Sorry about your conditon, i tried looking it up and it seems to be really rare. Maybe you should try Healthboards.com? or similar?

 

Thanks. I am open to any suggestions. I have already posted on Healthboards.com. I hope someone is familiar with my condition. These scars caused by it are hardly visible but I dont want to think how I would be in a couple of years if the disease is progressing at a faster pace. Basically, it means loss of collagen in the skin. No scholars know nor the cause of its sudden appearance or its causes.

I was wondering if anybody else has noticed pitted scars just suddenly appearing, especially on the cheeks, with no apparent cause (no inflammation or anything from a pimple). A google search on "spontaneous scarring" brings up Atrophia Maculosa Varioliformis Cutis (AMVC), supposedly a very rare condition in which this happens. I've noticed in my case, as well as others in medical case reports, that noninflammatory comedones seem to be associated with AMVC, but do NOT directly cause the scarring. I've had a hunch both might actually be sometimes caused by a "stealth virus," and I am trying Aldara cream on my face, wich is used to treat various skin viruses.

 

Just curious if anyone else has been dumbfounded by spontaneous scarring, or if I really am extremely unlucky.

 

Hi,

I am replying to an old message of yours even if I don't know if you are an active member. I am so sorry to hear that you were or are coping with AMVC. I was just diagnosed, and I am just very scared and a little bit scarred. I have never had scars on my face or acne problems. My nightmare started last year (summer of 2005) when I felt my skin itching on my cheek. I thought I was allergic to somenthig, or I was bitten by a bug. I didn't pay any attention. A scar appeared in the same exact spot. I thought it would go away, so I didn't pay any attention. I changed my mind when I noticed the story happened a couple of times without no apparent reason. I went to the dermathologist and tried different creams for skin irritations. Though the speacialist didn't know right away what it was she put me on Differin ( increases collagen production).

Only now after a year did she found out it was AMVC.

I would be more than grateful if you shared with me your experience.

Ela,

I'm impressed that you're doctor was able to diagnose AMVC without mistaking it as a result of something else like acne. I read you didn't have acne, which probably made it easier to diagnose. As for myself, I started getting mild acne at 24 (by the way how old are you?) before I noticed scars appearing for no apparent reason. My dermatologist didn't believe that the scars appeared spontaneously, attributing them to my mild acne. But when I google searched spontaneous facial scars, AMVC came up and perfectly explained my condition. I would not be surprised at all if this condition is highly underdiagnosed, which a research journal article also suggested.

Although the condition is only of cosmetic significance, it definitely can be very upsetting, especially because there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Being of minor significance and fairly rare, research into it is nonexistent. After a while though it hardly bothers me psychologically any more, and itas progression appears to have slowed down (Iam now 25). For awhile though I was very obsessed and upset about it, but now I realize itas of such little significance in the great scheme of life, and I donat at all obsess about my appearance any more.

The only thing I can recommend for treatment is to use a mild facial cleanser and donat excessively wash your face and donat use facial medications of any kind (they wonat help and may just aggravate). And just accept that it is what it is, and thereas nothing you can do about it, so donat worry about it. Compared to the common moderate to severe acne scarring, the AMVC scars are relatively shallow. I admit acquiring facial scars for no reason can be painful, and I could imagine that for you being a girl might make it even harder than it was for me to accept. But when you look around, you can see that the whole purpose of life is to endure unpleasantries, and this is a relatively minor one. And if you find it difficult to ever get over this relatively minor affliction, scar treatment such as laser or dermabrasian should be considerably effective on such shallow scars, as suggested in a journal article I saw.

Take care,

Jesse

Ela,

 

I'm impressed that you're doctor was able to diagnose AMVC without mistaking it as a result of something else like acne. I read you didn't have acne, which probably made it easier to diagnose. As for myself, I started getting mild acne at 24 (by the way how old are you?) before I noticed scars appearing for no apparent reason. My dermatologist didn't believe that the scars appeared spontaneously, attributing them to my mild acne. But when I google searched spontaneous facial scars, AMVC came up and perfectly explained my condition. I would not be surprised at all if this condition is highly underdiagnosed, which a research journal article also suggested.

 

Although the condition is only of cosmetic significance, it definitely can be very upsetting, especially because there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Being of minor significance and fairly rare, research into it is nonexistent. After a while though it hardly bothers me psychologically any more, and itas progression appears to have slowed down (Iam now 25). For awhile though I was very obsessed and upset about it, but now I realize itas of such little significance in the great scheme of life, and I donat at all obsess about my appearance any more.

 

The only thing I can recommend for treatment is to use a mild facial cleanser and donat excessively wash your face and donat use facial medications of any kind (they wonat help and may just aggravate). And just accept that it is what it is, and thereas nothing you can do about it, so donat worry about it. Compared to the common moderate to severe acne scarring, the AMVC scars are relatively shallow. I admit acquiring facial scars for no reason can be painful, and I could imagine that for you being a girl might make it even harder than it was for me to accept. But when you look around, you can see that the whole purpose of life is to endure unpleasantries, and this is a relatively minor one. And if you find it difficult to ever get over this relatively minor affliction, scar treatment such as laser or dermabrasian should be considerably effective on such shallow scars, as suggested in a journal article I saw.

 

Take care,

Jesse

Well, I've finally found the explanation to my skin problems. After reading these posts, and the medical report online, there is no doubt in my mind that I suffer from AMVC. When I tell derms that I get scarring without ever having acne, that can't explain it. Now I now. My scar type, location, everything is just as described in the online medical report. Wow. So, it sounds as if there is nothing to be done. I can stop using harsh acne face washes which have done nothing but aggrevate my sensitive skin.

Here's the thing: I have my first Fraxel (Fraxel 2) appointment scheduled for this Friday. Will Fraxel 2 help scars caused by AMVC??? I hope you two who have posted read this!

are you completely sure you have gone to a doctor and talked with them about it? To me it seems that all you have done is self-diagnose yourself, and you should really go to a doctor as well and talk to him/her about your situation.

I've had some rough spots on my cheek, like dry skin it seemed, that I would take a little needle and kind of "scrape" off, and it leave a little dented scar. Weird.

Guys, do the scars form randomly or is there always redness or irritation followed by the small scars?

I wanted to make sure people were more aware of this.

I have been talking to Lamarr1986 and it seems I have been suffering from this

I recently took a cod liver oil supplement and with the help of lamarr1986 I think this is probably what has caused it.

Here is a picture of a scar that has spontaneously appeared in the last few hours.

It is not the best quality but I have highlighted where the scar is

/

If you have previously been on accutane, you shold stay away from fish oil, vitmain a and fatty acid supplements.

what a scary idea ! i've heard pretty regularly that people who have had accutane tend to get a degree of scarring. not to mention the damage it seems to give to the body. i was offered it for my minimal acne about a week ago and told them off completely and stood my ground. the wackoes. the downsides seem to be far too great. unless i suppose, if you have major acne and really need it. best bet then is to probably lay off the fish oil and hope your scarring improves !

Wow this is very scary.. is there any hope scarring of this kind will go on its own?

I suppose it is like any scarring, they can improve on their own over time, Lamarr who suffered from the same thing tells me they respond well to dermaroller.

How long after accutane can the skin do this?

Any time, I took roaccutane nearly 7 years ago and I am suffering from this now after just one week on cod liver oil.

Wait.. I don't understand this... How could some oil do this? What about other foods? And does the skin scar easier even after waiting one year after Accutane? How am I supposed to get the scars fixed if the skin starts to scar spontanious too? This is one big pile of shit, this acne I mean.

I have been talking to lamarr, and he says this is way more common than you might think.

I will try to explain as best I can from lamarr told me.

Supplements like fish oil contain high levels of vitamin a, this causes swelling in the dermis in people who have taken accutane which is what causes the scars.

Not everyone suffers from this and they do stop, you should just avoid supplementing in fish oils, fatty acids and vitamin a.

Don't worry too much about your food intake, just be sensible and not eat too much of one thing, it's the supplements that causes it.

Are you sure it's mainly supplements? Fish has alot of omega3 fats which should have the same effect?

If your're worried about it then don't eat too much fish.

Dude, a scar cannot spontaneously appear suddenly. Either you didn't notice it before or you probably put your head somewhere where that indentation came.

Yes it can.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1117185-overview

Hey guys about the fish oil. I had posted on another thread about recently getting new scars out of now where after simply doing a roll with 0.5 mm and then using retin-a. I was told that the retin-a could have contributed to scarring and that I do say I believe because these scars are many, faint and out of the blue! Lamar told another girl about AMVC scarring that retin-a can cause as did Tj101 that said he now has skin very prone to scarring only after using retin-a. Well I quit with the retin-a since my skin has really declined and not getten any better. But now my question is I know that using fish oil is not recomended with accutane but what about after having had recent effects from retin-a like this?What the heck do I do now?I have been taking fish oil, so should I quit taking fish oil and never risk touching my face again?

One last question, and would coconut oil fall under this type of fatty acid to stay away from as well?

Wow I don't know what to say other than i'm amazed at this posting. I do not want to be insensitive at all, but come on now people. That disorder you speak of seems to only be in children and young adults, and is extremely rare. Yet who ever lammarr is has come to the conclusion that accutane, retin-A, and fish oil cause "spontaneous" magical scarring out of no where. Does accutane cause scars, yes it does not let damaged skin heal properly, does it cause spontaneous magical scars out of no-where, um ok thats hard to believe. On top of that, who ever Lamarr is, came to the great conclusion that past accutane use, plus present fish oil use, equalls spontaneous scarring or even this disease you speak of.

There are great benefits to the skin using fish oil, why scare people with something so crazy and absurd. This means that countries who have high omega-3's in their diet and use accutane, such as asian countries, must all be walking around getting sponaneous scars. Go to the doctor and find out why you have that scar on your forhead, I am 100 percent certain it isn't because you injested omega-3 fatty acids.

Lamarr went to doctor chu with the information about spontaneous scarring and he agreed that this was what what he had, I am 22 and lamarr is 23, and the condition is most common in young adults.

looks like flat discorlation to me

Heres my issue is that whether it is whats happened to me or it is didnt I still dont know where the heck I got so many new superficial scars from,only after doing a light 0.5 mm roll. I was using retin-a and taking fish oil. Now Im in a spot where I dont know what to use because coconut oil(topically and internally) fish oil and aloe vera(topically) was in my regimen.Also for health reasons. And there are alot more fatty acids than you realize when you start paying attention. I know some from your diet is okay but it looks like I have been taking several fatty acids, maybe too much? I hope it wasnt but Im really to paranoid to use anything at this point???