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Hello. I've got a consultation appointment with Dr. Yarborough at the end of the month to see if dermabrasion would be good for me. (I'm extremely pale and have tons of red marks on both cheeks and temples, as well as some ice-pick scars.) I've been discussing this procedure with my mother, who talked to her dermatologist this morning. This derm noted that dermabrasion is very invasive (true), but said if you are going to have it done to do it with Dr. Y.
She also said that she has had good experience with the smoothbeam laser. Have any of you guys tried that out? Reading the other thread on this site, it seems that people have had very mixed experiences, which I guess is what happens with most procedures. I'm reluctant to spend possibly thousands of dollars on a procedure that won't do anything. I'm also not sure if anybody actually does smoothbeam in Louisiana, although I'm sure that can be discovered pretty easily. It would be making sure that person is reputable that would be difficult.
annak: Please research other options in addition to Dermabrasion. Dermabrasion will actually make you redder for a while and most people have said it does little or nothing for icepicks. Please be aware this is a very invasive procedure with a fair amount of "down time". Just my thoughts.
is TCA cross okay for fairly shallow scars...how deep do ice pickes have to be? i don't have any scars that look like deep holes, i can stretch them and see their base if that's any type of explanation : )
BTW, tamara, I saw your before and after pics for the TCA cross, did you do a bunch of little scars there's a definite improvement and no rednes at all in the second picture!
Yeah - Tamara, did you post any pics of your progress on TCA CROSS? Have I missed something? I wanna see the pics! 
To get back on topic, my plastic surgeon spoke to me about dermabrasion recently and she feels that it should only be considered by people as a last resort, due to the possible complications leading to new scarring.
I told her about the results people had been getting with Dr. Y and she said she wondered if he was using something other than the traditional wire brush method of dermabrasion, as people who have had wire brush dermabrasion can often be left with somewhat uneven skin texture.
Perhaps it's just due to Dr. Y's skill with the procedure that we haven't heard of anyone having complications with him?
Let's try and put it this way, dermabrasion should be considered a last resort since in the hands of an unskilled person it can do damage. It's logical for other doctors to say this. As let's say you can take a pill to control cancer or have it surgically removed, they will opt for the pills since it's safer and can give good results but the cancer will never be completely removed.
What i'm trying to say is that it depends on the hands of the practicioner, i have searched and dermabrasion is used for other things than acne scars, so before you get scared and let's say against dermabrasion remember this is a medical procedure, this is not something Dr.Y does that he invented and is practicing on his own. This is a recognized procedure that he can do better than most anyone else based on his experience and knowledge. There are risks, as well as there are risks in getting a nose job, boob job, liposuction, laser etc etc etc
It's not a matter of do the risks outweight the benefits, it's a matter of being smart and choosing what you think is best for you, we all know most acne scar revision techniques don't work to an extent where we can be happy, well most of us with the results, dermabrasion seems to provide the best results and can be done more than once( animegirle), if you are considering the procedure do like me, send him a letter, you got nothing to lose. When he calls me i'll place all the risks questions since i don't think my soul could take a worst outcome and i am a nervous person, but that's not what seeking help is about, we have to be possitive and sometimes believe that there are good things out there.
Thanks, Oursfans, for the advice. I'm trying to be levelheaded about the whole scar reduction process, although it is always emotional when you are talking about scars and appearance and the whole business. When I went to ask my derm about this, after being off Accutane for a year, he suggested either dermabrasion or CO2 laser. The thing he said was that I probably wouldn't be satisfied with something less drastic.
I've ruled out the laser, read too many negative things about it. But I did make an appointment with Dr. Y (I'm in South Louisiana, so it isn't a big deal) to just get an opinion on dermabrasion. I'm so fed up with the whole acne/acne scar scene (I'm 30 and have dealt with this stuff for 15 years or so), that part of me just wants to go all the way and do something that will actually work. I'd say most of my scars are what I think people call "rolling" -- similar to the ones in Poe's pictures, although I've probably got a bit more. I also have some ice icks, which I didn't really see in her photos.
My mother talked to my childhood derm, who suggested smoothbeam. But that seems like a real crapshoot. Plus, it seems essential to get someone who knows what they are doing -- a lot of people seem to have blistering problems. That would definitely happen to me if something went wrong, I've got sensitive skin. Which is something I need to check out with Dr. Y in terms of dermabrasion too, come to think of it.
I would like to offer my thoughts here. Personally I do not think dermabrasion is an invasive procedure at all. What is invasive is having to live your life unhappy because you can't do the things you want to. I have recently seen someone undergo an entire knee reconstruction and that's what I would call invasive. They are fixing the knee we are fixing our face, it is not easy so undertaking minor things are like to have minor impact. The only invasive thing for a guy is wearing the make up and trying to keep it on all day, but other than that it honestly is nothing.
PortlandBoy, I personally have not had any uneven texture. I am 4 & 1/2 weeks since mine and have practically healed. I am still slightly pink but no unevenness at all. My skin is so much smoother. I have had absolutely no complications from this procedure. Out of over 10,000 dermabrasions the only complication Doctor Y has to my knowledge is one infection from a lady who tried to put make up on after two days (why anyone would try this is beyond me but anyway). Of course some people may have uneven texture after wire brush, but was there wire brush performed by Doctor Y? Why do people fly all over the country to see him as opposed to the local surgeon. Also people were flying to see him long before he became known on this forum. In fact when he gave a lecture in Berlin in the early 1980's the speaker introduced him as a man who had given over 30,000 dermabrasion to which Doctor Y laughed under his breath thinking, "Just how old do you think I am"!
Most of the posters on this post I take it are from the USA, some even from New Orleans. In my opinion you guys don't realise how lucky you are to have someone like this within easy access. There are many skilled doctors throughout the world but how many excel just at dermabrasion? Many today are trying to find an easy tool to use like smoothbeam, laser etc regardless of whether it produces results. I guess the bottom line is those asking others doctors opinions need to realise their opinion is often based on an alterior motive or without real knowledge of the subject . I had a doctor here in Sydney tell me I would get no improvement by going as the Diamond Friase and the wire brush were identical. Of course he had never had a dermabrasion, nor performed one using both but felt an authority to speak on the topic. Whereas another told me to definitely go as he had spent time in Doctor Yarbouroghs office for many months and was trained under the man and saw what the wire brush could do. Thank God, I listened to the latter's opinion as I felt his opinion was based on much more substance.
I can't believe I can't wait to get this done. I hate going to the dentist for a teeth cleaning.... and I'm anxious to get my face brushed off with a wire brush!
I think its because I've suffered for so long and it feels like I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank god for LOVE and POE posting their pics and everyone sharing their experiences in such great detail.... it really gave me the extra push I needed.
I don't even really feel uneasy about this because I totally trust Dr. Y. I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a doctor that cares so much about his work, to the point where at 70 years old he's still practicing. It's just unheard of I think.
I'm so excited... lol
JOHNSYDNEY:
Hi John,
Do you have any pics at all? Since I'm a guy, I'm very curious to see how dermabrasion looks/works on a guy and the pics on the net are very limited. Many more pics of women are available than guys it seems. Plus you've had it done by the same doc that I will be having it done and I'd love to see your results. If you'd rather keep that private I'd totally understand. I plan to buy a digital cam or good quality non-digital cam this weekend and post my before pics. I will try to keep a log like LOVE and POE did and take pics each morning for 20 days or so and will post them as soon as I get home. I'm from Louisiana originally so I will be visiting with my family for the two weeks following the procedure.
Chloe, and others who asked: I have had subcision done as well as a few test spots of TCA CROSS....
Also, while I understand that dermabrasion can be an excellent procedure for certain types of scarring in skilled and experienced hands, I must say that from what I have read, I feel it is invasive. Here is some of what the procedure entails for those who are less familar:
"...With continued planing the superficial reticular dermis is reached. Bleeding becomes brisk and confluent. This surface is much rougher and represents exposed dermal collagen. Dermabrasion beyond this point should be reserved only for the most experienced. Significant scarring can result from imprudent planing in this level and beyond. Saline-moistened sponges or sponges soaked in a dilute epinephrine solution can be applied to treated areas.
Avoiding excessive pressure on the handpiece is important, since this can result in gouging...." - from emedicine.com
Link to more info:
http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic514.htm
I am incredibly happy that so many people have been pleased with their results, but there are also a number of people who have not had pleasant experiences with dermabrasion. I was hoping to express that there are many types of scar treatments and that dermabrasion is not the only option and may not be the best option for some people and certain types of scarring. Everyone is free to express their thoughts on dermabrasion - we need not all agree upon the subject. Annak - thanks for listening and I wish you the very best in your quest. 