161 replies to this topic

[Pord]

Recent update! December 21.

Okay so here is a photobucket link of some recent pictures of my face. Please take note that this is about five months post Accutane. I took the photos in a few different types of lighting. I tried to use the harshest lighting possible.

Here is the link: http://s256.photobuc...er%2021%202011/

Note that a few of the pictures are of my face "stretched" when it is stretched most of the scars go away. . . .


Please let me know what you think . . . I am hoping that this is more of a texture/hyperpigmentation problem more than it is an actual scar problem.

If you have any questions please ask. I will be happy to respond. As of right now I am using Retin-A micro gel 0.01% and emu oil.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks so much!

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Hello!

Thanks for taking time to look at my post and help me out. Let me give you a little background information about my acne:

I have had acne on and off since I was 14 or so. It has never been a "problem" until I turned 20. When I turned 20 I started to get a little more serious. - I moved to Brazil about a year ago and that is when my acne really started to get bad. I had it all over my face. It would hurt so bad that is used to wake me up at night. I went to a dermatologist and started to take Roacutan (accutane). I took it for six months straight. I have been off of it for just a little over a month. It helped my face so much. The only problems now are that my face is red and has all these little red marks all over it. Also, I have these tiny little scars all over my face. I am not sure what type of scars they are.

As of right now my acne schedule is the following:

I wash my face once in the morning and once at night with the Acne.org face wash. In the morning I use Eucerin SPF 30 for sensitive skin (I am in the sun quite a bit). At night I use normal Cetaphil lotion. - As of right now I am not taking any vitamins or anything like that.


What type of scars/marks are these? Is there anything else that I should be doing or use to help my face?

I don't think that these photos do justice. These marks look really bad in natural light at an angle.

Here is the link: For the time being I am removing the link to the older pictures.

Thanks so much!

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Edited by Pord, 03 January 2012 - 01:55 PM.

[Karianna]

Hello!

Thanks for taking time to look at my post and help me out. Let me give you a little background information about my acne:

I have had acne on and off since I was 14 or so. It has never been a "problem" until I turned 20. When I turned 20 I started to get a little more serious. - I moved to Brazil about a year ago and that is when my acne really started to get bad. I had it all over my face. It would hurt so bad that is used to wake me up at night. I went to a dermatologist and started to take Roacutan (accutane). I took it for six months straight. I have been off of it for just a little over a month. It helped my face so much. The only problems now are that my face is red and has all these little red marks all over it. Also, I have these tiny little scars all over my face. I am not sure what type of scars they are.

As of right now my acne schedule is the following:

I wash my face once in the morning and once at night with the Acne.org face wash. In the morning I use Eucerin SPF 30 for sensitive skin (I am in the sun quite a bit). At night I use normal Cetaphil lotion.


What type of scars/marks are these? Is there anything else that I should be doing or use to help my face?

I don�t think that these photos do justice. These marks look really bad in natural light at an angle.

Here is the link: Take a look for me.

Thanks so much!

your scars are not very bad. your skin looks pretty nice over all. i would just use all natural products on my face if i were you to allow your skin to heal nicely and better. and maybe use some collagen to help smooth them out and plump them up

[Pord]

Hello!

Thanks for taking time to look at my post and help me out. Let me give you a little background information about my acne:

I have had acne on and off since I was 14 or so. It has never been a "problem" until I turned 20. When I turned 20 I started to get a little more serious. - I moved to Brazil about a year ago and that is when my acne really started to get bad. I had it all over my face. It would hurt so bad that is used to wake me up at night. I went to a dermatologist and started to take Roacutan (accutane). I took it for six months straight. I have been off of it for just a little over a month. It helped my face so much. The only problems now are that my face is red and has all these little red marks all over it. Also, I have these tiny little scars all over my face. I am not sure what type of scars they are.

As of right now my acne schedule is the following:

I wash my face once in the morning and once at night with the Acne.org face wash. In the morning I use Eucerin SPF 30 for sensitive skin (I am in the sun quite a bit). At night I use normal Cetaphil lotion.


What type of scars/marks are these? Is there anything else that I should be doing or use to help my face?

I don�t think that these photos do justice. These marks look really bad in natural light at an angle.

Here is the link: Take a look for me.

Thanks so much!

your scars are not very bad. your skin looks pretty nice over all. i would just use all natural products on my face if i were you to allow your skin to heal nicely and better. and maybe use some collagen to help smooth them out and plump them up

Thanks for the reply.

[Pamela4887]

Your skin looks FABULOUS!

[Pord]

Your skin looks FABULOUS!

You are too kind. Thanks. Are these scars, red marks, large pores?

[Brawn]

you have shallow scars

your options include laser, tca cross, tca peel, needling

[Pord]

you have shallow scars

your options include laser, tca cross, tca peel, needling

Thanks for the reply Brawn.

[Pord]

So would these be classified as ice pick scars?

[Brawn]

no, they do not fit in the distinctive classes of depressed scars, specifically icepicks, boxcars, and rolling

these are simply shallow scars

my personal suggestion would be either tca cross or laser. remember to do a test spot before committing to a single treatment

Edited by Brawn, 07 September 2011 - 11:20 PM.

[Pord]

no, they do not fit in the distinctive classes of depressed scars, specifically icepicks, boxcars, and rolling

these are simply shallow scars

my personal suggestion would be either tca cross or laser. remember to do a test spot before committing to a single treatment

Thanks again Brawn.

Shallow scars, gotcha.

What do you think should be done with those red marks (You can see them in the photos right)?

I will look into TCA Cross more.

[Brawn]

anytime

red marks are called hyperpigmentation. depending on your skin tone, these marks may range from shades of red to brown

hyperpigmentation fades on its own and this is the best method of getting rid of them

but for many people, including myself, it takes forever and a day, so we want to speed the process

in order to speed up the process, we can increase the rate at which the skin sheds and renews itself

this can be done by exfoliation, which causes the body to get rid of the melanin (the chemical that causes the pigmentation) more quickly. however, this is still a slow process
exfoliation processes include using facial exfoliation products, microdermabrasion, light laser peel, chemical peels, and going out into the sun (obviously not the best idea)

the faster method would be by using chemicals that destroy the melanin or inhibit its production
the most common chemical is hydroquinone, (michael jackson used this), but there are health risks associated with it. it inhibits melanin production, which means that it does not remove the extra pigment from the hyperpigmentation and you are still relying on your body to remove it naturally. but while your body is removing it, it is inhibiting your body from its constant process of producing melanin (which gives your skin its natural color) and therefore lightens the skin for as long as you use it. note that you should not use hydroquinone with benzoyl peroxide together because it will stain your face a brown color for a few days. you will pretty much see results overnight. it will make you pale, but again, the results last for only as long as you use it. hydroquinone can be bought at a pharmacy without a prescription

from my research, a more effective product is mandelic acid, which from my understanding destroys melanin and reaches deeper into the skin than any other lightening product. (hydroquinone does not affect the dermis, whereas mandelic acid does) however, this acid seems to agitate acne, so be diligent with your anti-acne regiment if you use this. you will see results within a couple of days. it will not make you as pale as hydroquinone, but unlike hydroquinone, it actually removes the extra melanin in your skin. this is the product that i use and it is very effective for me. MUAC sells the highest concentration mandelic acid (i believe it is 25%)

last, some lasers can also destroy melanin and like mandelic acid, also reaches the dermis. but there are often risks associated with lasers, such as additional hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, etc.

Edited by Brawn, 08 September 2011 - 02:55 AM.

[softly_softly]

Your skin looks good. It's not as bad as you think!

[Pord]

Thanks for the information Brawn.

Thanks for the compliment softly_softly.

Is there anything that I can do right now to improve my situation? I heard that I should not mess with my skin for up to six months to a year after I finish taking accutane (I have been off it for a little over a month).

Thanks again.

[Pord]

What I meant by the above comment is if there is anything I can take (pill, vinegar, etc) that will help for right now? Also, is there any oil or anything that I could pass on my face to help it (maybe emu oil?)?

Thanks.

[Pord]

Anyone?

[Pord]

i dunno, but if it makes you feel better, my skins much worse.



did those scars happen only in areas where u got acne?

Thanks for the response Timehealsall.

I am not sure actually (as lame as that sounds).

My face was covered in acne. ~ I will look for a picture to post on here (I didn't try to be in any pictures because of the acne).

[Pord]

So I went to the dermatologist two days ago. She told me that because of the accutane that I took I shouldn't take any medicine or pass any cream or anything like that on my face for at least another five months (I already have one month that I am off accutane). She just told me to pass more sunscreen . . . .

[Pord]

I have been thinking of getting some emu oil to maybe help.

Someone told me that I should not take any vitamins with vitamin A. They said it will make my scars worse. Is this true?