12 replies to this topic

[angel]

So I went to my derm today to get some cortisone injections. I have been using peels and copper peptides for 9 months and I would have said I had about a 50% improvemnet! Anyways, he really wouldnt know if my scars were better or worse cause I am sure he sees alot of patients and I hadnt seen him in like 5 months. He seemed like they were better though.

Anyways, I asked him about scar revision, and what he thought about AHA and BHA peels and topicals. He said that there was no way these products could do ANYTHING for scars and to call a derm who does scar revision if I wanted improvement.

This seems so ridiculous! I feel as if maybe I have NO improvement and its all psychological cause i expect that they must be better or something. I mean I have a long way to go still but that just made me feel like giving up!

I have been very diligent about my regimen and I never miss a day. I just think he must be full of sh** if he says that peels dont help at all.....

He is pretty weird by the way. But he did go to Yale.

Anyways, so who feels like they have REALLY gotten improvement from peels and topicals. How much improvement and how long have you been doing it!?Its hard for me to keep track of whats good on this board cause alot of people get so excited about products right away. Not that I can blame anyone. Otherwise I wouldnt be spending 100's of dollars a month on new things.

Plus I hear so many more people talk about how they got this surgery and that one for thousands of dollars and their scars never changed.

I just dont know. I cant even remember sometimes how my scars used to be, but when I see them in horrible lighting like at the doctors and then he tells me that peels cant do anything, i feel as if its all been a lost cause.

Sorry for the rant.

[larkenfoam]

Dermatologists do not always know best. All their knowledge comes from old medical books. If you think your scars look better, chances are they do.

[Rhiannon]

Hi Angel,
I just wanted to write and say that I have been to about 3 plastic surgeons in the past 4 years or so in hopes that I could find a quick fix to redmarks and some superficial scarring from previous acne. Not one of those doctors would perform anything surgical and instead all would suggest peels and retin A. I would go a few times for my peels but would end up stopping because it was just so expensive. I have since found the glycolic acid you can buy and perform at home. For the past 3 weeks I have performing glycolic peels once a week along with my normal washing routine and have also added vinegar twice a day. I have seen some remarkable differences in my skin so I do believe that the peels work in softening some acne scarring. I always check for improvements in the same mirrors so I can have a better idea of any improvements.

[understood]

Hi Angel,

My derm said the same thing about six months ago.

He said they look no different.

That was six months ago and at the time I was sure I was getting improvement and as you know I have been continuing with my regime every day and I am sure they are still improving but yes, it is real slow!

Because it is such a slow process that is why you have doubts. I do not know if I will ever flatten them all out completely but I do know that there are definitely some that have flattened completely and I also know the larger scars are smaller than they were this time 15 months ago (when I began treatment).

I am quietly optimistic and yet at the same time I am also concerned that improvement may stop as well.

I think that is the way it is when you want something so bad!

Best Regards

U

[laina]

I think the important things to remember here are that a) your derm/doctor sees you only occasionally, and even then, so briefly that they really do not know your skin the way you do yourself. If they have pictures, they may be able to make comparisons, but other than that, they will probably just look at you and see your scarring without noticing ANY improvements — unless they themselves gave you treatments to help improve your skin.

YOU will notice the improvements from topicals/peels, etc., because you are the one who lives with your face day in, day out. With the best will in the world, no derm will know your skin like you do.

I recently had laser — I can SEE improvements but some scarring is still there. When I went to see my doctor last week the best he could offer was "well, it's no worse". I left his office feeling extremely dejected, but then I remembered that even if my scars were minimal to start with, he would just look at my face and see that some scarring remained and comment on that. Bearing in mind that I am a VERY awkward customer, he should remember me more than most and he does — but all he has to go on are the pictures he has taken of my face before, and the recollections of my skin in his mind's eye.

Put it this way: he has pics from 3 years ago and 3 months ago just prior to my surgery. When I went to see him last week, he was looking at the pics from 3 years ago — even though my skin 3 months ago had improved a hell of a lot since those early ones were taken.

What i'm getting at here is simply this: these people see loads of patients every day; they have a few pictures and memories to go on. They are fallible, as are we all.

Please don't be depressed. If you believe you have had improvements, chances are you have. Don't let some throwaway remarks from a busy man/ woman who's quite possibly thinking about what he/she's going to have for lunch discourage you.

[On The Rocks]

get a second opinion

[Healtysceptic]

I think topicals like Glycolic or Lactic Acid peels make your overall skin tone look so much better that the scars do not look as disfiguring to your eye.

This in itself is great becuase if you can give yourself one of these five minute peels once a week you can sustain this fresher skin look indefenitely.

Then you need to have either dermabrasion for best results, or a form of filler like artecoll injected or a treament like TCA Cross to work on the scars.

But in the interim a weekly peel will make your skin tone & texture look better than it ever has. This is the minor victory that a peel can win in your skin battle. If you have any significant scarring peels will do very little to minimize them, in my opinion.
James

[Denise2]

I totally agree with Hsceptic. It's just a well-known fact that aha's don't do anything for scars UNLESS you are using copper peptides as well. But by themselves, they don't do a lot for SCARS.

Some people come to this forum and use the word "scars" when they are talking about RED MARKS.

Please keep in mind that if you see improvement, what does it matter what your derm says?

I'm not sure I understand your dillema. You have seen improvement, and you want further improvement? Is that what your lament is? There are many things you can with and to your scars mentioned on the boards here. But keep in mind that if you have gotten a lot of improvement so far, there may be no sense in doing more invasive things if what you are doing works.

With any procedure, there are risks. It's always best to start with the least invasive procedure and then go more invasive.

[angel]

thanks for your encouraging replys everyone!

Hi Understood!! How are you!?

Anyways, I think the thing is was that my scars were really severe in my opinion and they spanned over a large area. Now I would say they are moderate to severe maybe, but they still span over a large area and I still have a long way to go.

My derm just really discouraged me yesterday, and after about two hours of crying to my boyfriend, I decided F*** HIM!

I am going to keep going with my regimen. I dont care if it takes me 5 years of putting lotions on everyday to get improvement. I know people say that you cant really change severe scars, but every little bit of improvemnet makes me happier and I am not going to stop until I am happy.

If I can improve them even 20% more over the next year, then I am sure something like dermabrasion or some new tchnology may do the trick.

I wish I could just be happy with my scars and accept them, but since I can't, I am going to do all I can to change them. I am only 20 and I feel like if they are gone by the time I am 25, then I still have a long scar free life ahead of me. In the meantime I will continue to work or prohibiting them from controlling my life and self concept.

I feel like I know more about scars than my derm sometimes. I have studied them for so long. I know from EXPERIENCE. When I asked about peels maybe he thought that i didnt know that one 40% glycoloic peel wasnt going to change my life. Maybe i should have asked what exfoliating and copper peptides over three years can do....

anyways thanks for your comments. I think taht if we are all diligent and patient we can all have clear scarfree skin. If every little thing you do yields 10% improvement, then do ten things over a free years, and theres your 100%

Thanks everyone. I find alot of strength from this board.

[Healtysceptic]

Angel, I think your attitude is the right one, and realistic. We all want results and we want them yesterday. But if you keep chipping away at your skin problems in an aggressive and intelligent way you will see results. It will take time though. In the meantime judge your progress by your own observations not by someone who sees hundreds of patients who all meld together in his/her mind.
James

[Denise2]

angel: Most derms don't know about the scar repair capabilities of copper peptides when combined with peels.

Also, you always need to move up to higher aha levels in order to get good results on your scars.

I only go to my derm for retin a micro and nothing else. I have decided to take my scar repair into my own hands and have gotten excellent results over the past 16 months with needling and tca cross, copper peptides and peels, and PD Gel.

I have a ways to go, but so far am very, very pleased with my scar repair.

[ANGEL76]

hey have you tried smoothbeam?i went for my first treatment about 2 weeks ago and i have seen a change.poor us this really suks !!keep your head up girl you'll find something that will work for you if i did you will!good luck O:)

[Tai]

I seriously dont know what those derms learn in their medical school