Progress..........the WHOLE picture....and its a good picture!

Hey all!

Every day I look in the mirror and analyze my scarring. I have spent the past two years trying to rectify the damage that acne caused to my (until approx. age 22) beautiful skin.

After each procedure by my Plastic Surgeon, I could tell small differences. But, when one 'section' of skin would start to look better post procedure, I would dwell on all the others that seemed to stand out like a sore thumb. My family/boyfriend/friends would all say it was looking better after each procedure. But I never saw it.

I had all types of scarring: ice pick, rolling etc mostly on my cheeks and chin. I started off on the Obagi Nu-Derm and saw some results. I had many excisions done and walked around with stitches hanging out of my face for a week at a time....(twice). I cried. I have had several ice pick scars crossed...repeatedly. I have had a crying breakdown at my Plastic Surgeons office. I have been dutifully applying my Retin A .1 nightly. I have had my skin peel off in the middle of work, flake off during meals etc. I wanted to give up. I suffered through a three layer blue peel with a measly 3 aspirin to tolerate the procedure. I wear sunscreen daily and hats when in the sun. But, I kept on. I read this message board faithfully and drew strength off the positive.

However, after working towards the goal of improvement, I somehow lost the mental picture of what I used to look like.

This evening, I was going through old pics on my computer while uploading ones from hiking today. I am SO AMAZED at the difference. Blown up, HUGE, on my screen was a picture of me at the beach almost three years ago. It looked awful! And you could see the ice pick scars around my nose from far away! I had hyperpigmentation from old scars and red marks from old acne. My makeup settled into the craters and looked like whitespots. Then I moved through the pics........and to today's pics. My skin is, in my opinion, a good 75% better. It is smoother, even toned....and I would dare to say: supple. The ice picks (up close on digital 'film) look like medium sized pores. The rolling scars and others that were excised are mostly gone.

I just wanted to post this. It is so easy as I trudge through this LONG process to want to give up, to see no difference, to want to cry and hide, and all the other things I have done/wanted to do. But, today, there is major change. Huge. And I finally see it all.

I wanted to post this in the scar forum because we are all in the same boat and could use some encouragement. I feel blessed that, today, I see the changes. Some small, some huge. But all better than when I began.

Hugs to all!

(PS.....I keep trying to upload pics to this site and all it tells me is that my pic is too big and to contact an administrator...........)

TCA Cross/Peel.....Exoderm....Dermabrasion?

I had BEAUTIFUL skin as a teen but when I turned 22 I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and put on massive doses of steroids. This caused my skin to break out for YEARS.....and it is finally under control. What few pimples I was still getting were greatly improved by a switch to an all organic diet (and only goats milk- no cow products). However, I am left with moderate scaring.

With all that said and my signature below....I am about three weeks out from a 100% cross applied by my PS. We have a second grouping of scars scheduled for March. I do have several questions though.......

1. Dermabrasion was suggested but I quickly shot it down. (Thanks so much to all the info found on the site).

2. I was then given two options.

a. Continue cross method followed by higher strength TCA peel (by PS). I was told by the doc that the peel would help with the shallow scars, but will need to be repeated. Downtime given was 10 days off from work (I work with the public).

b. Exoderm peel. While I love the results as seen in before and after pics.....this seems to be the riskiest given my weakened immune system from the Crohn's.

I would love to hear some experience from higher strength TCA peels (performed by docs) or those who have had the Exoderm done. Recovery? Pain? How long it took until you were able to be in the public?

Thanks in advance!