3 replies to this topic

[squivi55]

Hi everyone. Though I am a new member, I'm definitely not new to acne. I'm 26 now and I've suffered from acne since I was 11. At first it was isolated to my forehead and I got a few every few days. Once I turned 16, I got pimples everywhere - forehead, cheeks, chin, upper lip, back and chest. It was not pretty at all. Up until September 2011, I was using Stridex pads with Salicylic acid or BP (can't remember) and I even went to a dermatologist who cleared me up for about a month before my cystic acne came back at its usual rate.

After finally being sick of covering my face up with too much foundation, I poured my heart out to my mother. Coming from an Indian (Asian) family, she knew what the culprit was: the chemicals Salicylic acid and BP. She told me to immediately stop using anything with those ingredients, which I promptly did. My skin got worse, as expected, in the first few months. However, by February of this year, my skin started clearing up drastically. If I got breakouts (which I still do), they're smaller and quicker to go away without any topical creams/medications. Needless to say, I feel more confident, even with the few I get. I can manage those. My mother also told me that it's all psychological - what I think are 'a lot' of 'big' pimples, she can't even see! So that made me feel much better and happier. My routine is I just wash my face with mild soap and moisturize with Cetaphil moisturizing lotion.

HOWEVER, with that in mind, the leftover of the tons of acne has left me with scars - hyperpigmentation & indentations. Now that my skin is clearing up, the depressed scars are there and make me feel like garbage. I've been looking at home remedies to treat them, leading me to use sliced cucumbers on the affected areas for the past month. I think they've made a difference, but the scars still look terrible to me. I plan to continue using cucumbers, but I will also try out tomatoes, coconut water and sandalwood powder.

The point to my long post is that I'm (obviously) trying to get rid of the scars. What treatment options do you all suggest? I'm terrified of using lasers, microderms & any other invasive procedures because I have terribly sensitive skin. I would still like to have your advice, just in case I decide to pursue an invasive option.

Attached are pictures of the scars. Ignore the few pimples in picture 1, I have a feeling they're part of 'that time of the month'.

Thanks and looking forward to your help.

- Squivi

Attached Thumbnails

• 
• 

[squivi55]

I've begun to consider laser resurfacing, despite reading the horror stories from other people who've had this procedure done. I'm really getting desperate. Any advice? Is my skin tone too dark for laser?

[SoontobeMD]

Darker skin types are more at risk from hyperpigmentation due to lasers. Do you hyperpigment from acne lesions? If so, then it is likely that the laser would make you hyperpigment as well.

Another possible treatment for your scars which appear to be boxcar and ice pick would be TCA cross treatment. Good luck.

[TokyoGirl]

Based on my experience, TCA CROSS hyperpigmentation is more severe. I had a difficult time getting rid of all the burn dots on my face. After about 6 months, I was still suffering from dark dots, and the only thing that cleared it was laser, followed by a couple months of HQ. I half Asian with lighter skin than the poster. While I also suffered hyperpigmentation with laser, the area was even and faded much faster. Also, my small, deep icepick scars that were close together like the poster's scars bascially joined together and transformed into lines and wider indented areas. I strongly advise against TCA CROSS. I had mine done by a derm too, who was qualified to do the treatment. My skin just reacted poorly to it. It was the biggest mistake I ever made in treating my acne scars, while laser was the best decision I've made.