Acne Scar Treatments Archive 8
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   Looking for "JohnathanMaryland" -- FrankY, 15:57:23 02/28/03 Fri

  Hey all I am looking for a poster here who I used to talk to over instand
  messenger... His screen name was "JohnathanMaryland" please if u know him or
  are him email me or instant message me at "FMMflight" also feel free to IM me
  if you HAVE HAD silicone injections done for acne scarring.... not
  contemplating then or telling me they are bad, please just im me if u have
  haaaad them :) thank you...
 

  to anna and donald -- Scott 20, 14:54:29 02/28/03 Fri

  hi, i had a co2 laser resurfacing which was all that i was offered, i didnt
  realise there were other alternatives until recently. I am happy with the
  result but was just concerned with the texture of my skin. Thanks for the
  information i think i will ask my doctor about my lymphatic drainage because i
  think thats the problem. I'll check out that website aswell, thanks very much.
 

  isolagen -- heidi, 13:50:52 02/28/03 Fri

  Hi Everyone:

  I suggest anyone looking for a cure to acne scars to consider Isolagen. I live
  in the UK and I am gettting the procedure done in a month. I searched for over
  a year for the right procedure and this seems the most promising for several
  reasons. First, it is your own skin (collagen) that is replacing the hole -
  not some foreign substance. I don't care how natural they say it is. Second,
  the chance of more scarring is nil unlike dermabrasion and laser - the chance
  of scarring increases by the way if you have ever take accutane. I am an
  American living here so I have seen surgeons and derms in both countries. I
  was told I will see a 90% improvement. I know it is to early to get my hopes
  up but the pictures I have seen are great and undoctored. I should add the doc
  will perform subscison and Nlite as well. This is because as most of you know
  - subscsion by itself is not always promosing because the skin will eventully
  fall back to the scarred level however isolagen will keep the skin elevated.
  Nlite will help enhance the collagen production and smooth the skin.

  Like I said I have been through hell in my quest to conqueer these scars and
  this appears to be the best answer. I know it is not FDA approved in the US
  yet so yanks hang on there is something better! I use to come to this board
  quite a lot but it really depresses me and I need to be positive now in the
  eve of my surgery. My first treatment is in April and I will get three
  injections in total - at two week week intervals. I will let you know about
  the results then. I will check this board occasionaly if anyone has any
  questions.

  Thanks
  heidi
 

  to Scott 20 and everyone else interested -- Donald, 06:49:52 02/28/03 Fri

  Scott i found this website and it seems really good. Its about someone who
  went for co2 and erbium for ance scarring and what their face looked like
  before during and after surgery. Maybe you can give the person an email and
  see what his face is like after the surgery. i hope this helps. i checked out
  this other site from this girl jessica and found it to be of no use because
  she did not have any bad acne scarring to begin with.. After seeing the page
  link below i have a better understanding of what i might look like before and
  after and what i will go through during healing. hope this helps you out

  http://home.earthlink.net/~scarsupport/
 

  Fillers - False Hope -- Cameron, 05:26:55 02/28/03 Fri

  I don't think fillers will ever help anyone unless they're treating a
  particular depressed spot. Has anyone with scarring all over their face ever
  had a filler and experienced good results for more than a couple weeks? I know
  that when I've had collagen injections in only a few spots, my whole face
  looked great for about a week because the whole thing was stretched, but then
  it returned to normal (even though the collagen had not gone away yet--that
  process took months).

  Tell me if I'm wrong (and why)! Otherwise, there's no reason to be excited
  about fillers.

  I'll repost this FAQ that I posted a while ago.

  FAQ:
  Will a facelift help my acne scars?
  Sorry, but a face lift will not help your acne scars, even though when you put
  your fingers on the skin just in front of your ears and pull your facial skin
  backwards, the acne scars seem to flatten as the skin tightens. It seems to
  make mechanical sense that the scars should flatten with the face lift
  operation, but it doesn't work out when you actually try it. The problem is
  that the face lift won't maintain tension on the surface of the skin, and the
  acne scars come back completely within just a couple of weeks after the face
  lift.
 

  Subcision for deep ice pick scars -- Solomio, 04:32:28 02/28/03 Fri

  Hi to everyone who has ice pick scars, which are deep scars.
  I had one really bad compound (2 were together) ice pick type scar that I had
  Subcised. My result has been excellent! Subcision will not work on shallow
  scars but I suspect that some people have had it done on shallow scars, and
  that is why they did not get good results. 

  PS If you have shallow scars then needling might work for you. Subcision and
  needling are different procedures the thing that is the same is that both
  procedures are done with needles but the needles used for each procedure are
  very different in appearance and use.
  Good Luck to everyone.
 

  Needling before and after care -- Ange, 04:03:43 02/28/03 Fri

  Hey everyone! Long time, no post for me. I am seriously considering having
  needling done, but there's just a question of when.

  Cityslicker or Karen... could you give us a run-down of before prep and after
  care. I know there is the A&D ointment and peptides afterwards, but what about
  the before regimine? Do you take certain vitamins or topicals?

  It pretty much looks like I won't be having a spring break b/c of all the
  snow, but if I do, I plan on having this done then.
 

  had a consultation today.. -- heather, 22:06:10 02/27/03 Thu

  I'm the "old" heather who has been posting here for a couple of years, btw..

  I'm just back from a consultation with the dermatologist about treatments for
  my scarring.

  First of all the doctor was very nice and spent a long time talking with me. I
  was impressed by his candor. He told me that he wouldn't characterize my
  deeper scars as "icepick" scars, but depressions. He also said that icepick
  scars were very difficult to treat. He was surprised when I told him I had
  been through CO2 and said that he would have expected better results in the
  scars on my cheeks.

  He told me that he didn't think excision or punch elevation were right for me
  because with excision I would be left with another scar that could be just as
  bad, and punch elevation tends to not give a good long term result because as
  it heals, the skin contracts. He said if he were to do a punch technique he
  would choose grafting from behind the ear, because though it sometime leaves a
  bump, he can go back later and correct that.

  The doctor said that he has tried all of the non-ablative lasers and hasn't
  seen good enough results to recommend them.

  The options that we decided on were 3 treatments with a newer erbium laser or
  spot dermabrasion possibly combined with some other resurfacing procedure.
  Alternately, I could do a series of microdermabrasions (though he mentioned
  that he thought microdermabrasions were being phased out for newer/better
  treatments such as erbium, at least in this area). I forgot to bring up
  fillers, but we talked about virtually every other treatment.

  His assistant showed me some chicken pox scars that she had gotten injected
  with collagen, and they looked good. She said that gave her about a 50%
  improvement and lasted 6 months. She said that chicken pox scars were more
  bound down than acne scars, and I guess harder to treat.

  I'd like to get some feedback on Erbium. Is Lacey still around? I'm wondering
  if the procedure is worth the time and money ($1000 for 3 treatments) or if I
  should just try spot dermabrasions off the bat.

  I have some advice for people on this board. If your scars aren't that bad,
  don't bother with an agressive treatment. My scars were not that bad to begin
  with, and I should have just left them alone or tried fillers or something. We
  are all much too hard on ourselves, IMO.

  Give me opinions on erbium, if you have any!
 

  To Scott -- Anna, 20:51:18 02/27/03 Thu

  Hi Scott,
  What type of laser treatment did you have? I seem to remember someone saying
  on this board that the waxy look lasted about a year. I had a doctor explain
  to me once that after surgery the surgical site gets flooded with lymphatic
  fluids and it can take quite a while for those to subside. I understand
  cortisone creams and icing are supposed to help with the lymphatic drainage,
  but this would also reduce collagen building. Your improvement sounds
  remarkable though!
  Best of Luck!
  Anna
 

   Bob / Amorphous / Jeremiah -- Cityslicker, 11:55:06 02/27/03 Thu

  Bob, thanks for the tip on the other board. Appreciate it, I will check into
  it. Or, maybe I can find someone local, now that I can say, "Hey, I've had
  this done once already."

  I definately see an improvement. And, for the money spent, was the best
  investment I've made to date. Some of my smallers scars and wrinkles have
  improved from 10-30%. My larger scars not as significant, maybe 5-10%. But
  realize, I have over 100 scars of various sizes, icepicks, large pores,
  fingernail indents, etc.,etc. Just be advised, that when I say a 20-30%
  improvement on scars, its little baby large pores, not quite ice pick. Overall
  improvement, not dramatic, but significant enough to me, that I would
  certainly try again when I'm able to take 5-6 days off.

  Amorphous and Jeremiah, 2-3 early posters here had their Needling procedure
  done at Black N' Blue Tattoo in San Francisco. I'll post the link below.
  That's the only place in California I'm aware of. Regards. :-) Cityslicker

  http://www.black-n-blue-tattoo.com/splash.html
 

  my story -- Scott 20, 03:42:13 02/27/03 Thu

  Hi everyone,

  I have just found this site and am another who has read messages and can
  relate to the stories. I had terrible acne from 13-17 and now have numerous
  scars on my face leading to inevitable depression. I went to my dermatoligist
  about the scars and he said i should have laser resurfacing, i had it last
  july and my acne scars have definatey improved id say about 60-70%, instead
  though i have been left with a slightly swollen, slightly waxy face, slightly
  worse on one side. Could anyone please tell me why this is, and/or whether
  this will improve because at present i am regreting having the procedure done,
  and spending just as much time in my house avoiding mirrors and certain types
  of lighting!

  Thanks everyone, any replies would be appreciated, keep your chins up.
 

   Laser resurfacing to Paul2 -- Paula, 18:36:08 02/26/03 Wed

  Hi Paul2,
  I couldn't get to that website. What did she do for her breakout? I'm going to
  see my Doc today, but even the creme seems too greasy for my skin. I have
  giant bumps all over my face.Yuk! I'm getting cabin fever not being able to go
  in public. Day 8 of my surgery and not lookin too good. I can't wait to see
  the results, but discouraged at this point.
  Paulla
 

  To Paula -- Paul2, 03:13:20 02/26/03 Wed

  Hey Paula,
  Don't worry about it, I think its normal and it should improve from here. Go
  to this website: http://members.rogers.com/healthyfaces/co2.htm
  There's this girl called Jessica that had a Co2 laser done and it showed
  improvements over like 3-6 months. She had a breakout too.

  Paul2.
 

   Avril -- M, 23:49:42 02/25/03 Tue

  You know, I don't know what it is - it's not like a freckle or a mole - it's
  just this weird color dark mark. Too bad I don't have another five days to
  stay home for some time, Oh well, if it takes another treatment it will just
  have to wait. Good luck to you.

  M
 

   To M -- Avril, 22:30:03 02/25/03 Tue

  M--
  What are you treating exactly? Certain more stubborn marks may take more than
  one treatment to completely disappear, but I would wait to judge until the
  bruising has faded entirely. Hang in there!
  Avril
 

  best tecnique for deep scars -- Jorge, 22:29:11 02/25/03 Tue

  This is my first time in this forum i founded because i was searching for
  tecniques for deep acne scars i think its called depressed, that named fits
  perfect because i'm depressed. Its there any method that at least leaves the
  skin even and gets ridoff this moon face that i have?

  I was reading some of your messages and they dont show any hope. Is anybody
  out there that has some success stories about serious acne scars, please if
  you do let me know because i'm upset with my situation.
 

   Just got Laser resurfacing -- Paula, 20:24:29 02/25/03 Tue

  I had full face co2 laser resurfacing 8 days ago. I know I need to be patient
  but I look horrible. Under my eyes are especially red and after I took the
  plastic off my face started using the petroleum based gel and my face broke
  out within hours. I have faith in my doc and he said to lay off the gel except
  under my eyes and use a creme instead but today I feel discouraged. Any
  experienced laser patients out there with words of encouragement? I'am very
  blotchy red and still see my scars. Help!
  Sandy
 

  Perlane and Radiance Injections -- Lisa H, 17:36:57 02/25/03 Tue

  Hi everyone. It has been a while since I have posted here. I wanted to tell
  you about my experience with Perlane (hyaluronic acid) injections. It is the
  same as Restylane but is thicker and is suppost to last longer. I had one cc
  injected into all of my acne scars about a month ago and one cc into my lips.
  For the first three days my skin looked the best it had in years. Almost as
  good as it had been before acne. I would guess a 80 to 90% improvement. All I
  had left to tackle were my large pores and I was already starting to think I
  would soon have perfect skin. I felt great and prayed at night that this would
  last the full 6 months the doctor said it would. However after those 3 great
  days the forth day it was halfway gone and by the fifth day my skin looked
  like it did before the injections. It was not worth the $600 I paid for it at
  all. It did stay in my lips and my lips look great - very poofy. I don't know
  why my body absorbed it in my scars so quickly. I am hoping soon there will be
  a better injectibles for scars.

  Has anyone tried Radiance yet? It cost $1200 but is suppost to last 5 years. I
  would feel more comfortable with 5 years than something permanent like
  Artecoll or Silicone. I may try Isolagen soon when it is available but I think
  it will be even more expensive.
 

   Avril -- M, 14:19:23 02/25/03 Tue

  Day five (V-beam) and I'm now afraid it just didn't work??? Most of the
  purpleness is gone and it seems like the spot is just the same??? Does it fade
  further in your experience?
  Have you ever had a V-Beam just not work?

 

  Needling has peeled - scar still can be seen.
  Although smoother - Certainly one of the deepest and gentlest peels I've ever
  experienced.

  I wanted to add for people doing this in the future that the lady who did mine
  did not use what I pictured as a traidional type of tatoo gun. Instead I would
  describe it as a short wand. Also, it did not really hurt, only stung slightly
  towards the end.
  As I've stated before this is probably the least traumatic procedure I've ever
  had done. I never really looked "injured" in any way and now 3 days later it
  is completely healed/peeled. There is suppose to be collagen growth for up to
  6 months.???

  Peace
  M
 

  to nina -- ping, 09:29:01 02/24/03 Mon

  hi nina,

  i understand how you feel when you wrote of "seeing the face everyday", no
  matter what people said, in the end, we are the ones best to judge for
  ourselves.

  just hang in there, nina.
 

  respone to enca -- ping, 09:21:44 02/24/03 Mon

  hi enca, sorry for the late reply.

  the doctor is using cooltouch 2 on me, so far I only know that cooltouch 1 is
  being phased out. each session is spaced out 4 weeks apart and for the whole
  face, she did 3 passes on me.

  up to date, i have gone for 2 sessions it will takes a few more sessions to
  see any real results.
  some people have seen positive results and some don't. it is because of the
  positive feedback that people have wrote on this board that prompted me to go
  for cooltouch. no matter what is the outcome, at least i give it a try. but if
  i didn't try it out, then i will never knew the outcome.
 

   Cooltouch in Singapore -- nina, 06:17:04 02/24/03 Mon

  I had my 3rd Cooltouch treatment last week. Skin texture has become very soft
  but scars are still there but some people think that they are now not so deep.
  I'm not sure what to comment on that as I see my face everyday. I'll wait
  until my 5th treatment and then will decide whether to continue Cooltouch or
  find an alternative.

  I've mentioned before that before I decided on this treatment, I had gone for
  several consultations with few best plastic surgeons in Singapore as well as
  other countries such as USA. SO if any of you think that there will be one
  best surgeon in Singapore that can do miracle to get rid of your scars, think
  twice. Every of them is the same and they are using the same machines. The
  only thing that make a big difference is the amount they charge. Some doctors
  charge S$1000 per Cooltouch treatment while some charge S$500.

  I've been to several other treatments such as 13 Microdermabrasion, Chemical
  Peels..... not just in Singapore but in other parts of the world.

  So think twice before you 'invest' cos most of the time, you'll ended up in
  disappointment.

  Take care!
 

  Need a Cosmetic Dermatolgist in Indiana! -- tlc, 23:32:31 02/23/03 Sun

  I've been reading this board for over a year, but have never posted. I am 42,
  female and fair skinned. About a year ago I had a horrible case of cystic acne
  and am still trying to heal. The outbreaks completely stopped with 1 dynacin
  and 1 Spiro pill per day. I had 4 spots that turned into open wounds with scar
  tissue that seemed to keep them from ever closing. 3 of those wounds were
  excised, 2 have healed well, 1 on my cheek is open again in the center of the
  incision line and the 4th wound was never excised and is still an open hole. I
  have tried everything I can think of to get these holes to close, but nothing
  is working. I need a recommendation for a dermatologist/Facial Plastic Surgeon
  anywhere in Indiana. If someone knows of someone in Chicago, I could go there,
  but would not have any insurance coverage. I won't go back to the Dr. that did
  the excisions, he isn't any help with these last two wounds. Any advice or
  recommendation would be greatly appreciated!

  tlc
 

   amorphous ??? -- PO, 23:27:21 02/23/03 Sun

  I saw that you were recommending needling on the other VOY page, you claimed
  80% improvement, but here you are seeking a tatoo artist-did you do it on
  yourself and get 80% improvement?
 

   To M-- -- Avril, 15:56:36 02/23/03 Sun

  M,
  I am treating redness and blotchiness and capillaries. I am very fair, so it
  really shows up. The mark is likely just a bruise. Sometimes if the mark or
  marks are stubborn, the doctor will put the laser on a higher setting and it
  will cause the skin to bruise. Yes, having fifty is stressful, but I know that
  in a few days they will be gone and I will look better than before. Hang in
  there, it will fade.
  Avril
 

   Avril -- M, 15:00:15 02/23/03 Sun

  What are you treating? I am completely irritated with my one spot, fifty would
  cause me alot of stress!

  Day 3 V beam - Still purple-red w/ pink edges

  Day 2 Needling = Light pink/ The skin feels very firm and healthy. The scar is
  still apparent.

  Peace
  M
 

  needling in southern CA -- amorphous, 08:57:57 02/23/03 Sun

  Anyone happens to know tattooist/make up artist doing needling in the southern
  California area?

  I'd appreciate any help on this because all those I called up to request the
  procedure totally freaked out about this relatively unheard-of procedure:(
 

  Micro Dermabrasion is awesome -- Jake, 08:22:28 02/23/03 Sun

  I had my first microdermabrasion last week. They also added a slight jessner
  peel + vitamin mask and the improvement in my skin has been unbelievable to
  date.

  My scarring is probably a grade 1-2. Reddish marks on the cheeks and under
  bright lights, u can probably see small indentations on the cheeks.

  But after the process, the redness from my cheeks has lightened and the scar
  is slightly less noticeable. However, I was peeling like a snake for 4-5 days
  but it's all been worth it.

  I'm excited and looking forward to my 2nd treatment, 2 weeks later. I'm not
  expecting miracles, but slight improvement is something I am hopeful of as
  well as removing some pigment blotches.

  On top of this, they gave me a Vitamin E moisturiser to use and I must say,
  things are going great guns!
 

 

  skin needling and hyperpigmantation -- Melissa, 07:19:48 02/23/03 Sun

  Just a note to all who are interested in skin needleing. Make sure that you
  look into it and know what you are getting into. It is a great effective way
  (as far as we know) to resolve the scars, but please know that you are messing
  with not only the top layer of skin but layers underneith as well, Once
  someone starts to tattoo, they really never know what the skin is going to do
  with out the end result because the top surface is not where the trueth lyes.

  When a tatto artist looks at the skin, she not only has to look at what is in
  front of her, but also what tone of skin they have, the texture of the skin,
  medical problems that may be involved, color of hair, eyes, age, procedures
  that have been done in the past, medications that they are on. All of these
  questions and more need to be answered before you can make an informed
  decision. When tattoing pigment into the skin all of these things are of
  utmost importance, when tattoing plain water into the skin the questions are
  just as important because each person is an individual with a differant
  makeup. Skin hyperpigmantation can occure when needleing, if you have
  experienced hyperpigmentation before I would be very careful of anyone who
  says that needleing can lighten the skin. Hyperpigmentaion is from trama to
  the skin and how your skin reacts to that trama. No matter what anyone says,
  needleing can be trama to the skin, just like a scratch on the face can be
  trama to the skin.

  Please be very careful that you get yourself involved with only the most
  knowlegeable professionals that you can find. Good tattoo artist or permanent
  cosmetic people are out there, but do you're homework. Don't ever take what
  anyone says too seriously until you know that it comes from an exstreamly
  educated point of view

  I am not anti needleing at all, I am just concerned about the fact that at
  this time there really are no guide lines involving this procedure and that
  leaves alot of us in a position where it is up to us to make sure that we get
  the best possible care.
 

 

  M / V-Beam -- johnny, 01:28:11 02/23/03 Sun

  when I had IPL done a few months ago, I also had a dark brown spot from it. It
  happened in November, and you can still see remnants of it now, though it's
  been consistently getting better. I think if you give it some time, it should
  be fine. The first week always looks the worst. after that, it usually
  subsides enough taht you can go out, whether because it actually gets better
  or because you're just used to it.

  in any case, i never went back for IPLs because it caused the exact problem
  that I was trying to treat! what a waste of $1000 (4 sessions)
 

 

   Needling done today -- M, 00:41:26 02/23/03 Sun

  Well this is soooooo NO BIG DEAL guys. The redness from the V-beam I had done
  thursday makes the pinkness from the needling look silly!

  I can still see the scar, although at first it did swell to a point where I
  could not.
  My scar was very, very, very shallow. I will keep an update on whatever
  "filling in" occurs in the next 8 weeks.

  The lady was great - she had done her own face and succesfully gotten rid of
  many wrinkles and scars. I will definately go back for a second on the scar
  and in addition some light wrinkling on my forehead as I said this is a light
  procedure. I've had peels that looked more severe.

  The "spot" from the laser is currently enough to keep me from going out
  though! It's hard to beleive this will ever go away - day 2.

  Peace
  M
 

 

   M re V-Beam -- Avril, 22:14:36 02/22/03 Sat

  M--
  Yes, the spot will go away-it will just take a few days though. Presently I
  have about fifty (yep, I counted) of them due to a particularly aggressive
  V-Beam treatment yesterday, so I will be hiding out for at least four days or
  so. Best of luck!
  Avril
 

 

  hi ping -- enca, 22:01:59 02/22/03 Sat

  may i ask some questions on cooltouch? how often apart are your sessions? are
  you using cooltouch or cooltouch ii, or do you know? much more importantly,
  how many passes are they doing around the affected areas?

  what is your impression so far? i realize that cooltouch supposedly takes a
  few months for the results to show. have you noticed anything? have/had you
  met anyone who underwent cooltouch with positive results? i guess what i'm
  wondering is, what made you decide to try cooltouch? are you trying it because
  you have heard of or seen good results, or simply out of hope that it will
  make a difference?
 

 

  scares me -- enca, 21:58:48 02/22/03 Sat

  uncontrolled DNA therapy? it sounds like a prescription for skin cancer ten
  years from now. no way.
 

 

  DNA CryoStem -- Ade, 18:30:03 02/22/03 Sat

  I was wondering if anyone has used DNA Cryostem, a Stem Cell Skin Therapy. In
  this process a semi frozen fluid containing bozine stem cells is applied the
  skin. These stem cells allegedly transfer flawless skin DNA into your skin to
  promote repair and reduce wrinkles. 6 sessions are recommended over 6 month
  period. With each session skin defects are supossedly reduced as the skin goes
  through its normal 28 day shedding/renewel cycle.
  It doesn't appear to be widely available, it looks like its only been around
  within the last 2 years. If anyone has had experience with this treatment
  please post your feedback.
  The links below provide more information

  http://www.cliniquereneux.com/dna_cryostem_skin_therapy.htm
  http://www.dnaskin.com/
 

 

  scarface -- ping, 09:46:53 02/21/03 Fri

  Try looking our local Yellow page, search under medical or doctor.

  Best of luck to you.
 

 

   V Beam -- M, 23:46:57 02/20/03 Thu

  Whoa! I went to have the odd little dark spot removed and now I have a giant
  purple/black mark! I'm sure it will heal fine, right??? Any advice on this
one?

  Needling still scheduled Sat.

  M
 

 

  Accutane -- eek, 19:32:07 02/20/03 Thu

  When i was 20 i went on Accutane to treat mild crystic acne which was
  beginning to scar. While on accutane i got a lot of huge crysts (some like an
  inch round) which disappeared and left icepick scars all over my face. I am
  now 23 with quite severe facial scarring especially on cheeks. I also somehow
  got bad acne on my back now which i never had b4. The accutane did get rid of
  the acne but i feel this was a bad trade off for quite severe scarring. Stay
  clear of accutane unless you have really severe crystic acne. (just my
opinion)
 

 

  Doctors in Singapore -- Scarface, 16:08:03 02/20/03 Thu

  Ping,
  Where can we find a list of plastic surgeons / derms in Singapore?
 

 

  JOHNNY -- LIL BOY, 11:30:19 02/20/03 Thu

  Thanks for your response, even though I got sad because of it; I'll get over
  it! I was hoping that someone would tell me that micro-dermabrasion helps
  enlarged pores, but I guess not. Although, I am glad that I didn't start a
  micro-dermabrasion craze for nothing.

  I wonder if any other people have eating issues like us, even though ours are
  different.

  -LIL BOY
 

 

  lil boy - microdermabrasion -- johnny, 00:05:32 02/20/03 Thu

  I had 6 sessions of microdermabrasion done once every 2 weeks to help with
  shallow scarring and enlarged pore type scarring. it did nothing. I cannot
  recommend it, although others might have had better experiences. It might
  depend a lot on the skill of the doctor, but I got nothing.

  Also, I am the opposite of you in that I tend to lose weight when I get
  depressed. I think it's a subconscious effort to starve myself to death, but
  who knows. I just don't have an appetite.
 

 

  Ilustrations of types of Acne scars !! -- Tiki43, 23:30:36 02/19/03 Wed

  I finally found a website that gives actual pictures of acne scar types.

  http://dermatology.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.acneguide.com%2Ftf%2Fcontent.asp%3Fz%3D78

  ENJOY!
 

 

  Isolagen -- Shubb, 22:21:45 02/19/03 Wed

  Just wanted to check if anyone has had Isolagen treatment yet. I think it is
  up and running in the UK, and Australia is set to start it in the next month
  or so, with the US still waiting for the FDA approval before starting.

  For those who don't know, Isolagen is the process of taking a small sample of
  your cells (fibreblasts) from behind your ear, and sent off to a lab to get
  muliplied into millions of cells, and then have them re-introduced to your
  body where the scarring is. Same results as a filler would provide however
  thought to be fairly permanent because you are filling with your own cells

  For info check out www.isolagen.com ....Looks pretty promising!
 

 

  DOES ANYONE SUFFER FROM?!?!?! -- LIL BOY, 13:01:22 02/19/03 Wed

  Hello.

  I have posted here quite a few times, but I haven't shared much about my life
  as an acne sufferer.

  This might sound a bit odd to some, but I have an eating disorder that is due
  to my acne. Ever since I started getting acne, around the age of 17,
  depression became a daily part of my life. With that depression, I noticed
  that I started eating abnormaly. Basically, I became an emotional eater. With
  that, I had gone from being a healthy looking young guy to being overweight.

  The most I ever weighed was 216 lbs. Being 6'1, some might think it's not a
  lot, but it is. During this time, I was in deep denial of the whole situation.
  I kept eating and eating, but I always thought that I was skinny. I even made
  myself believe that I was skinny because I would buy big clothing.

  Anyway, I started to realize that I was big; a friend of mine would even
  comment on my stomach, and I believe this cost me to want to lose weight. I
  started to watch my eating drastically....sometimes only eating once a day,
  and I slowly began to lose the weight. The least I ever went down to was 165
  lbs. I had lost more than 50 lbs!!!

  Anyway, the problem is that all I do is go UP and DOWN, UP and DOWN with my
  weight. I haven't stayed at a constant weight! It's been hell for me! Plus,
  the fact that I can't control my eating pisses me off because I break out more
  because of it.

  I know this might sound weird to some, but even though I know I break out
  more, I can't control my eating!!!! :( Also, just seeing my scars depresses
  me; I have been trying to be positive, but my mind is much more powerful! I
  just start thinking of how ugly I am.

  Maybe I shouldn't even talk about this because it might not pertain to any of
  you, but I just wanted to share this with you because I know that nobody knows
  anything about me.

  LIL BOY :(

  This beautiful girl gave me a good bye kiss today, and I felt sick to my
  stomach. :((
 

 

   Where in CA -- Jeremiah, 19:14:31 02/18/03 Tue

  Hi there
  I have been reading about needling from everyone that has tried it. It sounds
  simple and effective from what we have been reading. I was wondering if anyone
  knew any Doctors or tattoo artist in CA that knows of this method. Can anyone
  help?
  thanks
  Also this forum is great. =))
 

 

  KAREN! -- Sosie, 17:57:47 02/18/03 Tue

  May I ask what type of scars you have seen the most improvement on with
  needling?
 

 

 
  MICRO - DERMABRASION -- LIL BOY, 01:21:00 02/18/03 Tue

  I was wondering if MICRO DERMABRASION helps close the pores and/or get rid of
  the scars that are pore-like. Right now I'm just focusing on the smaller
  scars.

  By the way, I was thinking of telling the doctor doing the micro-dermabrasion
  procedure to not go over the bigger scars with the micro-dermbabrasion tool
  used!!! I figure that if I don't want the bigger scars to go deeper, then I
  shouldn't mess with them with micro-dermabrasion.

  Does this make sense, or is it better to get micro-dermabrasion on my whole
  face?!?!

  -LIL BOY
 

 

   Cityslicker, take heart! -- Karen, 00:07:52 02/18/03 Tue

  Hey Mike!

  Oh Mike! I am glad that you have seen a little improvement so far, but I can
  almost promise you that you will be much happier in another month or 2. Like I
  said - both times I went, after about a week (after I had had that DEEP peel)
  I was virtually no improvement. I think that this procedure is very much like
  what a lot of lasers are SUPPOSED to so in that the collagen stimulation keeps
  coming for at least a couple of months afterwards. It was only after about 3-4
  weeks that I really began to notice some good improvement.

  I highly agree with Mike that Kevin is a great place to go to to have this
  procedure done. He is such a sweet guy, and obviously (to me anyway) his
  technique was very effective. I am going back again in just THREE WEEKS to
  have the needling done again. I highly encourage anyone to give this a shot,
  just go there and get a test patch done, and see if you see any improvement
  yourself. Go to his website at Kevin's Tattoo Zoo and give him a call, or find
  someone in your area who will do it - just a little patch if you are unsure. I
  am still very happy with my results. I think it will take around 3 or 4 times
  total, and I think I will be very pleased with my results at that point. I
  plan to give it at least 3 times whenever I can, I am in school and I work so
  I only have certain times I can take off. I am hoping that I get even better
  results this time around. If you cannot find someone around you who knows how
  to do it, send out an email to tattoo artists and tell them a little about the
  procedure. That is how I first contacted Kevin, just give it a shot!

  Good luck to all, no matter what you are doing!! Karen:)
 

 

   Answer for Dorrie -- Cityslicker, 23:26:53 02/17/03 Mon

  Hi Dorrie, I only see my Dermatologist about once or twice a year, and I don't
  think I asked him about needling, saline injections, or subcision, not that I
  can re-call. I checked with about 6 different tattoo artist in my immediate
  area before I made the 2400 mile round trek and none had heard of it at all.
  The one lady that said she had, referred me to an accupuncturist. I made the
  journey primarily, because I wanted someone who had done the procedure before
  and was a least familiar with it.

  Kevins website is http://www.kevinstattoozoo.com I will tell you though, I was
  only the third acne facial patient that he had done. We talked about the
  procedure while I was there. He said, he had never heard of this procedure
  until Karen called, and then E-mailed him the various links and info. So, I'd
  be surprised if he knew of anyone in your area, but his number is on his
  website. (Also my real name is Mike, if you do talk to Kevin) Good-luck. :-)
  Cityslicker
 

 

  Site I found -- Donald, 23:04:27 02/17/03 Mon

  hello just want to tell everyone that i found this great site about laser
  resurfacing. This person has pictures of what his skin liked like before,
  during and after the laser.
  here it is http://home.earthlink.net/~scarsupport/
 

 

  Scarring and Accutane -- Kenny, 22:43:14 02/17/03 Mon

  I was perusing the board and noticed some of you speculating on whether
  Accutane causes scarring. From my experience, it most certainly did. I am 24
  years old, and I've had acne since I was 16. I was almost 17 when I got my
  first cyst on my right cheek. I had another 2 cysts in the same location over
  the next 2 years, and one huge cyst between my eyes (this tenacious bastard
  had to be drained twice).

  I went to college at age 19, and I had very little scarring. The next summer,
  after I turned 20, I went on Accutane to "cure" myself of the wonderful gift
  that nature and genetics had bestowed upon me. Well, I will tell you, my face
  cleared up beautifully, by back however, exploded with cysts. Over the next 5
  months (the duration of the treatment), I had nearly 60 cysts on my back (not
  all at one time, mind you, maybe 4-6 at any given time). But my face looked
  nice, right? Well, my face started breaking out in cysts again about 6 months
  after I stopped the Accutane. So what else could I do but start round 2 of
  Accutane? Well, round 2 cleared my back and my face up, but the 70 cysts I had
  left my back looking like I was shot with some 20 aught buck.

  Thus, I had CO2 laser treatment on my back twice (this was 4 years ago), the
  scars are remarkably better, but the hyperpigmentation has not yet dissapated.
  So for those of you thinking about getting CO2 on your back, keep in mind that
  you may still have some effects 4 years afterward.

  But I digress, now comes the bad part (yeah, I haven't gotten there yet),
  scars suddenly started appearing on my face. These scars were appearing in
  places where cysts were years before, but hadn't been there since. Well, that
  was 4 years ago, and my face looks worse now than it has ever looked. It's
  like scars have appeared from nowhere and the ones that I had are simply
  worse. I attribute this to Accutane, due to its effect of stunting the healing
  process.

  Anyway, I am currently on DesOwen for Dermatitis, and Klaron, Triaz, and
  Avita(tretinoin) Gel for Acne (yup, that's right, my acne's back, but no
  cysts). I have taken Accutane, Tetracycline, Minocycline, Erithromycin,
  Retin-A in my several years in fighting this battle as well. If anyone has any
  questions regarding the efficacy of these medications, I'd be happy to answer
  them.
 

 

  ? for Cityslicker -- Dorrie, 14:51:33 02/17/03 Mon

  Cityslicker, did you ever ask your derm about needling, if so what did he say
  about it?
  Also, would you mind posting the tattoo artist's phone # or website, I would
  like to know if he knows someone in NY or NJ who does the same proceedure. If
  you won't post it on the board, please feel free to e-mail.
  I would also be curious if anyone's asked their dr. about needling and saline
  injections. I am going to my derm on Friday for collagen, & will ask him, but
  somehow, I think I know what his response will be.
  -Dorrie-
 

 

  MICRO - DERMABRASION -- LIL BOY, 10:08:46 02/17/03 Mon

  I was wondering if MICRO DERMABRASION helps close the pores and/or get rid of
  the scars that are pore-like. Right now I'm just focusing on the smaller
  scars.

  By the way, I was thinking of telling the doctor doing the micro-dermabrasion
  procedure to not go over the bigger scars with the micro-dermbabrasion tool
  used!!! I figure that if I don't want the bigger scars to go deeper, then I
  shouldn't mess with them with micro-dermabrasion.

  Does this make sense, or is it better to get micro-dermabrasion on my whole
  face?!?!

  -LIL BOY
 

 

   Youthfull Essence Home Microdermabrasion -- Generm, 08:58:56 02/17/03 Mon

  has anyoone tried youthful essence home microdermabrasion for acne? If so, did
  it also help with your scars?

  Please let me know i'm desperate to order this machine because im tierd of
  paying alot of money for series of microdermabrasion treatments. They
  advertise it for antiaging but they also said it was good for acne but never
  stated about scarring, just if it helped get rid of wrinkles i don't know for
  what reason why it cant help with scarring. well thanks and good luuck to all
  and god bless:)
 

 

  Maryann, Eve, M, / Update -- Cityslicker, 08:12:45 02/17/03 Mon

  Hi Maryann, yes I can relate with the insecurities, but I say, why not take a
  chance on love. Something tells me, if your dating this guy for a year, he's
  looking past your scars anyway. And if he can't look past them, you know, he's
  not the one for you. Besides, won't you let him make that decision, it sounds
  like your making the decision for him (that he's not going to accept you.) If
  you keep pushing him away, he'll certainly get the message, and away he'll
  stay. How ironic that you want to be accepted with your scars, but yet your
  pushing away the very people who are trying to get close to you. (I know, easy
  for me to say, I've had 2 dates in 7 years, so can relate.) I do wish you
well.

  Hi Eve, you can find any strength of glycolic acid from 10-70% diluted or
  undiluted, on EBAY, and fairly reasonable. Just type in the word in the search
  for health products, personal care category, etc.

  Update: I E-mailed Kit last week. He said, he was about ready to start posting
  here again and asked me to send him the link, which I did, hopefully, he'll be
  posting again soon.

  Well M, I can relate to being nervous about needling, I took the plunge last
  week and had the majority of my face done. I had trouble sleeping, a couple of
  nights before, thinking maybe I'd be scarred even more by the tattoo artist.
  HA!HA!. But it was a breeze, I mean, yes it stings, but I was worried that it
  might cause even more scarring. It went real well, as far as that goes, and
  after 7 days, no one would even know I had it done. But for me, I drove 1200
  miles to N.Carolina from Texas to have this done. I had it done at Kevin's
  Tattoo Zoo, the same place that Karen had her's done, and I must say, you
  won't hardly find a more caring and compassionate person to do this procedure
  for you. I highly recommend Kevin and he put me right at ease. Even when I
  called him on the phone, I felt extremely comfortable. He also seen me on a
  Sunday, which is by appointment only. So I was the only client and didn't have
  to embarissingly walk the gauntlet past a whole place of people waiting for a
  tattoo. Also, his office is beautiful, just as Karen said.

  He did about 5/8th's of my face and forehead, nose, chin, cheeks into the
  beard line, etc, scar on the neck, just mainly scars and wrinkles. He charges
  $600 for the full face, $300 for just the cheeks and he charged me $450 for my
  full procedure. It took about 2 hours total, and I drove 7 hours back to
  Atlanta the same day. I stayed in Atlanta Sunday night and drove 11 hours back
  to Texas the next day.

  Sunday nite, after the procedure, looked pretty horrific. Everywhere he
  needled was rasberry colored looking, similiar to a port wine stain color, if
  you've ever seen one. So, you could tell everywhere he needled. Wasn't really
  bloody, as in red, just this rasberry color and face/skin swollen slightly. He
  had me put apply a vit. A&D ointment that he gave me, til I got back home.
  Also, he said he wouldn't do the procedure unless I ordered the Procyte Tissue
  Repair Creme that is used for people who had laser surgery. So I ordered that
  on Thursday from Drugstore.com, 2-day express shipping, and it was here at the
  house Monday nite, when I got home. It's a copper-peptide based creme that
  enhances tissue repair, I kept on my face for 5 days, with the therory being
  you apply it on your face every 2-3 hours the first day and every 6-8 hours
  for the next 7 days. Basically, you don't want your face to dry out. If your
  considering needling, just go to a search engine (Google.com or similiar) and
  do a word search for Procyte Complex Cu3 Intensive Tissue Repair Creme. Or go
  directly to Drugstore.com, which was the cheapest I found.

  It's been 7 days, and was rasberry/red for the first 4 days without much
  change. The 5th day the redness faded about 60-70%, it was also the first day
  I went out of the house. The 6th day it had faded another 10-20% and still, no
  one would have noticed or questioned me, and today, just faintly noticeable at
  all, and I went anywhere I wanted comfortably the last 2 days.

  Now for the results. I see a slight improvement of 10-20% on some scars and
  wrinkles, with about a 20-30% improvement on a depressed scar. My skin texture
  seems to be smoother all over in the areas needled but noticebly smoother in
  the scar-free areas. I still haven't peeled, but just a tiny few places, as
  some people have stated. Perhaps as the weeks go by, I'll see a more gradual
  improvement.

  My complexion is fair, (brown hair/ red beard) with Rosacea, broken blood
  vessels, etc. Before I started, my scars have been graded mild to moderate on
  a 1-3 scale, with 1-being mild, 2-being moderate and 3-being severe. I was
  told, I have class 1 scars mostly, mixed with some class 2.

  In summary, after a week, no major improvement, but slight enough that I will
  probably try again in the future. Just don't want to make the 2400 mile round
  trip. I'll keep you guys updated if I continue to see improvement. :-)
  Cityslicker
 

 

  . -- sarah, 07:03:54 02/17/03 Mon

  it's used to treat acne SCARS, not blemishes.
  i'm not sure what ingredient causes it to slowly peel the scar away.
  it takes about 8 weeks for new scars to disappear, and approx. 6 months for
  old scars.
 

 

  SCARS or BLEMISHES? -- LIL BOY, 06:56:49 02/17/03 Mon

  Is MEDERMA for acne scars or blemishes? I just don't see how a peel can remove
  an acne scar. They're probably not depressed scars huh?

  LIL BOY
 

 

  Sarah -- bob, 06:56:42 02/17/03 Mon

  A while back when I was first trying to decide what I wanted to try I looked
  into Mederma and it seemed to me that it was not going to be useful for pitted
  and depressed scars so I never got it because that is the type scars I have. I
  think it is intended for flat and raised scars.
 

 

  . -- Sarah, 06:49:20 02/17/03 Mon

  nope, it helps clear up acne. i just saw an ad for it..

  both my roommate and i use Mederma...and it works great for us both. i've
  never had acne before, but everytime i get a pimple here and there, it scars.
  so i figured, if i prevent them from even coming, then i won't have to deal
  with the whole process of eliminating the scar.
  but my roommate had acne and is now using mederma to remove the scars left
  behind.
 

 

  SARAH -- LIL BOY, 06:40:58 02/17/03 Mon

  Why are you interesting in MURAD? Is it also for acne scars?

  The reason I'm asking is because you say MEDERMA works GRRRRrreat!

  LIL BOY
 

 

  HOPELESS -- LIL BOY, 06:35:12 02/17/03 Mon

  Like you, I have also read a lot on these forums that takes me to believe that
  there is no cure for acne scars.

  I also try to be optimistic, but then again, I try to be realistic too.

  If we never find a "cure" for acne scars, we have to start accepting ourselves
  for the way we are. I am trying so hard to do just that, and it's taking a lot
  of crying, embarrasment, sadness, anger, shyness, etc... and singing!

  LIL BOY
 

 

  Me again! -- Sarah, 06:35:02 02/17/03 Mon

  OOooh yeah....
  you apply MEDERMA 3 times a day,
  after about a week of using it consistently, it will peel layers of the
  affected area... slowly fading the scar.
 

 

  MURAD...worth your $??!! -- Sarah, 06:30:42 02/17/03 Mon

  Hi, I recently heard about this highly expensive "Acne Complex Kit" called
  Murad ($70)...I've had mixed opinions on it. Does it work? If not, then what
  does?

  And responding to the person about acne scars... MEDERMA works GRRRRrreat!
  It's a little pricy, but definitly worth your $!!!
 

 

   A CURE????????? -- HOPELESS!!!!!!!, 05:10:56 02/17/03 Mon

  From what i have been reading alot of people are saying there is no cure for
  acne scars!!! I have tried to be optimistic about the whole scaring thing but
  it is really hard when people say there is no cure!!! If there is no cure then
  whet is the point!! Why do we even bother to try?? Has anybody had any real
  good experience with acne scar treatment where there scar improved 90% to
  100%???? If so what kind of scars did you have?? Lets all keep positive
  people!!! A cure is out there, if there is a will there is a way............we
  will beat this, there IS a cure!!!!
 

 

  MICRO - DERMABRASION -- LIL BOY, 02:12:10 02/17/03 Mon

  I was wondering if MICRO DERMABRASION helps close the pores and/or get rid of
  the scars that are pore-like. Right now I'm just focusing on the smaller
  scars.

  By the way, I was thinking of telling the doctor doing the micro-dermabrasion
  procedure to not go over the bigger scars with the micro-dermbabrasion tool
  used!!! I figure that if I don't want the bigger scars to go deeper, then I
  shouldn't mess with them with micro-dermabrasion.

  Does this make sense, or is it better to get micro-dermabrasion on my whole
  face?!?!

  -LIL BOY
 

 

  Acne has scarred my life -- Maryann, 23:43:17 02/16/03 Sun

  Age : 29
  Gender : Female
  Country : Australia.

  Hi all, I just found this website and I was somewhat comforted that Im not the
  only one. I am currently on Roaccutane and even though the side effects can be
  a little harsh I am glad to be finally rid of those horrible cysts. What i am
  finding though now is that the scars on my face have become noticably bigger.
  My acne and scars have stopped me from doing so much in my life. I havent had
  a relationship in seven years bc Im worried that my partner will be put off by
  my scars. i only date in the evening where I can cover up my face. Does anyone
  else feel this insecure. My friends have suggested that i see a counsellor re
  this problem. I have now been dating a guy for approximately one year and hes
  getting kinda tired with all my excuses of not spending time with him during
  the day. this is crippling me and I wish I could talk to someone about this.
  Does anyone have some advise for me????
 

 

  M / needling -- jack, 23:28:13 02/16/03 Sun

  hey M,

  I've been trying some home needling (using a small gauge insulin needles left
  over from trying home salin injections) and to my eyes, it's done quite a bit
  of good. Moreso than anything I've done at the derm (IPL, microderm), or at
  home with topicals (exfol/copper peptides, etc.) IPL, in fact, caused some
  bruising and marks/scarring about four months ago that hasn't gone away yet.
  After that happened, I decided not to go to derms again for awhile and try to
  treat my scars myself. I feel like I have a good understanding of my skin.
  Unfortunately, I"m still prone to some mistakes. Just last week, I burned my
  face with glycolic acid (30%) when I tried spot treating a scar (dipping a
  qtip in the acid and holding it against the scar. ) Hopefully it'll heal up
  all right.. Right now, a week later, it's still red and there's still an
  exposed wound. I actually did a needling session and a glycolic acid spot
  treatment at the same time. I wanted to compare how both did on scars. They
  are both similar scars and are shallow, pick scars. not ice-picks, but the
  enlarged pore type, but definitely scars. if I stick my finger on it and push
  down hard, I can definitely feel that the skin is different. In any case, Of
  the two spots I treated, the needling is looking much better without an
  exposed wound (though still reddish brown). The scar is still there, but it's
  smaller. Perhaps because I was only doing this by hand, I missed some spots,
  but it definitely looks like if it heals up, it'll be better overall. I think
  needling is so far the best treatment I've seen on my skin, though I have to
  say I've not done dermabrasion or lasers (nor am I willing.) The glycolic acid
  isn't without its merits, but it really doesn't do much for anything but the
  most shallow of scars. and even then, I think it's only masking the scar and
  not really eliminating it. The jury's still out on the one spot I burned last
  week. We'll see what happens with that one... I just hope it doesn't cause a
  new larger scar. but if it does, I'm going to try to treat it with needling.
  If it heals up and improves the scar, I'll still have to go with needling
  cause it's less stressful. hehe.

  I hope your needling session goes well. I'd really like to try going to
  someone for that myself, but I don't really want to do my whole face/cheeks at
  once. Just one spot at a time, because then I don't mind going out to work or
  out to play at all. But I'm sure, for example, if you got it done at a tatto
  place, the gun will have a much better coverage than I can possibly do with my
  hand. I believe you'll be happy with your results. Please write your
  experiences after you're done.

  Jack
 

 

   Needling in one week -- M, 18:18:04 02/16/03 Sun

  So it seems there are many positive, a few less than spectacular and a couple
  negative reporting on this procedure. I'm scheduled Saturday. My scar is
  shallow but (I feel) large about the circumference of a nickle. Any opinions?
  Pro's or Con's? New reports?

  I'm suppose to do one round now and one in June.
  Also, I'm going to have her go over a couple of hyperpigmented marks b/s she
  says this will get rid of /lighten them. I'll let you guys know.

  A little nervous.
  M
 

 

  Report about acne scar treatments -- Ram, 15:40:44 02/16/03 Sun

  The following URL is an interesting four-page PDF report of acne scar
  treatments:
  http://www.acne.com/surgery_8.pdf
 

 

  re:excision -- ping, 13:06:14 02/16/03 Sun

  Scarface,
  Yes, I know that some difficult scars required multiple excisions. Make sure
  to wait for several weeks before doing anymore excisions in order for the new
  wound to heal properly.
 

 

  Skin Culture Peel 4000 -- Jules, 13:00:12 02/16/03 Sun

  what does everyone know about this product it sounds really scary to me - i
  dont have acne just one quite large scar on my cheek which came from a scab i
  picked and poked at...its really getting me down and while i dont mind paying
  i dont want to place an order if its not going to work for me
  thanks for reading
 

 

  Skin Culture Peel 4000 -- Jules, 12:58:51 02/16/03 Sun

  what does everyone know about this product it sounds really scary to me - i
  dont have acne just one quite large scar on my cheek which came from a scab i
  picked and poked at...its really getting me down and while i dont mind paying
  i dont want to place an order if its not going to work for me
  thanks for reading
 

 

  To Dee: Glycolic Peel -- Eve, 04:47:39 02/16/03 Sun

  Where did you get your 40% glycolic peel? I am currently using the
  Tri-Reduction Combo for scars and began yesterday to incorporate the Super
  Cop, which is much stronger. Skinbio suggested using a weekly peel, so I
  contacted Makeup Artists Choice, as recommended by Skinbio. They told me that
  since I tolerate the Tri-Reduction Combo well, I might could start with the
  40% or even the 50% glycolic peel. (My facial scars are old and many.) After
  reading your experience with the 40% peel, I think maybe I should start with
  the 30% and work my way up. I have been using the copper peptides for about 3
  weeks. I haven't noticed any improvement yet, except I think my skin tone is a
  little more even. I think the only thing that would really make a dramatic
  difference in the appearance of my facial scars is a very aggressive
  dermabrasion, which I am not willing to do at this time. So, for at least the
  next few months I am going to continue with the copper peptides (including the
  Super Cop) and incorporate a weekly peel. Keep us posted with the results of
  your efforts.
 

 

  Experience with new products -- Dee, 21:55:25 02/15/03 Sat

  I tried the 40% glycolic peel on Thursday. First I did a patch test on my neck
  and it didn't even sting or tingle after 10 minutes. Then I rinsed it off and
  it wasn't pink or anything. So, I decided to go ahead and try it on my chin. I
  followed their instructions, first I washed my face and neck with a soap free
  cleanser and a wash cloth, then with witch hazel, then with the ph pre
  treatment and when it dried I put on the glycolic. It did burn/sting but I was
  used to that since I had it done before at a doctor's office. They said to
  rinse it off it it burned but it subsided quickly and was tolerable so I left
  it on and kept checking it. They said to expect a "tingling sensation" and a
  feeling of warmth, which I did. My chin was pink and after 8 minutes I noticed
  some little white bumps forming so I rinsed it off with soap and water. Now
  it's Saturday and my chin isn't pink anymore but it is dry and has some little
  blister like bumps and scabs and I think it's going to peel. I had this happen
  after a TCA peel also. I think a little peeled off when I washed it the other
  day. Anyways, I think the 40% was a little too strong. I wrote the co. and
  asked them for suggestions/feedback, maybe there is a way to dilute it a
  little. I'm curious to see how my skin is after it heals. The anti-shine matte
  stuff I bought works well to stop oily skin. The copper peptide serum seems
  good so far but I've only been using it a couple days. The sulphur mask isn't
  very strong. I think I prefer sacylic acid to dry pimples out more - spot
  treat. I might try the tea tree oil sometime also. The mineral makeup seems
  good but I have clinique right now so will probably use that up before
  ordering anything else. I'll let you know how my skin heals from the glycolic
  peel. I may try it on my face later and just rinse it off right after. Maybe
  you just need to build up a tolerance.....
 

 

  Joe & Pocket grafting -- Dorrie, 19:07:28 02/15/03 Sat

  Joe, I had the grafting done -- the skin was taken from behind my ear by Dr.
  Orentreich in NY. I did everything that did not require "down time". I had no
  down time just a band-aid on my face. I didn't think it was so effective for
  me -- but it may be for you. You should give it a try.
  As far as I'm concerned there is no real cure for this scarring yet. My scars
  look terrible in shadow, but in "good" lite, they are fine.
  I now just do collagen & mircodermabrasion. I am waiting for the other fillers
  to become legal, and then will try them
 

 

  To Annette -- Mary, 17:39:16 02/15/03 Sat

  Annette I figure you have spent around 12K on Photofacials, and your face is
  still red?

  I hope you have gone to a lawyer?
  This is how you will get your money back so you can go ahead and try some
  other treatment for your skin problem.
  If you wait too long you may not be able to sue because of the limitations
  placed on a case such as yours in the state where you live.

  The doctor who took your money, and did not deliver the goods won't care a bit
  about your misery because most don't.

  You know it is very possible that there was something wrong with the
  particular laser that was used for your treatments. I have heard of persons
  getting temporary red splotches from this type of laser BUT NEVER have I heard
  of a person being treated for your condition and not responding to the
  treatment.
 

 

  Joe on Pocket Grafting -- DaveB, 16:56:44 02/15/03 Sat

  Be very wary of that "pocket grafting"! I had that exact procedure done, only
  the doctor called it "derma implanting". That was four years ago, and I am
  still struggling to overcome the consequences.

  Even as the doctor was doing the procedure, it just felt wrong. Immediately
  afterwards, things did look pretty good, but that was just due to my whole
  face being swollen. When the swelling went down, I had large bumps on my skin
  that looked rather cyst-like; I don't see how any laser could have corrected
  it. The doctor--this all happened in Seattle--looked a bit disconcerted about
  the results himself (never a good sign), and tried to bring the lumps down
  some with cortisone. That only seemed to make things look worse.
  Soon afterwards I moved downed to Phoenix for a while, and sought treatment
  from other dermatologists. Though they didn't say so directly, it was obvious
  that they were horrified about what had been done to my skin. The doctor I
  ended up going with started out initially with more cortisone treatments. The
  nightmare was only beginning, however.

  Most of the implants soon started becoming infected, this ultimately causing
  scarring much worse than any caused by acne. (The few that didn't become
  infected eventually just turned into smaller lumps on the skin, the implants
  later working their own way out). Really, it was terrible. Now, years later, I
  am still working to alleviate the scarring caused by this whole misadventure.
  Things are looking better, but this is after having punch-and-sews done on the
  bigger scars (limited effectiveness), two CO2 laser treatments (did nothing
  for the scarring, but plumped up the skin and eliminated wrinkles!), three
  subscisions (did nothing for me--maybe too soon [nine months] after the laser
  treatments?), several microdermabrasion treatments (worsened everything,
  causing new scars and lines), four cooltouch treatments (these may have been
  at least somewhat effective--I'm still waiting), and countless collagen
  injections (temporary but effective). I just recently had a test spot done for
  needling, but after seven weeks the results don't look too promising. (This
  may be, however, because it has only been about seven months since the last
  cooltouch treatment).

  So, anyway, think twice before going through with the pocket grafting. The
  doctor who did the procedure on me, by the way, did ultimately give me a full
  refund (as did the doctor who did the subscision treatments). He was probably
  just happy to avoid a lawsuit.
 

 

  Pocket Grafting and Laser -- Joe, 15:46:49 02/15/03 Sat

  Hi, I am curious why I haven't seen anyone here discuss pocket grafting. I am
  going to have this procedure done in late March. The surgeon said he takes a
  piece of skin from behind the ear, a hidden spot, and then inserts that piece
  of skin inside the scar. It's supposed to last forever since it's your own
  skin and your body won't get rid of it. Anyone ever heard of it? The only
  worry is that he said he tries to over-correct the scar, meaning he makes it
  above surface level. Then, afterwards, it should flatten down a little, and if
  need be he does CO2 laser on it. That's what really freaks me out, because CO2
  laser really messes your face up. I was wondering if anyone here has had CO2
  laser done? If so, please e-mail me and tell me what your healing experience
  was like, I would really like to hear from you.
  As a side note, I picked a pimple last night and made a scab (a really bad
  habit of mine). I had ordered CP serum from skinbiology last month, so I
  decided to try it on the scab. I am really impressed with how fast the scab
  went away. I don't see any results of the CP serum on my depressed scar
  (nothing topical seems to help it at all), but it really looks like it speeded
  up the healing time of my scab.
 

 

  Bio Oil -- Larry, 12:30:12 02/15/03 Sat

  Hi everyone, I've been off for a while, but now I'm back so that we can fight
  together physically and spiritually this curse.

  But I have a question for now; I've got this product branded Bio-Oil, it says
  for scar tissues I have to apply it 3 times daily. I was wondering if I have
  to wash clean my face before every applicatoin, or apply it to the previous
  film of oil?

  Thank you, I'll be posting some comforting words very soon.

  Lots of Love, Larry
 

 

  how many times excision -- scarface, 06:23:48 02/15/03 Sat

  Hi Ping,
  Another question on excision for you!!

  Imagine: If a doctor does excision on a big scar, and there's some
  improvement. Can we do another excision on the same scar a few months later
  for more improvements?
 

 

   Seattle/V-Beam -- Annette, 01:38:15 02/15/03 Sat

  I need to know if anyone knows of a clinic or Dermatologist in the "Puget
  Sound Area/Seattle" that uses V-Beam lasers for Rosacea. I have had 12, yes,
  count them 12 photofacials..and I am worse then when I started. I am broke,
  busted..and disgusted. I NEED HELP..THE PAIN IS SO BAD..THE BURNING..THE
  HEAT..PLEASE HELP ME. If anyone has any info about doctors and pricing in the
  Seattle area..please post..or e-mail me. I am desperate and suicidal.
 

 

  enca on cooltouch -- ping, 12:59:26 02/14/03 Fri

  Hi, I am now in the midst of cooltouch. I just had my second appointment last
  tuseday. Frankly, still the same old face with the same scars. I will decide
  whether to continue after the fourth session is done.
 

 

  General Suggestions and One Question -- clb, 07:53:11 02/14/03 Fri

  General Suggestions for any one planning to undergo collagen stimulating
  procedures and/or any one who has acne lesions that are still healing.

  1. If you smoke, Quit smoking-
  Smoking decreases blood flow which increases healing time and therefore makes
  scars look worse. It also decreases the absorption of Vitamin C (an essential
  vitamin necessary for the production of collagen). This is because oxygen is
  needed for absorption of Vitamin C and when one smokes the levels of Oxygen
  are decreased and the levels of Carbon ?Oxide are increased.

  2. Exercise-
  Exercising increases blood flow (helpful for wound healing) , and blood
  provides areas that require nutrients the nutrients they need (if they are
  present in one's blood). Also, the effects of exercising manifest themselves
  in an overall improvement of the skin ie. healthy glow...etc.

  3. Take vitamins-
  There are several websites that will answer what vitamins, minerals, EFA
  (Essential Fatty Acids) are necessary and/or beneficial for skin to repair
  itslef (including collagen production), and just generally contribute to the
  well-being of one's skin. The production of collagen requires many things, and
  when you want to facilitate rapid production of collagen you might need more
  that one hundred percent of the recommended daily value. PLEASE research the
  supplements you consume and the contents of the supplements, because there are
  several vitamins that can be harmful if over-present in the blood.

  My question-Does any one know of any good scar docs in TX?

  Thank You and Think Positively
 

 

  need input on cooltouch -- enca, 05:22:56 02/14/03 Fri

  hey everyone...

  i've been having microderms for a few months now (six of them so far) to treat
  acne scars on my cheeks mainly. there's a little pigmentation but it's mostly
  indentations. i can't complain about the microderms, they've cleared up my
  skin, reduced pores and reduced certain scarring, but the effect is pretty
  minimal. the dermatologist/esthetician/doctors are suggesting cooltouch, my
  skin's kind of darker so i can't use anything else. my quesiton is, does
  anyone have experience with cooltouch? it only treats indentation, right? the
  cost of $250 a treatment (both cheeks) and i'm told that i'd need about eight
  treatments, once a month, for about eight months. how do i know whether the
  benefits are worth the cost? it's always easier to sell something in the
  beginning but after the microderms ($50x8=$400) i saw how easily i could get
  suckered into trying something just for a shot at hope, and the cooltouch is
  5x as expensive as the microdermabrasion. plus, i'd have to continue with the
  microderms every now and then. i could afford it, and i'd do anything for skin
  that i'm not ashamed of, but lately i start to think, "you know, the money you
  save would probably be just enough to justify getting a convertible before the
  summer." and i start to think about the idea of spending money on hopes and
  dreams that may or may not become reality, versus spending it on something
  that i absoulutely know will thrill me. i'm in my 20s now and starting to get
  to the point where i don't want to spend money on scar reduction unless
  there's some bang for the buck. but, almost nowhere do i find solid opinions
  on whether cooltouch was ok/great/a waste. any thoughts? pictures?
  experiences? suggestions?
 

 

  Subscison -- Bryan, 04:01:09 02/14/03 Fri

  Anybody had much luck with Dr. Michael Kaminer in Boston. He is supposedly
  great with the Subscision treatment. Just curious if anyone had it performed
  by him and their thoughts on it...thanks
 

 

  GW -Copper Peptides -- Promise, 18:11:34 02/13/03 Thu

  What type of results are you seeing and what type of scars are you working on?
 

 

  Thanks Dee -- Jodi, 10:39:11 02/13/03 Thu

  Dee, Just wanted to thank you for you response and kind words. Very helpfull.
  Keep us posted.
 

 

  Exfol and Tri-Reduction -- GW, 03:05:24 02/13/03 Thu

  Hey RV,

  I use both Exfol and Tri-red and if my results are anything to go by I would
  say be patient, don't apply too much too soon (just break your skin into it)
  and forget applying other products and give it about 2-3 months and then see
  if their is improvement. I have experienced some results that I would classify
  as better than anything else I have tried.

  GW
 

 

  Icepick Treatment -- Anna, 00:43:29 02/13/03 Thu

  Good deal Jack. Just looking out for you! I hope your home treatment results
  are everything you hoped for and more.
 

 

  MICRODERMABRASION -- Mike D, 22:50:03 02/12/03 Wed

  Well I guess it's different for everyone. I had this done several times and
  had litterally no pain and no down time. As a matter of fact it was quite
  pleasurable and relaxing. I certainly had no bleeding. The person who
  performed this on me also gave me a "facial" after evry session to calm and
  "cool" down my skin. After about 2 or 3 days you get a bit of peeling however.
  Kind of like you do after a sun burn goes away. As for results, i didn't see
  many. This works well for facial lines and tiny scars but not for deep ones.
  The thicker your skin, the less irritation you'll have, and I have thick skin.
  But that's probably why I got less results.
 

 

  TriReduction & Exfol -- RV, 21:33:43 02/12/03 Wed

  I've been using this combo for 2 weeks. Any unhealed or "active" blemish
  started to get brown scabby skin. So I definitely got the impression that the
  creams are potent and something was happening. Even though the brown spots
  looked bad, I continued thinking I just need to "ride" it out. Well the spots
  are still here and even though some of the scabbing has flaked off, my skin
  looks worse than when I started. So genius that I am, I tried getting rid of
  the brown patches with 40% glycolic home peel but ended up just making matters
  worse by burning some areas! I'm a mess! I don't know if I should just be
  diligent and continue with the TriReduction w/o retinol & Exfol Cream or give
  up before it gets even worse. Anyway, I'm going to Rappaport tomorrow. Has
  anyone had similar experience with TriReduction/Exfol Combo?
 

 

  Reply to Jodi -- Dee, 21:32:22 02/12/03 Wed

  Hi. You can try doing 6-8 microdermabrasions one week apart and see what kind
  of results you get. They are pretty expensive though, around
  $75-$100/treatment. You can also try at home glycolic peels or in office. I'm
  trying the at 40% buffered at home one soon, I'll let you know how it goes. If
  you haven't done it before I would start at 30% and work your way up, also do
  a patch test. They sell unbuffered also up to 70% but my husband wouldn't let
  me sign a waiver like that so I'm sticking w/ the buffered for now. By the
  way, if anyone has tried that let me know how it works. According to my dr.,
  micros and glycolics are similar but micro is supposedly stronger on scars.
  The good thing about them is that there shouldn't be any down time. If you
  decide after to do a TCA peel, it will just allow it do go deeper so they say
  it's not a waste if you do both. Obagi and Biomedic Pigment are just the brand
  names used by the doctor. My TCA peels were only 35% strength, 2 layers, but
  they say the higher you go the higher the risk of complications and it's more
  expensive, longer recovery. It also will do more though. You can also just do
  35% TCA peels close together and hopefully get the same results. I would try
  the micros and glycolic peels first and if you don't see any improvement after
  6-8 weeks I would stop. Some people say it took them 20 times. If I had the
  time and money I would try that but I don't. There is also another at home
  peel with downtime made of sacylic and beta hydroxy that skin culture sells. I
  haven't tried it but would like to know what people who have thought of it.
  Also makeup artists choice sells some makeup that is supposed to be good for
  scars, I don't know how it works but I think they have some samples available.
  I also heard Laura Mercier (Nordstrom) is really good but it's expensive. Some
  plastic surgeons sell good makeup for hiding scars but I don't know what the
  names are. You can make some calls to see who carries what. You can probably
  buy the same thing they sell on-line for less also. I also try to avoid
  fragrance in products that come into contact with my face including hair
  products and detergents. Also make sure the products you use don't make you
  break out. I don't think you're being punished. Everyone's got their strengths
  and weaknesses, nobody's perfect!
 

 

  anna - acid -- jack, 21:22:33 02/12/03 Wed

  actually, i did it before you posted that. I was more trying to use the
  glycolic acid/copper peptides to see if that would work. Anyway, I didn't use
  TCA, just glycolic, which i've used before. just not spot treating, usually
  whole face.

  ah well. i'll give it a week and see from there.
 

 

  Icepick Treatment -- Anna, 19:57:38 02/12/03 Wed

  When I posted Dr. R's new treatment I was in no way thinking that somebody
  would do this themselves, although I'm a great advocate of home treatment.
  This is one I would definitely leave to the professionals. I would think in
  order to get the precision the doctor would need to do what they do with
  Exoderm and use a toothpick.
 

 

  again -- jack, 19:04:31 02/12/03 Wed

  i forgot to mention that i only put it on for about 3 minutes. But i guess
  even that's too much. If I just put a coat over my face for 3 minutes, I don't
  have any problems. I guess pushing against the skin really makes a big
  difference.
 

 

  eeek/ glycolic burn -- jack, 19:02:23 02/12/03 Wed

  ack,

  just wanted to warn people to be careful of trying to spot treat scars with
  glycolic acid. I used a 30% solution, which I didn't think would be too
  strong, and I pressed against the
  (shallow ice-pic) scar with a q-tip. There's a nice burn/hole there now. so do
  be careful about it.

  Interesting, right after I did this I read the post about Rappaport using TCA
  directly inside ice picks. I wonder how he can attain that kind of precision.
  Using a q-tip doesn't come anywhere close to that kind of precision and so I
  have a good shallower hole now around my ice-pick.. hopefully it'll heal okay.
  Well, just telling people to be careful.

  jack
 

 

  Girly-Girl & Microdermabrasion -- Dorrie, 16:10:10 02/12/03 Wed

  I had a very different experience with microdermabrasion than girly-girl. I
  must have had at least 10 microdermabrasions at my dermatologists office
  (higher strength than at beauty salons). They always put it on the maximum
  strength for me. It NEVER hurt, NEVER caused me to bleed. Microdermabrasion
  NEVER left me embarassingly red -- just slightly pinkish -- healthy pink. In
  my opinion, though it did nothing for my scars, but did clean out my pores.
  And that is what I use it for. I'VE also got to say that because different
  people experience things differently, you must take the advice given on these
  boards, as just true to the person writing, and not necessarily true for
  you...Dorrie
 

 

  Mike's Plan -- Dorrie, 15:52:16 02/12/03 Wed

  I would not use the same strategy as you. Rapaport, Geronemus, & Orentreich do
  laser, subcision, dermabrasion, etc. They are all highly respected Doctors who
  do the same proceedures. The way I would approach it, is go to at least 2 of
  them & listen to what each they have to say. When you go to them, you can say,
  "Look I'm not interested in the down time of laser, or I think subcision is
  the best, what do you think?", or whatever. My thing is that you should go to
  consult with the doctors 1st, and then make up your mind as to who you want to
  do what. But I would not just go to 1 Dr. and whatever he says, you'll do.
  Listen to 2 or 3 first, and then make up your mind. That's my opinion. Dorrie
 

 

  To Dorrie and Alex -- Mike, 12:57:42 02/12/03 Wed

  hey dorrie, this isn't my final decision but i think i might go to dr.rapaport
  for subcisions because i agree with alex when he said you have to plump up the
  skin then resurface it with a laser or whatever and someone else had mentioned
  that subcisions are great if you decide to do lasers afterward but im planning
  to go to dr.geronemus for the laser resurfacing, so rapaport,the best man for
  subcisions and geronemus,the best man for lasers, and dorrie, since you went
  to both of them, what do you think of my plan ??? H.H.-- Mike
 

 

  to ram about microdermabrasion -- girlygirl, 10:09:32 02/12/03 Wed

  ram,
  when they tell you that microdermabrasion is not going to hurt and that there
  is no recovery time...they are LYING. during the process itself, i would
  always fight to keep tears in. it's extremely rough on the skin... and my acne
  isnt even all that bad. as for bleeding.. the bleeding would only happen if it
  went over a pimple or something. but genreally, it would stop shortly after.
  my face would be extremely red for the first 12 hours or so... and then it
  would become pink... and stay that way for about 2-3 days before it completely
  went away. after every session, my face looked like a gigantic hickey.

  anyway, for anyone considering microderm... it hurts. also, the fresh "glow"
  they talk about is more like a "why is your face so darn red??" waiting to be
  asked for the next couple of days. for the most part, i would always plan my
  sessions early int he morning on days when i had the least amount of contact
  with people to avoid as much embarassment as i could from explaining the
  redness. talks that microdermabrasion specialists/dcotors/and aestecians try
  to tell you about the "glow" and "no recovery time" is a lie.
 

 

  Peels and more peels (Dee) -- Jodi, 09:55:58 02/12/03 Wed

  Hi there, I'm new to this forum and just read Dee's post. VERY helpfull. I
  have been wanting to get a peel for sooo long but not sure which way to go.
  Haven't a clue as to what is what out there. I don't even know what a tca peel
  is. What about obagi blue and pigment peels..are they done together. sounds
  painfull. I was looking into microdermabrasion but what do you suggest? A
  combo. I'm 28 and still haven't gotten control of my acne. I use proactive and
  seem to have better results from that, than differin. Tried Retin-a in my
  early 20's and it wasn't the miricle cure I was hoping for...never tried the
  micro though. Sorry for babbling, it's just sooo darn refreshing to be able to
  talk freely about this condition which seems to have held me back from just
  about everything out there.I feel so "dirty" even though I wash my face and
  hands every chance I get. When I look in the mirror, all I see are these
  hideous imperfections. Those little devils which keep me from fully enjoying
  the beauty of life! I am so damn insecure. I must have been a bad bad person
  in a former life. This is my punishment. Do you know of any good,
  concealing,clean foundatins/cover ups? anyone?
 

 

  TCA peel -- Dee, 22:11:57 02/11/03 Tue

  When the TCA peel is performed your face BURNS, it's pretty intense. It helps
  to have a topical numbing agent applied an hour before and then have a fan on
  you. They also prescribed a relaxant (I would get antibiotics as well!). With
  an obagi your face is blue when you leave, with a regular one it is a white
  frost immediately after and then becomes pink. The next day it turns darker
  and darker like a really bad sunpoisoning. On the 3rd day your face will be
  very tight and probably start to crack or peel. You may have to drink out of a
  straw and will have a hard time eating. Try not to move your face much because
  it will crack and may peel before it's ready. The peeling is a slow process.
  You can use moisturize but not much. They should recommend what to do after. I
  would advise just rinsing with water and maybe cetaphil, patting with a diaper
  cloth, and then applying bacitracin or something (don't use vitamin E) - some
  things can delay the peeling process which you don't want. It's very hard when
  your face is partly pink with brown crusty dead skin all over it. You look
  scarey in the mirror. It is very tempting to rub it off or pick the loose skin
  but I don't advise it. The peeling can last 7-14 days, no matter what they
  tell you! It might be best to do a regular TCA peel on a Wednesday and then go
  to work Thursday and Friday before it peels and you look really scarey, then
  take that weekend and the following week off and you should be mostly normal.
  The pink was nice - like a little sunburn and your skin seems babysoft and
  smooth after. It doesn't stay that way forever but it can be done annually or
  more often if you can handle it. It cost me $500 including products. If you
  use glycolic or other similar acids after regularly it should help you
  maintain the results. CP serum is recommended after this but I haven't tried
  it yet. Good luck.
 

 

  Karen -- rotten apple, 22:00:44 02/11/03 Tue

  hi Karen, has the improvement from the needling continued? has it stayed? was
  needling really effective?
 

 

  cb -- rotten apple, 21:55:33 02/11/03 Tue

  thanks for the info, by the way i just wanted to know, how long did the
  redness last on you? i could take a week off..
 

 

   My experience -- Dee, 21:54:11 02/11/03 Tue

  These are my experiences: I have had one Obagi Blue peel which helped soften
  some scars and remove some sun damage spots also. I also had a Pigment peel
  which softened some scar as well. I will tell you though that I had treatment
  with Retin-a before doing my first peel and I got cystic acne so bad before it
  that I probably ended up with more scars than I had before, which was
  depressing. Also you have to be careful not to pick your face or try to peel
  it at all or you can wind up with scars also. Figure that you may not be able
  to be seen in public for 10-14 days worst case scenario if you let it come off
  naturally. It has helped some shallow acne scars, they are barely noticable. I
  have one deep acne scar that I am thinking about getting filled with one of
  the new permanent fillers when it is available, as well as some shallow scars
  and wrinkles from repeated breakouts around my chin/mouth. I have tried
  Differin and that worked well to keep my skin clear, even though it also is a
  form of vitamin a. I am also a former patient of Dr. Perricone and believe
  that some of his advice about diet may be helpful. I haven't tried his
  products for any length of time. I do like Alpha Hydrox that you can buy at
  CVS in 10% solution to keep my face clear and smooth. I have also tried MD
  Forte products that work pretty well. I was also on birth control (the one
  that's supposed to keep your skin clear) which really helped but it made me
  moody. I did do 3 microdermabrasions 2 weeks apart which appeared to smooth my
  skin. I think it would better to do it weekly though. I have never heard of
  anyone having bleeding from it, that doesn't sound right. My face was slightly
  pink, that's all. You would never know I had it done after. I am ordering a
  40% glycolic home peel (dr. strength) and CP serum, sulphor mask, mineral
  makeup and some stuff that's supposed to make your face not oily. I am
  ordering it from makeupartistschoice.com and will have it this Friday. I'll
  let you know how it works. I do think that water, exercise, reducing stress,
  healthy diet, vitamins, keeping your hair and hands clean and off your face
  are helpful to prevent further breakouts. The last doctor I went to said in 10
  years we will probably be able to walk into a dr.s office and have our
  wrinkles and scars removed with no downtime. She didn't think my face was that
  bad and said to wait until I'm 40 to get something done when I really need it
  (wrinkles) because of the advances they will have.
  She also said that I was looking too close in the mirror. I know how all of
  you must feel and I am on a mission to find a cure, if I find one I'll let you
  know! Until then, get some good makeup I guess to conceal them if possible.
  For depressed scars I personally think filling them is the best solution. You
  just have to peel your face down so far to get even with them otherwise.
 

 

  girlgirl, microdermabrasion -- Ram, 20:25:10 02/11/03 Tue

  girlgirl, did your mircodermabrasion treatments cause any bleeding?

  Two days ago I had an appointment for a microdermabrasion session. It was my
  understanding that microderm is a very mild and nonablative procedure. When I
  was about to start the treatment the doctor told me that there will be pain
  and bleeding! I was shocked to hear that. I answered that I thought microderm
  was not supposed to be like that. He said if it was not aggressive I would not
  notice any imporvement on my scars. I was not ready for such an ablative
  procedure, so I asked him to try it on s small area on my right cheeck and yes
  it was paiful and I had a lot of bleeding! It sounded like the traditional
  dermabrasion. Today the area is still swollen, wounded and very red. I am not
  sure how long it will take to heal completely. I can't imagine how I would
  have been if I had this "microdermabrasion" on my entire face.
 

 

  ALEX, the filler? -- Dorrie, 18:14:52 02/11/03 Tue

  Alex, do your docs use a filler on you? If so what type? Have you experienced
  "down" time?
  Dorrie
 

 

  Icepick Treatment -- Anna, 17:51:19 02/11/03 Tue

  I called Dr. Rapaport's office regarding their new treatment for icepick
  scars. The person I spoke to said they use 65-100% Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA)
  directly inside the pit. It usually takes three treatments and the results are
  supposed to be very good. Unfortunately, I don't live anywhere near NJ.
 

 

  rotten apple -- cb, 15:08:31 02/11/03 Tue

  Hey RA:

  It's been 5 weeks since my needling...I have seen some results on my scarring,
  rolling/atrophic type w/that orange peel look to it. Nothing dramatic though.
  But still, encouraging enough to make me want to try another session or two.
  Karen who posts on this board has had two sessions and continues to see
  results. From all indications I think some of my scarring is similar to hers.

  My procedure cost $125. If you go to a Tatt parlor, they usually charge by the
  hour. I've heard figures of $400 for a full face session. No it didn't make
  things worse. Just make sure the place is sterile, the person doing the
  procedure is confident and know's what they are doing.

  I would suggest a test area or small patch prior to going full face or
  something like that. Plan for some down time, you'll be red/pink for a while

  Ok, hope that helps, good luck in your endeavors.

  cb
 

 

  my microdermabrasion results -- girlygirl, 14:33:59 02/11/03 Tue

  i've had mild acne on my face, chest and back since i was 13 (i am 20 now). i
  dont have severe acne but it's annoying and bothersmoe nevertheless to always
  feel that i'm so close to obtaining acne-free skin... but not. and breaking
  out like crazy every time i have my period is no fun either. anyway, i
  recently got six microdermabrasion treatments done on my face, chest and back.
  on my face, i've seen really great results... it's helped to clear up a lot of
  my acne... but my main goal was to lessen the scarring (which it did!). i dont
  regret putting the money into it that i did. but i'll be straightup, i've had
  friends who've gotten it done who have seen little to no results... so before
  you go invest your money into it, i recommend asking several dermatologists
  and aesticians for their honest opinions.

  one word of advice: do not go to a person who says they will perform
  microdermabrasion on you even if you have severe acne. it does no good to have
  microderm done on severe acne. only get it done if your acne is no longer
  active or if you have very mild acne. otherwise, your money goes to waste.
 

 

  Collagen -- Sonja, 12:25:00 02/11/03 Tue

  I am currently on accutane (Jan 6th)and was wondering if it would be ok to
  also have collagen injections in my smile lines. I was hoping to have this all
  done for my May wedding.
 

 

   Vitamin "K" -- Mike D, 11:04:31 02/11/03 Tue

  Anyone heard anything about vitamin K creams?
 

 

  TO DORRIE -- alex, 00:04:18 02/11/03 Tue

  Hey Dorrie,
  I had my first 2 subsicions done at Dr Harris And Noodlmens office, by dr
  Harris, in Campbell/Los Gatos CA.
  THen my last 2 were done by Dr Gladstone, at Stanford. He is the best
  dermatologist in the world in my opinion. Very knowledable, and caring, and
  doesnt rip off his patients like some private practice derms do.
  Hope that helped you.
 

 

  Dallas/Fort Worth Doctor? -- Linda Lou, 19:23:33 02/10/03 Mon

  Is anyone aware of a skilled/experienced dermatologist/plastic surgeon in the
  DFW area who performs scar revisions (subcisions/excisions, etc)?

  Many thanks, in advance.
 

 

  Dermabrasion -- Dermabrader, 18:36:27 02/10/03 Mon

  I THINK THIS IS THE THIRD TIME SOMEONE ASK, BUT IS THERE SOMEONE WHO HAS
  UNDERGONE DERMABRASION SHOWING SUCCESSFUL RESULTS? I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE
  SOMEONE'S ADVICE.
 

 

  To Linda blah blah blah! -- Enigma, 07:13:50 02/10/03 Mon

  How long has your brother suffered? Has he tried milder medications like
  minimyocin etc.

  16 is too young to be on Accutane. I heard it can stunt your growth.

  If he doesn't have cystic acne and he is scarring then he is doing something
  wrong. Either it is his diet or he is squeezing and picking at his face.

  Accutane is a last resort and the doctor was right in refusing you.
 

 

  Coblation -- Ram, 10:18:08 02/09/03 Sun

  Has anyone heard of/tried Coblation for treating acne scars? It sounds
  effective. Below is a paragraph from http://www.dralmeyda.com about this
  procedure.

  -----
  COBLATION
  Coblation, a patented process, stands for "cold ablation." It was designed to
  improve the effectiveness and safety of standard surgical methods. Coblation
  uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to remove unwanted, damaged tissue through a
  significantly cooler process than that of lasers.

  Unlike a laser, Coblation disintegrates damaged tissue layer by layer, giving
  your surgeon precise control and the ability to remove and sculpt tissue while
  causing minimal damage to adjacent healthy tissue. This patented technology
  transcends current technology by reducing the pain and discomfort associated
  with other forms of facial rejuvenation and promoting a more speedy recovery.

  Coblation appears to be more predictable and safer than other treatments:

  There is less pain associated with Coblation than other skin rejuvenation
  treatments

  There is no bleeding

  These is less chance for pigmentation change as observed with other skin
  rejuvenation treatments

  Dr. Almeyda can visually judge the effect of the treatment as it is performed

  A level of control can be achieved that is difficult with other treatments

  Coblation surgery requires shorter recovery time than traditional treatments

  It combines the speed of a laser with a faster recovery time

  Coblation is a relatively gentle process. Treatments last from a few minutes
  to one hour depending on the size of the area being treated. Coblation
  treatments gives the physician precise control. The process stimulates the
  collagen regeneration beneath the outer layers of sun-damaged or acne-scarred
  skin to provide a softer, younger look. Fine lines and wrinkles are removed in
  a precise, bloodless fashion, providing excellent results. Coblation Facial
  Rejuvenation is performed with local anesthesia.

  This procedure may be performed in our office. With this new method of facial
  rejuvenation, treatments can be tailored to meet each patient's needs.

  Coblation is considered cosmetic and therefore is not covered by insurance.
  The patient is responsible for payment. The specific risks and the suitability
  of coblation for a given individual can be determined only at the time of
  consultation. All procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications
  that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are
  rare.