applying vasaline to any areas that scab or bleed or ooze. And
clean the area with strelie cotton balls or gauze. A combination of distled
water and distled white vinegar is a great agent to use for cleansing up crust
and scabs and ooze and blood from your face.Your skin will level out.. dont worry. NO harm is done yet I hope, and its too
early to know. WHen i had full face laser, some areas were totally deep down
to my dermis basically. I looked like i had new craters all over.. but they
eventually evened out. SO stay calm, i'm here for you for support, I know drs
you can go to incase this ends up being permanent. Just calm down and give it
time. Time is the key. Give your self another good month. My skin took about a
yr after laser to heal up.
I hope I was helpfull!
hi i'm new here -- steeler fan, 10:32:03 09/15/03 Monwell i'm 19 and have been suffering from acne scars around 4 years. it was
never really that bad till 2 year ago. it seem as time went on my scars got
more noticeable. i know nothing about the terms for the type of scars i have,
nothing about what type of treatments i should get, and i don't know where 2
go 2 get help. i am totally lost. can some1 help me please. oh! and i live
near the los angeles area. so if any1 can tell me where 2 go or call anything.
i will appreciate it.
hi i'm new here -- steeler fan, 10:30:11 09/15/03 Monwell i'm 19 and have been suffering from acne scars around 4 years. it was
never really that bad till 2 year ago. it seem as time went on my scars got
more noticeable. i know nothing about the terms for the type of scars i have,
nothing about what type of treatments i should get, and i don't know where 2
go 2 get help. i am totally lost. can some1 help me please. oh! and i live
near the los angeles area. so if any1 can tell me where 2 go or call anything.
i will appreciate it.
Eric -- steve, 06:11:10 09/15/03 MonHey Eric.. Great to hear from you..
As far as my needling goes i didnt get the results some of these others
did..Because i have such oily skin i think my scars in particular are pretty
tough to revise..But i did get a few improvements in 2 specific scars that i
can see a pretty good improvement.. Its barely been over 1 month since my last
needling so im hoping ill see more improvement over the next month..I go in to see Dr. Rullan for my Exoderm touchup on the 16th and 17th of this
month.. Im hoping with the touchup, CP serums, and my Glycolic any salyiclic
home peels im going to start see drastic improvement within the next few
months.. My hopes are high..God willing my face will be nice and clear within the next year or so..
Having acne scars has been such a humbling experience.. Its definetely helped
me to put my life into perspective and gave me a greater insight in this world
of pain and struggle.. To everyone.. Never give up hope, there are many thing
you can do to improve your skin.. Pray to God and ask him to guide you into
the direction of clear skin and higher self esteem, and Lead you he shall...Stay strong everyone
PK re: laser scars to all those who are writing -- PK, 23:49:36 09/14/03 SunMy heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all those who have written, privately and
on the board, for your sympathy and suggestions in my debacle. Yes, I should
be able to get some good digital photos from before and after, I am working to
secure the befores right now. As for Scheibner, I have emailed her offices in
the hope of getting some input. Why they can't share their technology or
technique with a dr here is beyone me, as most of us can't afford to fly for
3K to Austrailia, several times over for treatment.The laser, belive it or not, was neither a CO2 nor erbium yag. It was
supposedly a far more gentle laser, the "Coollaser" developed by the very dr
who treated me. I am so angry that no one will give me answers as to what the
heck went wrong nor acknowledge that they have screwed up my face.Thank you again everyone, please give me any more feedback or suggestions, I
will act on every good idea.PK
To Maya -- Mystery, 21:21:34 09/14/03 SunHi Maya,
Glad to hear of your success with punch excision. I had a couple done before
and they were an improvement; the doctor at the time left the stitches in only
3 days so I don't think they healed as well as they could have.Tomorrow I am getting a few more done, this time by my derm, and the stitches
will stay in a week. I'm going to work this way so hopefully I won't get too
many questions :(
Smoothbeam and V-beam. -- ross, 21:11:38 09/14/03 SunHi everyone,
I am brand new to this board and am impressed by the information and candor of
the messages. I had the smoothbeam laser done a week ago and will have the
second done in two weeks. My major reason for having the smoothbeam is for
acne and secondly for scars. I would say I have moderate scarring. The laser
is supposed to damage the sebaceous glands so production will be slowed or
stoped. It is also supposed to increase collagen production which would
improve scars. I will let you know how it goes. I am also considering the
V-beam laser for some scarring/redness. Does anyone have any experince with
that? I have several red spots that they suggested a pulse dye laser would
help? It sounds like most of the posts to this site concern the pitted scars.
I have some of those but the red ones are more noticeable. If any one has any
questions about the smoothbeam I would be happy to help any way I could.
Thanks for your time.
P.s I completely understand the frustration and despair that accompany acne
scars. I am 28 and still dealing with acne and will have to deal with the
scars from the past 14 years or so. My only advice is that there are people
much worse off (just consider the third world) and that decent people will not
judge you by your physical apperance.
CO2 and Isolagen -- Antz, 17:58:49 09/14/03 SunFirstly PK, my heart goes out to you, it sounds like he used an erbium or CO2
laser as I've had CO2 and the skin problems sound similar to mine. You must be
able to sue this person if you didn't give permission for your whole face to
be done. Your skin will improve over the next 6 months but you may be stuck
with new scars and bad skin texture like I was following CO2.cb, I would say that CO2 made my deepest scars a lot shallower, but the damage
to my skin probably outweighs the overall benefits I've had. The Isolagen has
definately made my skin better and made my scarring shallower, but its still
too early for me to recommend it. I had my first set of injections two months
ago and I've got 2 more sets to go. My doctor told me it takes up to a year
after th elast injections to see the final result. To be honest though I don't
think it will help with the texture problems caused by the CO2.This really depresses me because the whole area around my mouth was done which
has left me with a waxy, indented skin texture and in bright light I look like
homer simpson and I'm female!!!:(
I promised myself I'd give it at least 3 months after my last Isolagen
injections before trying anyhtin else. If I could just get rid of the awful
skin texture I could put up with the shallow scarring to be honest. The
combination of both makes me feel like I haven't achieved any real progress so
far.
Cityslicker -- Mike D, 06:20:32 09/14/03 SunHow much did the fat transfer procedure cost?
Marcsheep -- Mia, 21:08:01 09/13/03 SatMarc,
How is your skin looking post-needling day 7, is it?
I'm considering having it done soon and wanted to see how you were doing this
far out. I know you posted previously 3 or 4 days out amazed by your results,
but do you still feel the same way and if, so do you continue to see more
improvement? Please keep us posted. Also what was your post procedure regimen?
Thanks,
Mia
Dr.Scheibner - to PK -- Sweety, 19:20:37 09/13/03 SatHi PK,
I am really sorry to hear that. I think there should be a law or something to
control these greedy
B------s Most of the doctors are good for nothing. All they need is money. No
wonder that they still couldnt figure out a solution to acne. I read on
the acne board website that Dr.Scheibner's license had been surrendered in '97 bcoz
she got involved with some substances and burnt a patient but that was in 97.
But apart form that she is supposed to be the best and i contacted their
office and they sent me a brochure and the pictures are pretty impressisve.
there is one picture where the patient was treated for holes and burns left
from laser resurfacing and its really impressive. However when i called the
offcie they said that some other doc who got trained by sceibner and who has
been working with her for several years would be treating all the patientsdo a search on this page for Scheibner. One of the posters elizabeth rohan)
mentioned that she met this nurse who actually worked for scheibner. You might
find it useful.
Good luck to you
PK -- Charlotte, 17:28:28 09/13/03 SatPK, I was alarmed upon reading of your nightmare and although I don't have any
answers, I just wanted you to know how bad I felt for you, too. Did the two
plastic surgeons you saw afterward have any suggestions of anything that could
help repair the damage? I wouldn't trust going back to the same doctor who did
this to you for a remedy either. Did his office take before pictures of you
before they started? If so, and if you can't find any other good, clear
pictures of yourself before, then if they say you already had these scars, I'd
say they should prove it by pointing it out to you in the before pictures.
Scar repair is so expensive, especially the newest technology, and some
methods like collagen and fat injections have to be done over and over again
because, although quickly effective, they don't last. If you can get evidence,
even witnesses, that your skin was not like this before, I'd definitely sue so
that you have the resources to seek out the remedies you'll need.When I was only 32 (7 yrs ago), I was told by a plastic surgeon that I needed
a full face lift to correct my acne scars, followed by a CO2 laser resurfacing
6 mos later. I was shocked and declined, and since then I found out that with
a face lift, the surface tension of the skin will relax, and my scars would
have been back to the way they were before facelift, except I'd have long
scars running under my hairline and behind my ears. And I've heard all kinds
of bad experiences and lasting bad effects with CO2 laser. Years before that I
came close to seeking out a dermabrasion (it was the only thing offered at the
time). Thank God I didn't have the money to do it at that time and dropped the
idea. So I've come close to some bad stuff, too - but because I was chicken or
broke or something, I was spared.This and another message board at the acne board are really good places to find help
and compassion. Please keep us posted.Charlotte
Thank you John. -- PK, 15:49:38 09/13/03 SatDear John,
I am up because I can't sleep. Thank you for your incredibly kind and
supportive message. I agree with all you've said, and I am so angry at what
has been done to me. I WILL force the dr to meet with me, but in the meantime,
need to get some good digital photos of me before and after, as this asshole
(sorry) is refusing to acknowledge that there is even a problem. THen, if this
is what's he's done to me, how do I trust him to fix this and not make me even
worse? I am living a daily nightmare.I will report him to the medical board and also likely sue. What a waste of my
time and money - all because I was trying to fix a former scar.Thank you again my friend.
PK -- John, 15:15:47 09/13/03 SatPK, my heart breaks for you. I know what you mean about dermabrasion. I had
one 12 years ago and it left me with scars that I didn't have before. Scars
that are STILL on my face...all these years later.If I were you, I would DEMAND that the doctor sees you and figures out a way
to correct this situation. You put your faith in him and your safety in his
hands and he screwed up. I mean, WHAT WAS HE THINKING doing your whole face
when you were expecting that only PORTIONS of your face would be treated???I don't know about this, but can't you report this to the Medical Board or
some organization? Isn't there some place you can go to for guidance or legal
advice? I am sorry that I am not knowledgable in these areas but I DID want
you to know that I am SORRY this happened to you. You are not alone...I am
with you and I want this to be corrected for you. I am sending you my good
thoughts and wishes and I HOPE that if someone else at this board knows what
path you should pursue then they will let you know. God bless you and again, I
empathize with you. Something very similar happened to me with that damn
dermabrasion and if I could do it all over again I would have never had it
done!!
Adrianna Scheibner -- PK, 15:09:09 09/13/03 SatCan anyone tell me if they have been treated by Dr. Adrianna Scheibner, or
direct me to someone who has been, AND WHETHER SHE WAS ABLE TO CURE INDENTED
SCARS WHEREIN THE DERMIS HAD BEEN DAMAGED?Thank you so much.
Microcurrent -- PK, 08:28:40 09/13/03 SatMicrocurrent is supposedly a type of gentle electrical stimulation to the skin
formerly used in sports injuries, which is now being used on soft tissue. HAs
anyone used this to treat intended scars, does it cause collagen growth?ALSO, has anyone had scars caused by lasering which eventually filled in?
Thanks everyone....
Laser used to treat old scars, causes new scars -- PK, 08:15:31 09/13/03 SatI AM IN A PANIC, I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN HELP ME.
I just lost 40 minutes of typing a detailed message, so let me summarize
quickly:I was treated by a Doctor "O" in Beverly Hills CA 5 weeks ago for afew scars
on my nose, using his "Cool Laser" (NOT "Cool Touch") and this dr totally
botched the job, lasering my WHOLE FACE even tho he was only authorized to
laser just my nose and chin (some old acne scarring.)Healing is supposed to take only 1-2 days. Literally. All this literature and
website states this. NOW, 5 weeks out, I have NEW intented scars ALL OVER MY
FACE!! WHERE THERE WERE NONE! "O" GUARANTEED ME that there was "no way" in
which this laser could cause new scarring, it is 90% non ablative, 10%
ablative, akin to getting a sun burn. Yet he did an incredibly uneven and
crappy job, I was brown and red and ozzing for a week, and now my face is
covered with patches of skin wherein the top layer of skin has never grown
back. My nose is 100 times worse than before, with sections gouged out, areas
which look like the skin has been "melted" off my face, I am so incredibly
angry and upset.The doctor and his staff have been systematically avoiding me and refusing to
commuincate for 4 weeks now. THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ONE EMAIL FROM ME
WHEREIN I AM DESPARATELY SEEKING THEIR ADVICE AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY
SKIN!!! When I then have to drive up to their offices (the "Epione Center")
the dr has the audacity to tell me that he can't see what I'm talking about,
just give it more time, skin can take up to 3 months to heal???Oh really? WELL, TWO LEADING PLASTIC SURGEONS WHOM I HAVE SINCE SEEN HAVE
INFORMED ME THAT I HAVE BEEN IRREPARABLY HARMED, THAT THE DOCTOR PENETRATED
INTO MY DERMIS AND THAT THE SKIN WILL NOT GROW BACK!AND their "Patient Manager" has the audacity to tell me that 1. i am making
all this up or 2. that these new scars were there all along, i just never
noticed them. How incredibly insulting.FUNNY, the new scars on my face correlate prefectly with teh areas where "O"
lasered my face aggressively, as photos attest. Doesn't take a rocket
scientist to figure out what has happened here, yet they refuse to take
responsibility for the permanent damage caused to my skin. FOR A PROCEDURE
WHICH WAS NOT AUTHORIZED FOR MY FULL FACE!"O" guaranteed that this laser could not cause new scarring. No one will
answer my questions about what happened, what went wrong, and why my skin
looks as such. They're just onto new paying patients, while I am left at home
seeing new scars on my face every day.this is an atrocious wrong, and i write to not only warn others, but to
solicit any input about the Epione Center and God forbid, similar experiences.
PLEASE, TOO, IF ANYONE HAS HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, THERE OR ELSEWHERE,
PLEASE TELL ME IF THEIR SKIN EVENTUALLY FILLED IN, OR WHETHER THERE IS
ANYTHING I CAN DO!!Lastly, has anyone tried "microcurrent" to boost skin healing and cell
regeneration?I am distraught beyond words: After a 2-year search to cure scars actually
caused by a dermabrasion surgery, after untold hours of research and office
visits, I put my self in the hands of a reputed expert, and he mars me for
life. WHile the scars are not so noticeable from a distance, I see this uneven
texture of my skin every time I look in the mirror, and the doctors who met
with me had no trouble seeing this abraded texture and the new gouges now
occupying the surface of my face. All by the guy who was supposed to help me.
I am in an outrage.If anyone needs the full name of dr, email me privately.
Please, someone help me.
What does "REMOTE LINKING FORBIDDEN" mean?? -- John, 14:09:34 09/12/03 FriCan someone please tell me what is wrong with this message board? Sometimes
when I try to view it all I get is a message which is very vague to me:
"Remote Linking Forbidden". What exactly does that mean?? I have no idea. I
get it a lot, too. Thanks!
Eric - about AcneEase -- Maya, 16:55:15 09/11/03 ThuI used those tablets around 2 years ago for several months - it did NOTHING.
Save your money. The only thing that has cleared me of acne is a good diet
(high protein, lots of veg, good oils, supplements, and low carbs/sugar.)
Great success with Punch Excision 8 days ago! -- Maya, 15:23:02 09/11/03 ThuI had 12 ice pick scars punch excised, stitches came out 3 days ago - I have
40-80% improvement on all of them (apart from 1 which didn't work) but really,
I am very, very happy with the results and also expect to get continued
improvement over the next couple of weeks.Still have around 15 ice picks to be excised - next appointment on the 8th of
October.Oh, BTW, It is with Dr Chu (who many are getting Isoalgen with) that I had
this procedure.
Antz-Isolagen & Cityslicker -- cb, 21:24:46 09/08/03 MonAntz:
Thanks for posting your update on Isolagen - it's really nice to hear from
someone going through the treatment. I followed this thread on the acne board but
it's been pretty quiet lately. Can't wait till this is availble stateside.
Heard next year sometime?Question, do you think you have had more improvement w/CO2 or Isolagen? Or
maybe the improvement your seeing now is a combo of both?City-good to hear from you. Glad you're getting improvements. Good luck
w/Exoderm @ Dr. Rullan's office. Hope that you see some improvements after
that treatment. Are you going to do the oxygen treatments to cut down on the
redness? Seemed like that part of the healing really bummed Kit. If he can cut
the redness time down dramataically, that might be the way to go?Anyways let us know how this goes - very interested.
I found a local office who has smoothbeam and he recommened 3 tx's of that and
microderm. He said if I wasn't happy w/that I could try dermabrasion or CO2 -
those both sound drastic based upon how he classified my scars - mild.
Fat Transfer and Update -- Cityslicker, 08:28:34 09/08/03 MonCameron, I've had Fat Transfer done and I can tell you of my experience. I've
now had 3 injections on my face and overall, extremely pleased that I had it
done. I had 2 indents, one on each cheek that formed when I took a buff pad
and under the theory that I could stimulate collagen underneath some scars,
rubbed 2 raw spots, one on each cheek. I was told by Dr. Rappaport in NJ that
I lost the structural integrity in those areas.As of to date, I've had N'Lite, Subscision, Fat Transfer, Micro-dermabrasion,
Cooltouch II and Needling done. For me personally, the best treatment to date
has been the Fat Transfer, Cooltouch II and Needling. I've been told that my
scars are a level 1 to 2 on a scale of 3 with 1=mild, 2=moderate, and
3=severe. The Fat Transfer only worked on actual indentations, it did nothing
for the scars other than changed the lighting, I beleive, which does appear to
make them look better. My indents were about as big as a dime in the center
sunken in part to a larger nickle or so when you stood back and looked at a
mirror from a distance.Overall improvement from all treatments is about 40-45% combined. It's hard to
gauge improvement to some degree, as some smaller large pore marks have
improved 80%, some larger pock marks maybe 20%, it runs the whole gammut of
the scale. When you have a lot of scars of varying sizes some have really
noticably improved with a marked differnce and other larger scars minimal.
Still, I can see progress overall.The indents have had a very good result thus far, with about a 90%-95%
improvement on my right side indent, and a 70% to 80% improvement on the left
side. Though, when I stand back and look in the mirror I can see a fullness to
my cheeks that I had never seen before (and I'm not talking about a fullness
that I'm happy with.) I think my right side maybe a little over corrected, as
I see a slight fullness ridge (high point) about 3 inches long right in the
middle of my cheek. And I see a fullness to my left cheek but without the
ridge and still a slight sunken spot where the indent has still shrunk back
down. I had my 3rd treatment about a month ago and still appear to be losing
some improvement slowly each week. Will have to wait several more months to
determine final results.It's kinda a catch-22, I do believe there is an improvement that I'm happy
with (and can live with), and at the same time, I can see the difference in
the fullness that wasn't there before and I'm slightly bothered by this new
look in my appearance. Though too, there is probably nobody that knows me (Mom
and Dad and family included) that would notice what I'm even talking about.I've had 2 Cooltouch II treatments in the last 6 months. I'm also pleased with
these treatments in shrinking my pores and the texture of my face. Some of my
pores (smaller large pores) have significantly improved. But as I stated
above, some of the larger pock marks, saucer scars, fingernail indentations
and larger pore marks all experienced varying degree's of little improvement
to good improvement.Cameron, In reference to your question about Fat Transfer leaving scars, yes,
I do have 2 scars about 1/4 inch long each. One on each side of the abdomen.
He used a canula about 1/4 inch wide and about 10-12 inches long. He numbed
the area first and then with the tapered end, he just puncture's it into the
skin and then begins to sunction out the Fat similiar to filling a long straw
with butter. You have to move the canula up and down, in and out, slapping at
the skin as it bottomed. He spent about 10-15 minutes on each side and it does
begin to get uncomfortable and began to hurt. I justed gritted my teeth, but
considered asking him to stop several times before he finally finished. It was
not unbearable, but did get uncomfortable and painful for me. But I would do
it again also. I told my 25 year old son about it and he looked at my scars
(at night in the kitchen light) from about 3-4 feet away, and he was saying,
where are your scars??? And I had to put my thumbs around them and pull up the
skin so that he could see them. As I say, about 1/4 inch, not real noticable
but would probably be seen some in the daylight outside, but not necessarily
to the extent that anyone would notice enough to ask what happened??? But I
will tell you, I wish I'd put a butterfly bandage on the places when I first
had them done, as he did not stitch close or anything. And it hurt for about a
month in those area's and occassionally, I still have Phantom Pain for a few
seconds in area. But, I've never mentioned any of that to the Doctor and not
really concerned about it. Only happens occassionally.He stated, you can have the fat removed from the abdomen, buttocks or thighs,
and given those 3 area's, I'm sure you could find a well concealed area to
take the fat from.I'm scheduled to have the Exoderm peel with Dr. Rullan Sept.29 in just a few
weeks. I'm hopeful this treatment will be enough to give me the additional
improvement that I'll be happy with. I'll keep you guys updated as I can. Take
care everyone. :-) Cityslicker
John -- MarcSheep, 14:04:30 09/07/03 SunThe procedure is not known in the tattoo world, it is better known in the
permanent makeup field, under various pseduonyms - Needling, Needle Abrasion,
Multitrepannic Collagen Actuation, Inkless Micropigmentation - Search on
google and look for perm make up artists in the yellow pages - u will have
more luck that way....Marc
Isolagen 3rd injection this week -- Antz, 13:47:50 09/07/03 SunHi, I'm going for my 3rd Isolagen set of injections on Wednesday. I am now
nearly one month post my 2nd set of injections and I've had about 25%
improvement so far. My scars are filling up from the bottom and softening off
so even though I still have all my scars they are looking shallower and
shallower as the weeks go by. I'll post again 2 weeks after my next
injections.
Fat Transfer - create scarring? -- Cameron, 12:17:39 09/07/03 SunDoes fat transfer create scarring or deformities at the place where the fat is
taken from?
Treatment Options are CONFUSING -- John, 12:05:13 09/07/03 SunNeedling...Smoothbeam...Subcision...Isolagen...I am so totally confused about
what treatment options I should be pursuing. I did email a tattoo artist in
Montclair, NJ about possibly doing needling on my scars and she emailed me
back:
John-
What you are referring to is strictly dermatologist territory.
Hopefully you'll find one who's done the procedure before & can show
you before and after photos.So, that means that the procedure is so new that a lot of tatoo artists don't
even know about it? I thought one had needling done BY a tattoo artist??How do I find a dermatolgist who will KNOW what combination of scar revision
treatments I, personally, need? I am confused about who to see and what to do.
I agree, by the way, that Acne.org is a little hard to navigate and it also
seems too time consuming to check out all those threads, etc.I have depressed scars in my temple area which are probably the ones I hate
the most. What should I consider doing about those types of scars? Needling?
Or Smoothbeam? Thank you for any guidance anyone can give me.By the way, I am
ECSTATIC for the people who post here who are getting excellent results. It's
a real lift to see others so happy and grateful and it makes me think that
maybe (just maybe) there is still hope for me yet, too.
Last Time Honest -- MarcSheep, 10:58:25 09/07/03 SunSorry bout this - the woman who did my needling counted 74 done in total -
under the flourescent light magnifier - so very few were missed except in the
sun area - i still have maybe 15 scabs and swelling inn various places and I
also know that over the next 3 months it will continue to improve! You all
have to get this treatment/CURE.....
Fuck It -- MarcSheep, 10:55:06 09/07/03 SunIve just looked again and realised how much difference there is - I canrnt
believe im complainin, damn im too greedy - I dont know if I even need another
session - now that would be greedy - I can live with 5-6 scars as most non
acned peeps have a couple for one reason or another - If I was flawless maybe
Id be more of a a freak........Im worried that the 8-9 scars still scabbed
over on my right cheek wont be improved tho...only time will tell
Results -- MarcSheep, 10:49:12 09/07/03 SunThanks Eric, What I have noticed tho today is that either my scars have
responded 90-100% or else they havent responded at all - like the deep icepick
between my eye brows.....Still the results remain very good, I just wish I
didnt have the sunburn before....Marc
To Marcsheep, Denise, VS & Steve: Kick-@$$ needling results! -- Eric,
09:37:59 09/07/03 SunHi all-
I've been watching the forum continuously for a while, but haven't posted...
but I wanted to say congrats to Marcsheep on your great results... it's good
to hear positive results from somebody who wasn't treated by Lilian. I assume
the tattoo artist you went to is somebody in the UK... please correct me if I
am mistaken.That being said, VS, I hope your scar needling at the Black N' Blue does
eventually yield some good results results for you, but it's too bad that you
used petrolatum instead of some superior healing products such as Emu Oil and
copper peptide solutions. But there is no reason you can't repeat the
procedure if you need to... nor is there any reason, as Denise mentioned, that
improvement can't occur a little further into the future. I live in the bay
area, so while the needling at the Black N' Blue is expensive, it is also the
only well-known tattoo shop that I know if that performs this procedure in San
Francisco. Could you please tell me which tattoo artist at the Black N' Blue
needled your scars? The older positive posts all mentioned Idexa as being
their tattoo artist... anyway, best of luck to you.Steve!! How's it going with you, man? Last I heard you were getting needling
done and also preparing for further Exoderm touch-ups from the famous Dr.
Rullan! How is your skin doing these days! I think last I read, you were
getting positive results with your second needling using CP serum and emu oil!
Right on man! Please update us on how things are going with you today...Denise- You are one of the pioneers at spreading the word of this famous
procedure here on Voy, and also have come up with this great skin care regime
to get it rolling... so it is always good to hear from you! I think the
Retin-A/copper/emu oil combo has a lot to do with your great results, as well
as having a skilled artist work on your face. I'm still fighting acne on this
end, have been on B-5 for a little over 4 months, and I don't get cysts
anymore but still have small annoying inflammatory blemishes. I decided to
knock off the Derma Cleanse pills, however, I am sticking with their cleanser
and their facial gel, because it is a great treatment for acne... in
combination with the B-5 really reduces the redness and level of inflammation.
I read about another herbal product called AcnEase on the Internet, this one
is actually tested clinically in China and seems to have a very high success
rate similar to Accutane... with much faster response times than B-5...
although I can take the B-5 concurrently with it. So I am hoping that this
combination therapy approach will get rid of the remnants of my acne. Please
let me know if you have tried AcnEase before, I like to get other testimonials
than the ones posted on the website. So to summarize, my acne is better but
not yet gone... and I really would want to use SmoothBeam as a last resort for
acne because it only seems to address the symptoms, not the underlying
cause... and believe me, from using Accutane, there is nothing worse than
having clear, acne-free skin for six months and then back to oily skin and
breaking out again with a vengeance! Please let us also know what your status
is and if you will choose to have another needling procedure done.Best of luck to all, and it's great to hear good news! The Lord smiles upon
us...-Eric
Needling Results -- MarcSheep, 01:37:57 09/07/03 SunIts been 3 days since my needling and the scabs are
almost all of....The results - well i would estimate 90-100% improvement in
all of the scars I had needled - Some were missed because I had sunburn - Been
using a different cp solution that the ski bio one and some
moisturiser/sunblock combo by agera medical products - I had microdermabrasion
1 week before the needling and this definately helped - but the new skin burnt
easily.....I dunno if I want a second session I now have maybe 5 or 6
noticable scars remaining and a total of around 20 that only I notice - There
is no swelling now after 3 days but im still treating my skin very gently....Now - Ive learnt a couple of things here - 1)age is very important - of the
person and the scars - because im young and the scars are <1 yr old theyve
healed dramatically - the scabs fall off and fresh normal skin is there.
2)Good aftercare is essential 3)scars dont have to scab to improve 4)All scars
responded well from my shallow icepicks to my rolling scars and enlarged pore
type ones. 5)the microderm the week before definately helped....Thats about all i can manage for now, feel free to ask ne questions ill be
around a lot longer - onto the scars on my back and chest now.GoodLuck
Marc
Michel -- Denise1, 23:16:54 09/06/03 SatThe reason I recommended you go there was for several reasons. The first and
most important one is that it's hard to tell you what to do without you having
an idea of what type of scars you have, if you've already tried other scar
treatments, etc.....The problem is that different types of scars need different types of
treatments. No one here can just arbitrarily tell you what needs to be done.
It's much better for people to be pro-active and read about what's available,
and learn on their own what type of treatment works for what type of scar.
That way they can ask specific questions about their particular scar type. I'm
not sure what you found difficult about the site I recommended, it's much
easier in terms of gaining knowledge and information, and the format is easy
as each treatment gets it's own thread. That way, you can read for yourself
from people who are being treated, or have been treated in various scar
treatments. There are quite a few people there at that scar board that live in
the UK and have been and are being successfully treated with various scar
treatments.If you want to wait here, perhaps Marcsheep or Maya can help you if they know
what type of scars you have. Other than that, I'd suggest you inform yourself
and that way you can know what direction to go into. There are various "scar
experts" that utilize many, many, many different types of treatment options.It's most helpful to the uninformed to really do their own research and ask
questions that are related to their own scars. Otherwise, it's hard for anyone
to give you helpful advice.
Went to the board -- Michel, 20:51:30 09/06/03 SatI took a look at the acne.org scar site and found it difficult and time
consuming to navigate. I prefer it here even though replies can be slow.
TCA Cross -- Anna, 19:11:34 09/05/03 Fri
Ariel,
If you can't find a doctor who does the TCA Cross treatment advise them the
article detailing it is in the November 2002 Journal for Dermatologic Surgery.
Here is a link to view the abstract:
You have to pay $19.00 online to view the whole thing. My guess is any PS or
derm already subscribes.Good Luck, Anna
PLEASE SOMEONE HELP !!!! -- Mel (U.K), 18:45:22 09/05/03 FriI am totally despairing !!!!!
I am still suffering now with acne at the age of 39, right from 16 years ago.
I suffered with cystic acne and was given roaccutane, I did have largish spots
which has left me with terrible scars !!! I feel I cant go out or do anything
some days as I am fearing other peoples response and feel that they are
laughing/staring/talking about and at me, with no factual evidence !!!!!
I reallllly do have a hard time with relationships, and I cant/dont want to
talk much as I am so depressed and upset.
I am afraid of Men, but women and children scare me too!!!!
It REALLY Is preventing me getting on with my life and all that that entails,
i.e work, children etc. I FEEL SO ALONE and not enjoying myself much for fear
of the above. I am mortified and extremely upset as I write this, as I have
seen 3 cosmetic surgeons who say they cant help me either !!! I feel as though
I have no direction or purpose sometimes and this hurts ! I am extremely
self-concious around men as we live in an image concious society and feel I
dont match the norm !
Ive tried psycotherapy and antidepressants which havnt benefitted me much. I
would like to know more about Body Dysmorphic Disorder and wether I could be
suffering. I seem to have an inability to cope !!!!!!I would like to hear from ANYONE about things that REALLY work on scars,and
other treatments and experiences !!!!!
U.S.A or Any Other person !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my experience with glycolic peel -- julie, 18:08:14 09/05/03 Frii burned the corners of my mouth/chin area recently with 20% glycolic peel.
when applied, it didn't sting or anything so i thought it would be okay to
keep dabbing more and rubbing it in which was a mistake and fortunately the
burn wounds are healing without leaving any scars! my face is absolutely clear
(currently) to begin with and i guess it was just bdd which made me do all
sort of things to my skin. i've always had bad skin though, and even though it
is so much better now, i still feel it. i think the best thing for me, is to
not use so much cleanser and learn to keep calm. the strangest thing is how i
managed to get rid of/keep away from breakouts by consuming tons of milk
yoghurt (5cups) a day.anyway, ALWAYS do a test patch before applying acid to your face! do not
exfoliate too much because your skin might be thin and raw and you are just
slowing the healing process and i think for me, it is true that burn scars
heals faster than acne scars.i can identify with the sadness that comes with having acne etc, even though
my skin is comepletely clear without holes and much scars, in the past i have
hidden in my room for over a year without coming out because i thought i was
hideous. my hands and face is too "clean".everything heals in time. and bad skin will heal but i still feel like bad
skin all the time.julie (20)
PS: http://larachem.com/ here is where i bought my glycolic acid, i believe it
is the cheapest online and you could ask for a sample of another bottle with
lower percent glycolic acid. DO A TEST PATCH! and DO NOT RUB IN! and DO NOT
OVERUSE- it might trigger rosacea! and might be your skin is not as bad as you
think.
my experience with glycolic peel -- julie, 18:06:49 09/05/03 Frii burned the corners of my mouth/chin area recently with 20% glycolic peel.
when applied, it didn't sting or anything so i thought it would be okay to
keep dabbing more and rubbing it in which was a mistake and fortunately the
burn wounds are healing without leaving any scars! my face is absolutely clear
(currently) to begin with and i guess it was just bdd which made me do all
sort of things to my skin. i've always had bad skin though, and even though it
is so much better now, i still feel it. i think the best thing for me, is to
not use so much cleanser and learn to keep calm. the strangest thing is how i
managed to get rid of/keep away from breakouts by consuming tons of milk
yoghurt (5cups) a day.anyway, ALWAYS do a test patch before applying acid to your face! do not
exfoliate too much because your skin might be thin and raw and you are just
slowing the healing process and i think for me, it is true that burn scars
heals faster than acne scars.i can identify with the sadness that comes with having acne etc, even though
my skin is comepletely clear without holes and much scars, in the past i have
hidden in my room for over a year without coming out because i thought i was
hideous. my hands and face is too "clean".everything heals in time. and bad skin will heal but i still feel like bad
skin all the time.julie (20)
PS: http://larachem.com/ here is where i bought my glycolic acid, i believe it
is the cheapest online and you could ask for a sample of another bottle with
lower percent glycolic acid. DO A TEST PATCH! and DO NOT RUB IN! and DO NOT
OVERUSE- it might trigger rosacea! and might be your skin is not as bad as you
think.
needling -- ariel, 10:40:56 09/05/03 FriCan someone recommend a good experienced needler near or around Los Angeles
area or a Doctor whom is using the tca cross method for ice pick scars, which
is what I mainly have on my cheeks. I live in the San Gabriel Valley area.
Also, where can I find the cp serums everyone talks about. Thank you.Ariel
OH my god Dr Pileset in Irvine -- vs, 04:37:57 09/05/03 FriOh wow you guys.. Remember that Dr Pilest who emailed me telling me I had done
enough to my face from Irvine. Well he just called me tonight on the phone,
outa the blue. Was totally unexpected, he was being nice. He told me to come
in on monday and see him, unfortunately I cant go to irvine this monday. But
i'm going to call his office tomorrow and make an apt for another monday.Do you guys think he found this voy forum and read what we wrote about him and
he felt guilty and bad?Either way i'm so glad he called me, it was a shocking surprise. I feel like
theres hope now! He has a smoothbeam machine and he said his co worker named
dr Saied or something like that does skin sanding and other stuff. Ok so i'll
keep everyone informed in here!
Marcsheep/TGF Beta 3 -- Anna, 16:32:25 09/03/03 WedMarcsheep,
Here is the link to an article Professor Ferguson wrote back in 1995. The
pictures shown are of incisional wounds on the backs of rats and they are
pretty impressive. The paper is 18 pages long and rather technical. Very
exciting though!!
Annahttp://jcs.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/108/3/985.pdf
Anna -- MarcSheep, 15:32:21 09/03/03 WedI agree, this is very exciting indeed - though no pictures exist as
yet......But it is exciting not just for us, but for people with severe trauma
and burn scars which are infinately worse.......Fingers crossed.Marc
Marcsheep/TGF Beta 3 -- Anna, 00:25:14 09/03/03 WedHi Marcsheep,
I think it would/could, but there is a lot to the whole understanding of the
various functions the different factors play. From what I can discern the
application of TGF Beta 3 would be more helpful in the prevention of
hypertrophic scars. I can't find anything definite which states how it would
work in preventing depressed/atrophic scars. It would be so great if it were
just that easy, and the thing is that I don't know that it isn't.Different Dr. Ferguson though, otherwise it would be so cool and you could
just ask him at your appointment. I would ask your doctor if he knows of any
of the research that is being done by Renovo. From the information I have read
the scar prevention treatment could be used after some type of scar revision
where the old scar tissue is removed by whatever means. You do live in the UK
don't you? Because Renovo is conducting Phase I clinical trials in Manchester.
Maybe you could e-mail them.I have so much hope in this potential procedure, although they estimate the
earliest the products would be available would be three years.My best,
Anna
For Simone re Cleo Facial System -- Just Me, 23:19:40 09/02/03 TueHi Simone - this is a real quickie. I use the Cleo Facial System and have been
daily for about 6 months, maybe 7 now. It's role is mainly to delay the signs
of aging though I feel that it has helped my skin condition as "Essential
Muscles Groups will tighten. The first noticeable reaction is in the
complexion. Increased blood flow to the corpuscles, bring extra healing
powers, extra nutrition, vitamins and minerals to the area, nurishing
muscles." etc .. unquote ....I was just sharing what I felt was working for
me. The Cleo System is fairly expensive though I personally do feel my skin
condition has improved as I was saying to Rianne, I'm convinced that my acne
scars are less noticeable as the skin is tightening up which means that the
scars are being pulled etc so it doesn't look as indented if that makes sense.
Though Simone, it's just my personal experience.I hope that helps a little, if at all. Using the cleo system for the first
time will bring out spots for a while as it flushes out the toxins in the skin
etc. As said before the cleo facial system doesn't claim to help acne / scars
etc though for me personally having used it for 6 months or so daily really do
feel it's helped my skin and my scars are less noticeable and is tighter etc
... each person is different.Best wishes
Just Me
Anna (again) -- MarcSheep, 23:02:27 09/02/03 TueDo you think anna that it is possible that introducing an excess of factor TGF
Beta 3 into the active wound sites following an invasive procedure like
dermabrasion while also inhibiting TGF factors 1 + 2 then scarring can be
eliminated as complete wound healing will result ?Just a thought....
Marc
Anna -- MarcSheep, 22:03:15 09/02/03 TueInteresting Anna.....Professor Ferguson isnt Jim Ferguson of Dundee University
is he ? I have an appointment with him....Marc
Srina -- Anna, 21:37:13 09/02/03 TueSrina,
Thank you for your update. To e-mail me you can either link to my name or
respond to the e-mail I sent you. Your results sound so impressive. You must
be thrilled!!Congratulations!
Anna
Scarring/Marcsheep -- Anna, 20:16:09 09/02/03 TueMarcsheep,
You are right when it comes to the bodies reaction to scarring. Scarring is an
inflammatory response. I have been doing a lot of reading regarding the
research on the mechanism of scarring and in particular the research that is
being done by Professor Ferguson of Renovo Corporation and Paul Martin of
Briston University, both in the UK. The studies all indicate that of the three
TGF Beta factors, 1, 2, and 3, in the early fetal environment TGF Beta 3 has
the greatest dominance. (Fetuses heal without scarring.) Near the end of fetal
development TGF Beta 1 seems to gain dominance and, as it is highly
inflammatory, is indicted in the formation of scar tissue. They are doing
studies showing great promise with the injection of TGF Beta 3 into the wound
site at the time of surgical or other injury. TGF Beta 3 neuralizes the
scarring influence of TGF Beta 1 and TGF Beta 2.Interestingly, another agent that seems to suppress TGF Beta 1 and TGF Beta 2
is the application (via injection or topically) Mannose 6 Phosphate. Mannose 6
Phosphate occurs naturally in Aloe Vera.Anna
Great Acne Medicine -- vs, 17:39:18 09/02/03 TueHey.. This isn't about scars but acne. Theres something called benzaclin...
which is 5% percent benzoil peroxide and I think 10% clindomicyin antibitic.
Its mixed together and sold as benzaclyn. You need a perscription for it, and
I think costco pharmacy sales it for 60 bucks. This stuff works so good.
Everytime I get a zit, I put some on it, the next day its practically gone.
With Retin A 1 percent it would take me like 2 weeks to get rid of the same
big fat honker of a zit.And it doesn't seem to promote scarring as easily.
But here are a few great tips. The package and pharmacist tells you to throw
the stuff away after 2 months, keep it in your fridge and it lasts a long long
time. Also 60 bucks for a very small bottle of the stuff is way too expensive.
So I started making my own. I have a perscription for just Cleocin T
(clindomycin) alone, which i pay 10 bucks a bottle for.. then mix it with my
own benzoil peroxide gel 5% that I buy from Kaiser Pharmacy without a
perscription. I mix the two together, and boom I made my own Benzaclin for a
fraction of the cost. Seems to work just as good for me !This is great stuff to prevent more scars. In the past I hated benzoil
peroxide, always made me break out even worse. But the combination with
clindomycin really works. Go get a perscription for this!
Skin resurfacing co2 (ablative) -- srina, 10:45:02 09/02/03 TueAnna Kellogg
This is Srina, I have been trying to email u. Pls reconfirm your email
address.In regard to the skin resurfacing, I am using the ablative co2 skin
resurfacing.
I give it try (in April 2003) on small area my nose only where there are
pitted scars, so far its has heal to 80% some even 90% and no extra scars
occured. For your information I have done the skin resurfacing on my two
cheeks two weeks ago. Will keep u inform about the out come
Rdgs
Mary -- MarcSheep, 11:04:21 09/01/03 MonHi Mary, the simplest terms in which I can put this are that when your skin is
damaged by acne, your body is rushed, it isnt concerned about cosmetic
appearance rather it is just trying to close the wound and stop infection,
hence scars develop from the formation of connective tissue, which tethers
itself to the dermis (below the skin) and prevents collagen from making it
able to rise up. Scar treatments aim to break up the connective tissue and
stimulate the formation of new collagen underneath the skin to raise it up.FYI - At present deep scars cannot be completely removed, the can be made
virtually invisible however, only shallow to moderate scars can be completely
resolved at present...Hope this helps
MarcSheep
For Just Me Cleo System -- Simone, 07:57:35 09/01/03 MonJust Me,
Can you please advise how you use these Cleo Products and which products you
actually use and how and when they are applied as the website to me is a
little confusing.Any help would be appreciated.
How does it work? -- Mary, 04:56:52 09/01/03 MonCan someone please explain to me why if your skin never healed properly after
a trauma/wound, ie acne, and therefore produced a scar, why it should heal
proeprly after another trauma/wound such as laser or dermabrasion???? Thanks.
Hi John -- Just Me [Moderator], 23:22:21 08/31/03 SunHi John
I can emphathise with how you feel as I'm sure many others here can too. I've
personally had acne and acne scars for 26 years now (I'm in my late 30s now)
and though my skin is free of acne now (thankfully) I still have the remains
of the acne scars albeit they are fading thankfully again. From my years of
experience of people staring which I still find incredibly upsetting as I
could have only one acne and a girl I know and work with will just focus on
the acne and will scan my whole face each time we speak which I find very
upsetting and knocks me for six cos it's like what's up with her? Surely it's
me as a person she should be interested in and not how my skin condition is as
she even does that ie stare at my whole face even when I don't have any acne
just to check out my skin complexion and even my family do that; though
thankfully my family and friends have been commenting lately how wonderful my
skin is looking which is a real boost.Anyway to answer your question from my personal experience what I've learnt
from someone at work is to consider these people that stare at us
inconsiderately, as 'special' people ie like people who have a 'disability'
and in their case it's a lack of consideration of feelings etc and somehow for
me it helped cos it then became her problem and I was the 'ok' person. If your
acne and scarring is really bad and you're already eating up inside loads I'm
not sure how much the above will help - maybe it will at some point - it's a
thought; and hopefully others will share more as well. I just also learnt to
try and blot her out whenever she was doing it ie staring at my whole face
when we're talking (which I really find very rude) and I know she doesn't mean
to cos she's a really nice person.As acne sufferers and scar sufferers we are certainly more considerate than
most people. There's a guy in the office currently who has red blotches all
over his face and whenever I have to deal with him I make sure that I look at
the paperwork etc and/or into his eyes etc and don't look at his blotches -
though he seems okay about it all, ie picking up his energy he doesn't seem
that bothered; whereas whenever I have a huge acne on my face it feels like
it's a volcano and the whole world can see it. A zit is nothing; but an acne
can sometimes be like the size of a 50p coin and it's huge - just like a
volcano and it does get really upsetting when people stop me and ask me what's
that on my face. I'm so glad I haven't had to go through that for a long while
now and that the long hours i go through daily in my skin routine are paying
off. I am also using the Cleo Facial System http://www.club-cleo.com which
though is not for acne I'm sure helps in stimulating the skin cell renewal
etc. I've been using the cleo facial system daily now for over 6 months and
mainly to help with signs of aging though I'm sure it really helps as well
with the tone of my skin.I hope I was able to help if a little. We're all here to support each other
and though people may not respond it doesn't mean they're not listening ....
be strong John!Just Me
Can't someone advise me on this? -- John, 13:25:21 08/31/03 SunHi,
I'm new to the board and I plan to be active and to try to help any way I can.
Sometimes all we need is an ear and a few kind words. Well, I need that now.
Can someone give me some advice on my post from last week? I guess it fell
through the cracks... Thanks very much.
My hope for ALL OF US is that whatever corrective treatment each one of us
pursues, WILL WORK. Thanks-
JohnEye Contact -- John, 18:25:36 08/26/03 Tue
The good will and camaraderie here really warms my heart and I wish we all had
beautiful, scar-free skin. However, since that, unfortunately, is not the
case, can I please ask for advice on what to do when people who are talking to
me don't make eye contact with me and instead focus on my facial scars? This
never fails to unnerve me and sometimes it makes me want to just become a
total recluse. When I speak to other people, I ALWAYS make eye contact with
them (and I make sure I keep the gaze constant, too.) I NEVER focus on
another's facial flaws (if they have any, that is). I use their name a lot
when I speak to them and I look them in the eyes because I think it's
important to try to make people feel comfortable when you talk to them, if
possible. Why don't others feel the same way? When I'm in the daylight and my
scars are out there for all to see and somewone stares at them instead of my
perfectly nice, brown eyes, it makes me so uncomfortable and unhappy I want to
go inside, shut the door and never go outside out again! Can someone please
give me some advice on how to handle a situation like this?P.S. I tried to investigate needling, here in northeast NJ, to no avail. I
emailed a very famous local tattoo artist named Shotsie (he supposedly did
many of Cher's tattoos) but he never got back to me....Now I don't know
whether I should keep trying to pursue needling, or find someone to use the
Smoothbeam on my face. I feel like SOMETHING has to be done, though...and
soon. I'm really depressed....especially with the "staring". It seems kind of
cruel. I mean, I CAN'T HELP IT that I have these scars....I did everything I
was supposed to, tried everything I could, but I still got them. And in a way,
it's true, they reach right down to my soul.....
Hi Antz and Thanks -- John, 02:52:08 08/31/03 SunAntz,
Please keep us posted as this could be a fantasic treatment for all of us. How
much improvement would you say you have had from the Isolagen and is Doctor
Chu the man performing your treatment.Thanks I really appreciate your updates.
ISOLAGEN -- Antz, 13:41:31 08/30/03 SatJust wanted to mention that I'm nearly 3 weeks post my 2nd set of Isolagen
injections and this treatment is definitely working well. I will keep you
posted.:)
VS -- Steve, 23:14:22 08/29/03 FriVs, The fact is Dr. Rullan doesnt know you or your real name.. You dont have
to tell him that it was you on Voy talking badly about exoderm... And even if
you did, Dr. Rullan im sure will look past that.. :)..Just visit him and see if you like what he recommends
LOL alice -- vs, 21:47:01 08/29/03 FriLOL Alice thanks :)
That totally made me laugh!You know whats funny about his website at www.totaldermatology.com His website
says• A caring atmosphere: We take time to listen and fully answer your questions.
• Educational support: A well informed patient is an asset to successful
treatment and prevention. We provide you with an explanation of your diagnosis
and treatment options.Ya right whatever-- thats all lies.
TO VS -- Alice, 15:55:20 08/29/03 FriVS,
If you want to toilet paper "doctor" Pilest's house, egg his car, soap his
windows, make prank phone calls, hand out "informational flyers" in front of
his office, etc., I think we could get together a group. I am so sorry he was
such a jerk and sorry you are feeling badly. I have been there myself. Your
situtation is NOT hopeless, but that doctor is. - Alice
I feel like lt today -- vs, 10:02:36 08/29/03 Friwell its 2 am, and I cant sleep, I been crying and frustrated all day. I
totally feel LT's pain.Steve. I would go see dr rullan, but after basically telling him I think i
think his exoderm procedure sucks, I doubt he wants to see me.:( I hope I get this outa my mind and fall asleep, Even crying my self to
sleep is not working tonight.
VS -- Steve, 07:25:33 08/29/03 FriVs, You should seriously consider Dr. Rullan.. although he doesnt have
smoothbeam, if really is as effective as some say, he's the type of Dr who
wouldnt hesitate in purchasing one..Rullan is by far the most sincere Dr. i have come across..
correction -- vs, 04:42:53 08/29/03 FriDr pilest is from Irvine, CA not encinatas ca. sorry
Anyways his email has been ringing through my head all day, it was so cold.
I'm going to prove him and every other jerk dr like him wrong. There has to be
a dr that cares. one must exist.
Helpful tips to prevent and treat acne -- Port Wine Stain, 04:02:54 08/29/03
FriPlease click on my link for some helpful tips and tricks to prevent and treat
acne.http://www.myportwinestain.com/acne.htm
re: Dr. Pilest -- John, 23:30:35 08/28/03 ThuWhat an uncaring JERK that doctor is. vs, I'm sorry he sent you such a cold
and abrupt email. Oh, believe me, I KNOW there are MANY other doctors out
there just like him...I've met quite a few myself. Please don't give up. Just
keep trying to find a COMPASSIONATE physician who will take you and your
concerns more seriously. Damn that doctor, anyway...and all the others like
him, too.
vs -- hopeful, 23:00:54 08/28/03 ThuCheer up Vs, now we all know what kind of soul that
DR PILEST FROM ENCINATAS CALIFORNIA has :)One day he'll do a google search for his name and karma will catch up to him
and bite him in the hiny.
Very hard day -- vs, 21:49:50 08/28/03 ThuToday has been so extremely hard on me. I'm so sad and I cant stop crying. I
recieved an email reply from a dr that just totally broke my heart. I had
emailed Dr Pilest from Encinatas california. He has a smoothbeam laser, and I
emailed him telling him I am interested in smoothbeam along with another
subcision. I told him everything I had done to my skin already. I wait a week
for his email reply, and he replies with the following
--- Dr Pilest wrote:
Hello,
I think that you already have done a lot.
Good luck
I dont know why but that broke my heart. I felt like he was basically saying
"i cant do shit for you nor do i care, so live with your scarred face and good
luck"I feel so alone and sad. I broke in tears reading his reply, dont these drs
have feelings.
LT -- MarcSheep, 18:08:28 08/28/03 ThuIf you ever need to talk LT then e-mail me...Just click my name above...I can
really identify with your situation and hope that you feel better soon.Marc
me again -- LT, 16:32:59 08/28/03 ThuI just wanted to thank you for the replies. I can't really say more now. I
will come back soon.
support group meeting potluck BBQ Rockville,MD -- Greg, 15:00:05 08/28/03 Thuhey guys,
we are having a "meeting" this Saturday at 4PM if you are still in town!here's the details:
POTLUCK BBQ IN NANCY'S BACKYARDWHEN: This Saturday August 30th 4PM
WHY: to stare at each other's scars in natural sunlight...God's version of
overhead fluorescent lighting:-)WHERE: 10-1/2 Laird Street
Rockville, MD 20850
From I-270, take exit 6-A Route 28(W. Montgomery Ave.) East towards
Rockville…bear right…left at 1st light (Laird St)…3rd house on left- peach
colored house with dark green shutters-address on house is actually "10 Laird
St" ..park on the street, walk down the alley at the "NO OUTLET" sign and go
into backyard-see the yellow VW bug and the "10-1/2" address number…Nancy will
be the crazy lady waving the spatula & barking orders…Please RSVP with what you can bring- we got charcoal & 17 pounds of potato
salad so that's covered…You DO NOT have to bring anything- you can count yourself as an item:-)
See ya there!
Greg 301-718-0952
LT -- Hopeful, 04:28:27 08/27/03 WedWell suicide was always on my mind but not as much these days. During the
darkest hours of my life I prayed for guidance from God and a couple of months
later a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses came knocking at my door.
They changed the way I view life and this world. I know Jehovah's Witnesses
gets mocked on all the time in the movies but they are truly the most
compassionate group of people I've ever known. So if you or anyone else is
feeling down and needs spiritual guidance i suggest you talk to these people,
its up to you. You can find contacts on watchtower.org
All the best
LT -- Hopeful, 04:23:39 08/27/03 WedWell suicide was always on my mind but not as much these days. During the
darkest hours of my life I prayed for guidance from God and a couple of months
later a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses came knocking at my door.
They changed the way I view life and this world. I know Jehovah's Witnesses
gets mocked on all the time but they are truly the most compassionate group of
people I've ever known. So if your feeling down i suggest you talk to these
people, its up to you. You can find contacts on watchtower.org
All the best
Eye Contact -- John, 18:25:36 08/26/03 TueThe good will and camaraderie here really warms my heart and I wish we all had
beautiful, scar-free skin. However, since that, unfortunately, is not the
case, can I please ask for advice on what to do when people who are talking to
me don't make eye contact with me and instead focus on my facial scars? This
never fails to unnerve me and sometimes it makes me want to just become a
total recluse. When I speak to other people, I ALWAYS make eye contact with
them (and I make sure I keep the gaze constant, too.) I NEVER focus on
another's facial flaws (if they have any, that is). I use their name a lot
when I speak to them and I look them in the eyes because I think it's
important to try to make people feel comfortable when you talk to them, if
possible. Why don't others feel the same way? When I'm in the daylight and my
scars are out there for all to see and somewone stares at them instead of my
perfectly nice, brown eyes, it makes me so uncomfortable and unhappy I want to
go inside, shut the door and never go outside out again! Can someone please
give me some advice on how to handle a situation like this?P.S. I tried to investigate needling, here in northeast NJ, to no avail. I
emailed a very famous local tattoo artist named Shotsie (he supposedly did
many of Cher's tattoos) but he never got back to me....Now I don't know
whether I should keep trying to pursue needling, or find someone to use the
Smoothbeam on my face. I feel like SOMETHING has to be done, though...and
soon. I'm really depressed....especially with the "staring". It seems kind of
cruel. I mean, I CAN'T HELP IT that I have these scars....I did everything I
was supposed to, tried everything I could, but I still got them. And in a way,
it's true, they reach right down to my soul.....
My post disappeared -- vs, 02:34:04 08/26/03 Tuethis is weird, I posted the email that Dr. Kaminer had sent me earlier today,
and I just came back online and the post is missing, what the heck?
VS /Dr. Kaminer -- JW, 02:06:49 08/26/03 TueI was a patient of Dr. Kaminer's. On your initial visit he spends a lot of
time with you and he answers all of your questions. You don't feel rushed. He
is very friendly and he is easy to talk to. He really cares. He is an expert
at subcision. He has performed it hundreds of times. He performed two
subcisions on me. I was very happy with the results. He co-authored a paper on
acne scar treatments. He also does excision and laser resurfacing. He has Cool
Touch 2 and he does the treatments himself. He says that many of his patients
are quite pleased in the improvement in their acne scars from CT 2. Maybe
because he actually does the CT 2 treatments his patients get better results.
I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone living in the Northeast or anyone
willing to travel. He is also knowledgeable on other treatments and he will
give you his opinion.
Regarding Dr. Kaminer-Boston -- Bryan, 01:46:37 08/26/03 TueI have met with Dr. Kaminer regarding my scars and he was very confident he
could improve them through subcision. He is very well known in the Boston
area. I felt very comfortable with him and what he said he could do to fix my
scars. He evaluates your scars first to determine if they're rolling type
scars, boxcar type, or icepick type. Then he basically knows the best approach
from there. When I met with him he was associate professor at Harvard, but I
believe now he's at Dartmouth (spelling?). He has he own clinic with other
Boston docs. called Skincare Physicians of Chestnut Hill. That's right outside
Boston. I'm from NC and basically took a trip to see the guy. I have not had
anything done yet, so I can't speak from a real patients perspective, but the
guy is good I know. His number 617-731-1600. Or just type his name in a search
engine. There's enough good info. out there about him if you look. Good luck
to you..and I do have his email if you need it. Take care..
Marc's filler website -- Poohman, 01:26:46 08/26/03 TueI think Marc mispelled the web address for the clinic he went to, I think it
should be clinicestetica.com.The filler he was talking about was probably bio-alcamid.
Can any tell if this is any different then aquamid?