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10% glycolic acid did this to me. I had never used a chemical exfoliator before and after using it for a month or so I am left with random scars that came out of nowhere, mostly icepick looking scars, and big pores, all on my cheeks. Chin, nose and forehead remained the same. It has been just over a year now and some of my icepick scars look smaller but still there. I am still trying to learn to just live with it because I don't know that it will ever go away, and I am dealing much better mentally than I was at the start of this. I am thankful that I don't get scars anymore. I stay away from anything harsh, though I had a relapse and more scars when I tried vitamin c topically a few months back...more acid, smart move...though some of those newer scars are gone now, which is great and I feel lucky for that. Like you, my skin was damn near perfect before all of this, so much so that I would often get complimented by strangers, told I look like a "china doll" with my smooth, pale skin. Now I look like shit. Such is life. I guess looks don't last forever. I try to count my blessings. I have two beautiful children and honestly I realize nobody could give two shits about my face but me and most people probably don't notice. it's just that it bothers ME when I look at myself. So fucking depressing. I want my old face back so I no longer have to mentally prepare myself every time I look in the mirror. I hope for healing for all of us dealing with this shit.
oh and about meds, I took Xanax at the start of this and it really helped me sleep those nights when I felt panicked and my heart was racing. It helped me not to care so much. I am just like you in that this has affected me greatly. Everything was going great and then this happened and I was crying everyday and more depressed than I had ever been in my life. I don't mean to sound like such a downer, though. I am doing a LOT better now and never feel that panic or need to take meds anymore. It has taken me a while to get anywhere near accepting this but I have some days where I hardly even think about my face and just enjoy life.
Stay the Hell away from acids, scrubbing, ANYTHING that could possibly irritate your skin. I wash my face with plain water, gently, no wash cloth just my hands, pat dry with a towel. I have been using green tea as a toner lately and some of my pores look better, but too soon to say if it will really help in the long run. What are you using on your skin now?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrophia_maculosa_varioliformis_cutis
"AMVC is quite difficult to diagnose, for reasons including the depressed box and ice pick scars being very similar to that caused byAcne vulgaris. A confident diagnosis can be made if such scars recently appeared without present acne and without a history of acne."
I have a theory for the dents that are supposedly appearing out of nowhere - hear me out: Acne has the potential to destroy the underlying fat depending on the severity of inflammation inthe pimple. So in your case, it could just be that the damage was alreadydonein the dermis but the "dent" was quickly filled or covered with abnormal epidermal tissue, therefore giving it a healthy look. I think that when you started exfoliating you were slowly stripping the epidermal tissue therefore slowly revealing the true scar that has likely always been there. No science here, just my two cents.
Basically, you have to treat them as if they were acne scars (they basically are in my eyes) by non-exfoliation procedures or you can potentially "reveal" more scars.
Subcision and or cross tcaare two viable options!
Good luck
DarkHeart,
appreciate the reply...I'm currently using dermalogica gentle cleanser and moisturiser, and bio oil at night.
since the first time at 16 these marks appeared, I had times when Iused 18% glycolic acid foaming wash and I never had any adverse reactions from it...is it possible that different people have different triggers?? As in mineonly occur when there is something physically harsh applied to the skin??
Robert,
i guess it's a possibility...I myself have never received a pit from a spot by its own means...I have never had severe spots, just surface whiteheads which I thought no way could get deep enough to cause dermis damage
One note only, my random scarring began probably as a result of subscision. so, I advise you to stay away from it for as long as you deal with this problem.
Robertitoo's theory has some merit imo. I know (at least for myself) that this condition affectspreviously scarred tissue the most. But I hardly believe thatthe cause is just the physical damage, there must be some sort of inflammation in progression(maybe elastolysis?) that has been triggered by it. If you are willing to search more, I suggest searching about diseases of scar tissue.
I thought that too, Robert. I have a cluster of tons of tiny hole like scars that all appeared around an old chicken pox scar from my childhood. I also never had severe acne on my cheeks so maybe it is hidden damage from the chicken pox? What a bullshit thing, man. If I knew this shit was lurking beneath the surface I'd have never used an exfoliator. I just wanted rid off a bit of dead skin on the surface, not the entire top layer to reveal a mess. Fml.
15 hours ago, *DarkHeart* said:I thought that too, Robert. I have a cluster of tons of tiny hole like scars that all appeared around an old chicken pox scar from my childhood. I also never had severe acne on my cheeks so maybe it is hidden damage from the chicken pox? What a bullshit thing, man. If I knew this shit was lurking beneath the surface I'd have never used an exfoliator. I just wanted rid off a bit of dead skin on the surface, not the entire top layer to reveal a mess. Fml.
Please look into Subcision!
1 hour ago, Robertitoo said:Please look into Subcision!
Is subcision used for very shallow scars? these scars really are tiny so I am almost afraid (almost? no, I am terrified...lol) to do any kind of treatments. They do look smaller than they used to so they seem to be improving on their own at least. It has been just over a year. I plan on trying a dermastamp sometime next year if things don't continue to get better.
This whole thing has truly put a fear in me that anything I do to my skin could make it worse. I had acne as a teen and it really sucked, but this random scarring is a whole other monster. At least with acne scarring there is a rhyme and reason to scars that result from it. With this shit, the scars seem to make no sense and it's scary trying to treat them because the scars are different, you don't know how they will respond. i put vit c on my face a few months ago and another few holes appeared within half an hour, and vit c is said to help scars. It really is a nightmare.
I've had random dents and pock marks unrelated to any acne along with severe hyperpigmentation. The holes started 6 years ago after a minor facial laser and over the years My skin sunk and got holes. The hyperpigmentation has escalated over the past 2 years and I'm sure all the facial creams and bleachers I've used have made everything worse. I feel like there's nothing I can do. I've spent thousands with drs who tell me theres nothing I can do... I was thinking about a chemical peel, but now am concerned that may not be best...also with stem cell concentrated fat grafts. Any thoughts?
I have holes that just show up too ever since I had an erbium laser treatment and other lasers to help. It's been going on9 yrs of this. Nothing has worked. I had fat graft and it went away after a couple months so now I got filler. it looks bumpy at the moment, I also tried some tca 80% and they said it was supposed to form scabs but it never did. Just red marks I'm dealing with now. I have tried peels and needling and also saline injections. I have to wait ti Jan to do more since I'm red and healing from the injections and tca I too have spent thousands on my skin and after all the treatments it looks a bit better but has holes showing up. Oh and the doctor who did the fat transfer used an ipl machine on me and gave me more scars and dents. So sick of this. So once Jan comes around i'll needle harder and do a tca again in the pits. I wish something would work for me. I have dents and skin missing that looks like the machines they used. Horrible so I wouldn't go for any more lasers I only get damage from them all. I tried fraxel, fraxel dual, restore, smoothbeam, perfecta and affirm in the last 9 yrs. I was thinking of subcision for some and there is a machine called the infini that uses a radio frequency, a friend is trying in Jan along with a subcision so i'll see how she likes it first before trying it out. Esp since I'm out of money it cost around 900 a treatment and they say you need a few.
I am dealing with all the same things. It began with some post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I began used retinol, acids, everything to lighten them. They of course got much worse, then my skin began developing holes and pits and whats worse, is that they're have hypo and hyper pigment mask like patterns over the scars. I look worse than a burn victim. therefore, I was considering getting stem cell fat transfers...hoping it would give my skin a second life. No doctor has ever told me anything correct, just "use more of these horrible topicals and lasers." Stem cell fat transfers are highly risky. Again, going into the unkown with how your skin will respond and it's my own personal diagnosis because drs are utterly worthless. Also, my t-zone stays red and inflamed, then center of cheeks are where the scarring persists, then side cheeks are brown splotches...I got it all...hit the jackpot:/ I also noticed my t-zone has stop making oil, which is sign of healthy functioning skin. My forehead still "works" and has no marks. Please keep sharing so we can figure this out.
I've been reading through these comments and totally relate to your going through. I've had numerous of treat mental for scars nothing helped. Probably got worse to be honest. Ive also been seeING scars pop up out of nowhere. I've become totally depressed and living a lie pretending things are OK when they are not. Before this thing happened to me I was at a stage of acceptance but now Its got out of hand . The scar in your picture I see are exactly like mine expect deeper now. They are all weird shapes and sizes like triangular. I live in Liverpool England I know if I went to a dermatologist they would tell me it's nothing or haven't got a clue and it will be a waist of time. I really need help. It's ruining my life
On 2016-01-13 17:44:40, andyc192 said:I've been reading through these comments and totally relate to your going through. I've had numerous of treat mental for scars nothing helped. Probably got worse to be honest. Ive also been seeING scars pop up out of nowhere. I've become totally depressed and living a lie pretending things are OK when they are not. Before this thing happened to me I was at a stage of acceptance but now Its got out of hand . The scar in your picture I see are exactly like mine expect deeper now. They are all weird shapes and sizes like triangular. I live in Liverpool England I know if I went to a dermatologist they would tell me it's nothing or haven't got a clue and it will be a waist of time. I really need help. It's ruining my life
May you post a picture where we may view it in a higher quality?
@andyc192 I'm sorry, what scar?
I don't think AMVC is a thing. It seems like most people "get it" from using exfoliators. Exfoliators have a tendency to uncover damage that was already there. You might have gotten it from acne, chicken pox or anything really, even as a kid. I saw several new scars after I started exfoliating daily, do I think I have some weird disorder that doesn't even have proper research behind it? Or could it be that I'm uncovering damage that was already there? I'm gonna go with the latter.
On 1/21/2016 at 4:11 PM, FriskyCreek said:@andyc192 I'm sorry, what scar?I don't think AMVC is a thing. It seems like most people "get it" from using exfoliators. Exfoliators have a tendency to uncover damage that was already there. You might have gotten it from acne, chicken pox or anything really, even as a kid. I saw several new scars after I started exfoliating daily, do I think I have some weird disorder that doesn't even have proper research behind it? Or could it be that I'm uncovering damage that was already there? I'm gonna go with the latter.
I agree with you (for the most part, it may be a thing but very very rare and most of us probably don't have it). I don't have a scarring disease, I just over exfoliated. I am almost 100% sure of that. My skin starts to look better when I don't exfoliate at all. Scars still there, but they look softer. Will continue to not fuck with my face and just hope for the best. I was having a good skin week, scars were hardly even bothering me because they looked better, then got a break out. Rar. Such is life.
Also want to say that I got a small cluster of hole type scars around an old chicken pox scar that I had forever so I do also agree with your guess that it could be hidden damage even from childhood chicken pox. Wish I never exfoliated 
I'm gonna make this real short because I'm on the toilet and my phone's about to die...
been on accurate twice.. worked amazingly both times! Got away with super clear skin and no permanebt damage thank god! But after the 3 month mark I started getting spots again..I absolutely panicked..saw my deem, she said it wasn't bad enough for a low dose accutane course like I asked for..even tho I told her It was getting worse knowing my skin.. ended up getting accurate online.. off a very repu table site my friend had self medicated with and worked..
anyway..Theres a bit of backstop for you.. A week before I started my low dose of 20mg a day I noticed random scarring! Not super deep but like shallow rolling scars and long lines out of NOWHERE in places I didn't even have spots..I monitor my skin A LOT so I know they're 100% new.. A month to 5 weeks later and I'm still noticing new scars! Honestly wtf is going on I'm having a fanny fit! It can't have anything to do with the accutane because I had this shit starting a week before. I'm also getting like a rash of little headless come done looking bumps on my skin in clusters and apparently that and the random scarring are effects of a disease called AMVC..I'm pretty spsp00ped tbh! Please help! Oh I take vitamin C and Zinc tablets every day too and before any of this started..I used effaclar duo+ which used to sting a lot while I was using it..Only used it like 3 times tho but apparently it had salicylic acid in it.. If that's the cause then why am I STILL getting random scarring?
Update: So you know the crease type lines you have on your body from your bed when you wake up in the morning? Yeah? Well they don't seem to be healing now either!! I have a crease line on my left pec and usually it would take a few minutes to dissappear...its been a few hours and it's still there.. THIS IS DRIVING ME F%KING INSANE!