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The possible complications of dermabrasion:
http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic626.htm
COMPLICATIONS Section 9 of 11
Dermabrasion may produce profound improvement in the quality of facial skin, but it also has potential complications. Results and complications generally are related to the depth of wounding, with deeper wounding providing more marked results and a higher incidence of complications. Complications are also more likely with certain skin types.
Erythema generally subsides within 90 days, but postinflammatory hyperpigmentation may occur. Patients at increased risk include those taking oral contraceptive pills, exogenous estrogens, or other photosensitizing medications. Application of topical hydrocortisone lotion and/or a short course of systemic steroids may lead to earlier resolution of erythema. Other treatment options include transretinoic acid, glycolic acid, or hydroquinone. Accompanying pruritus may be treated with oral antihistamines. The skin typically is sensitive to the sun following dermabrasion, and this also may be a source of hyperpigmentation. Instruct patients to use sunscreen daily for 6-12 months following dermabrasion. Patients also should be instructed in the appropriate application of camouflage makeup.
Hypopigmentation is the result of melanocyte destruction or inhibition. Being of neural crest cell origin, these cells do not possess the ability to regenerate or divide. Hypopigmentation has been encountered most frequently when using phenol as the peeling agent, and this has led many to abandon phenol in favor of other agents. Hypopigmentation is more noticeable in more darkly pigmented patients. Hypopigmentation may be difficult to assess until erythema has subsided, and, unfortunately, it is permanent at this point. Pigmentary changes are much less likely with dermabrasion than with alternative techniques such as chemical peeling or laser resurfacing.
Delayed healing may lead to hypertrophic scarring, which is the most devastating complication following dermabrasion. Hypertrophic scarring requires close follow-up care and aggressive early treatment. Topical or intralesional steroids, silicone sheeting, pressure application, and scar massage may improve outcome. Pulsed-dye vascular lasers have been used with some success during the erythematous phase of hypertrophic scarring. Scar excision or further dermabrasion may be necessary for unsatisfactory results.
Infectious complications are unusual but demand vigilance and aggressive therapy with oral and topical antibiotics. Treat pseudomonad infections by washing the face with equal parts water and distilled vinegar. Treat herpes flare-ups with oral and topical acyclovir until resolution. Most of these lesions respond rapidly and completely to treatment and rarely cause scarring. Milia, ie, intraepidermal collections of keratinaceous debris, appear as small white cysts. Treatment consists of lancing the cysts with a needle or scalpel.
what hotels are near hospital?
Leafsfan did Dr.Y say you may have pigmentation?
Portlandboy, congratulations! Surely the worst is over and you'll be healing each day I'm surprised that Dr. Y was "agressive" on you because it didn't seem like your scarring was very deep. It would make sense that a deeper treatment would yield greater results! Good luck to you...thanks for sharing...and wishing you a great holiday with speedy healing!
I remember Dr. Y told me that he had many Asian patients before and none of them had pigmentation problems that can't be fixed with a topical cream. He told me to strictly avoid the sun and the wind, which I'm following. Although I don't know if skating fast in an indoor hockey rink so that air blows on your face counts as "wind". I had put a lot of moisturizer on my face before the game anyhow. That should help I think.
Thanks guys...
Day 3, and 2nd dressing change this morning. Today was a bit more tender than yesterday. It takes about an hour or so for the dressing change. Tomorrow it all comes off (thank god) and I begin my own post-op care. I'm very swollen and can't even recognize myself in a mirror right now. All is normal Cassandra reassures me... and that I'm healing well and am on track. Some larger islands of new skin are emerging. I feel really exhausted although I have been sleeping alot. The oozing was worse yesterday than the day before and Cassandra said it should be actually subsiding, not getting worse, so that is a bit puzzling to me. Hopefully today is a bit more dry, it's been gross at times (especially when I go to the bathroom and tilt my head to drain the chin area - it kinda makes a little cup that fills up - ick). I can see the pores emerging, they are yellow and look like milia but Cassandra says I don't have any of that yet. They are little yellow dot like things. Oh well, that's it for now I guess. I'll be back on again later.
I feel my face was burning during the dressing change.A Anything touching my face was extremely painful; anything from the gauzes' wipe to the tweezers part.A Pain pain pain.A Maybe I'm from Canada so I'm used to the cold.A I ski a lot and play ice hockey regularly too.A I played tonight (not sure if I was allowed to but i figured 3 weeks was enough) and we won 4-0.A I still take the freezing spray over the cleaning anyday.A I guess everyone does experience pain differently.A Good luck with the healing and update us on your progress.
I didn't find this part very painful at all. A little more painful today than yesterday (today is 2nd time changing the dressing). If I had to rate pain it would go like this:
Scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being most painful.
2 shots of dermerol: <0.5
Freezing Spray: 6-7 (worse around nose, upper lip and hairline) For me it was like having a brain freeze from eating ice cream too quickly.
Rotating Brush: 1.5
Application of soaked gauze (antibiotic ointment with pain reliever of some kind): -3 ( very soothing)
Application of vigilon: 0
Application of gauze: 0
Application of Nexcare coban bandage: 0
Dressing Change:
Shaving Foam/Gauze cleaning: 1.5
Tweezing away vigilon: 2.5 (guys, this is rougher for us because of our whiskers)
Re-apply vigilon: 0
Re-apply gauze: 0
Re-apply coban bandage: 0
Sitting/Resting/Sleeping:
Oozing: 2 ... this seems to be more painful for me than it should be. It's been pretty uncomfortable. (dripping, nasty, and for some reason sorta painful)
Moving around: 2 (tender, sensitive to movement)
I'm actually staying in New Orleans East (Best Western Avalon)... it's right off I-10 and about a 15 min car ride to Dr. Y's. I did this to save money. It's about $45 a night and parking is free... free paper... continental breakfast... high speed internet... and all the other standard stuff. I booked as a package thru travelocity.com. It's not really a bad area that I'm in, in fact I think its perfectly fine, but New Orleans East has a reputation for being a harsher area.
There are lots of hotels around Dr. Y (within like 1 mile) that are more expensive and parking is usually extra.
Congrat. on your dermabrasion Portlandboy, and good luck healing.‚ Still hard to wonder how one can pass out like that though
BTW, by aggressive do you mean he went deeper?‚ I will actually be requesting that he go a bit deeper for me, as that will determine the outcome.
I don't know why I passed out. Did anyone else get really woosy when getting these shots? I must pass out pretty easy... if you've ever seen the movie Hanibal, I got equally woosy (just shy of passing out) when he was eating his own brain toward the end. So maybe I'm just a weak person when it comes to this kinda stuff. Although, I've seen myself bloody now two days in a row (after dressing changes) and it's had no affect on me.
Cassandra said Dr. Y was pretty agressive and he confirmed this a little later. I have to think he was because I'm still very bloody in some areas. Mainly my cheeks are where he went deeper. Especially around my upper lip where the mole was removed and the chiken pox scar area. Keep in mind I can see see the individual scars right now, and he said to expect this.
Also, I should mention, I had a weird mole (not round, but rather flat) that was like 2" by 2" on the side of my head near my side burn area. This is different from the raised mole that was removed from my upper lip area. This flat mole (which was basically this huge brown spot on the side of my head) is gone. He did say that this type of mole may come back in time. I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't.
Hope that helps. Good luck, I know yours is coming up.
Portlandboy23
I'm actually staying in New Orleans East (Best Western Avalon)... it's right off I-10 and about a 15 min car ride to Dr. Y's.A I did this to save money.A It's about $45 a night and parking is free... free paper... continental breakfast... high speed internet... and all the other standard stuff.A I booked as a package thru travelocity.com.A It's not really a bad area that I'm in, in fact I think its perfectly fine, but New Orleans East has a reputation for being a harsher area.A
How safe is the area and the over night parking in the hotel's parking lot? I am considering driving to New Orleans from NYC in either the MR2 or the M3 for my dermabrasion in late March.
Hi Portland Boy,
Don't worry about him going deep. He went deep on me both Cassandra and him said to me I gave you a "very deep dermabrasion" and he told Sharon Meyer "that means pushing harder against the areas" because he wanted to get the most out of me when I was there and I have had no problems. Maybe with the men he can go a bit deeper as our skin is tougher. NB this is a not a medical opinion!
M3!!! You're loaded! Hehe. What year? SMG or plain manual? Actually I thought about getting an M3 for the longest time. But for now, I'm happy just driving my Civic+CRV around.
I was oozing quite a bit, had to use the kleenex to absorb the fluid. Want to hear something disgusting? I was drinking my juice from a glass and the oozing fluid dropped from my nose right into the glass. I noticed that drop. Might have been some I didn't notice. Hahaha. Guess my drink was spiked!
The yellow-dot-like things are the soft crusts I believe. That's good news. New skin coming out.
Nope...I am not loaded!!! Since I am hideous with no social life and work long hours I spend my pay check else where. It is an 6 spd E46 with ZCP package. It should be here by mid Feb.
The area around the Best Western Avalon is fine. Parking is fine. It's right off the interstate. There is a major shopping mall just across the way.
The hotel is located at the Read Blvd (exit# 244)
Glad I didn't stay at the Motel 6... looks like lights out for a couple young ladies
Everyone please be careful while staying down here. Be aware.
Portlandboy, listen, don't worry about passing out........I'll be doing the same when the receptionist gives me the invoice. (ha ha)
Hey, did you take a cab from 15 miles away? If so, what did it cost? I'm also going to stay further out. I rented a car, but it sounds like Dr. Y doesn't give the full dose of pain relief if your driving yourself. Thanks!
Portlandboy, listen, don't worry about passing out........I'll be doing the same when the receptionist gives me the invoice. (ha ha)
Hey, did you take a cab from 15 miles away? If so, what did it cost? I'm also going to stay further out. I rented a car, but it sounds like Dr. Y doesn't give the full dose of pain relief if your driving yourself. Thanks!
I am lucky enough to have family here, so I'm having a family member bring me to and from Dr. Y and my hotel. I couldn't imagine driving around like this myself actually. It's hard to see with the mask. It is actually quite an easy drive from this hotel tho (Best Western Avalon). I believe a cab would be about $20-25. Well worth the extra pain medication. I could have used even more I think.
Is it just me, or do the ladies of this board experience less pain then the gents? I'm just starting to notice this. LOL
Portlandboy, listen, don't worry about passing out........I'll be doing the same when the receptionist gives me the invoice. (ha ha)
Hey, did you take a cab from 15 miles away? If so, what did it cost? I'm also going to stay further out. I rented a car, but it sounds like Dr. Y doesn't give the full dose of pain relief if your driving yourself. Thanks!
I had the procedure then I drove back to my hotel (Grand Boutique) right after. I think I had the full dose. Two shots in the butt and a pill under the tongue. Dr. Y and Cassandra were very concerned but I know myself and I told them I could handle it. It's harder to do a shoulder check. You just have to completely turn sideway b/c your peripheral view is obstructed but that's all there was to it.
When I got back to the hotel, I was fully awake. I think the adrenaline got me going. I had to take the sleeping pill to go to bed. I'm telling you this because you might feel differently after the procedure.
Also, please keep in mind that while New Orleanians (and people from Louisiana in general) are very nice, and accommodating people. However, when they get on the road, that changes 180. You'll prolly see some of the most uncourteous drivers while down here. It's also a sue happy state. Be very careful when driving. It's not as bad as NYC, but not too far.
Today is day 4 (bandage to be removed for final time)
Today seems to be the day with the most swelling for me (is that normal?)
I also don't think I'm healing very well - I was still very bloody red yesterday. Very little new pink skin coming in.
I'm also in a little bit of pain... likely from the swelling and the pressure of the mask. It's not too bad, but bad enough to merit mentioning. I think I might ask for a pain killer. I've been taking Tylenol Extra Strength every so many hours (not exceeding dosage)... I've not yet touched my sleeping pills. Does anyone know if the sleeping pills Dr. Y prescribes also has some kind of pain medication?
I can barely open my left eye. My right eye is OK.
My oozing is still happening, but not as bad as yesterday.
I feel like I could use the mask for at least one more day, still too raw. Did anyone else feel this way at day 4 (when final mask is removed?)
I'm very uneasy about this and would like some kinda of reassurance. I will also ask Dr. Y of course, but wanted to know how things were for you guys that had it done at this point.
Also, please keep in mind that while New Orleanians (and people from Louisiana in general) are very nice, and accommodating people. However, when they get on the road, that changes 180. You'll prolly see some of the most uncourteous drivers while down here. It's also a sue happy state. Be very careful when driving. It's not as bad as NYC, but not too far.
I think I'll spring for a cab ride to be safe....thanks for your comments!
Portlandboy, I do think some women have a higher threshold for pain...I've had Dr.'s (dentists and M.D.'s) tell me so. I don't know why this is the case. Personally, I haven't found anything to be as excrucitating as giving birth
I think you've done great. I hope your healing goes well. If it's any comfort, I was severly swollen after a TCA peel for a week. My eyes turned into little pig slit eyes. The swelling did go away. If you're finding swelling uncomfortable, call Dr. Y for a steroid and rest propped up a bit. Keep your spirits up...we are all rooting for you!
Dr Y. said I was on track, maybe just a few hours behind most of you guys on healing. But I also had my Dermabrasion on Monday at 3PM, so I didn't get a full 72 hours in bandages.
I was really swollen this morning and in a bit of pain.
Dr. Y gave me vicodins - woo hoo... I love these.
Pain has subsided almost 100%.