Acne.org Products
In 2007 when I was 14 years old I developed random scarring and red marks on both sides of my face. Over a week period they grew substantially to where they took up the majority of thesides of my face. Im 26 now and I have had several laser treatments, many chemical peel treatments, facials, and a microdermabrasion treatment. The marks are pink in color and blend in with my face, but I never have been able to improve the texture of these marks to my liking. Its been the most bizarre thing. Every once in awhile Ill get new marks, but nothing major has developed since that one week 12 years ago. Its frustrating because Im beginning to wonder if I will never be able to get rid of these marks, and even more frustrating because of how fast they appeared and how I never even suffered from acne on the sides of my face! Im fortunate that Ive always been able to cover the marks with my hair though, so its all about counting blessings!
I can relate to some of the people on this thread. In 2007, when I was 14, overnight I developed some red marks and scarring on the sides of my face. Over a week period this scarring grew to where it covered the predominant amount of both sides of my face. Through many chemical peel treatments, laser treatments, fillers, micro-needling and Isolaz I was able to reduce the color of the marks to match my skin tone, however, I have never been able to completely get rid of the marks which has been disappointing as Im now 26 and still dealing with them. Every once in awhile I notice some new ones, but nothing very major. Ive been very blessed that my marks have been confined to the sides of my face, and Ive gotten away with hiding them behind my hair. I do hope that one day Ill be able to get rid of the marks completely, but if I cant I will continue to refuse to have my quality of life impacted by them. I also should note that Ive been taking Doxycycline on and off the last year and found it helpful. I also have been on retin-a since developing the marks and swear by it, even going a lot of people are saying they dont like it. I think when random marks appear its a person by person case and everyone will respond differently to treatments.
On 7/24/2019 at 11:03 PM, boafriend said:There are no updates from anyone. I've been pushing this thread for a couple pages now, crying out for more insight from others who are having or have had this issue.
I just found this thread and can share my recent skin developments....
I've had widespread, inflammatory acne since age 12--my first pimple at age 10--and cystic acne since age twenty-two. I took birth control for 18 years but stopped it nearly 3 years ago, due to it causing/ irritating other health issues. Since then, my skin has developed the majority of my indented scarring from my cystic acne. (I have PCOS, but without the weight gain and facial hair.)Some mystery scarring has appeared on the front of my face (cheeks), in several areas that did not have a cyst.
So I spent years battling acne, quite successfully, with birth control. Then I go off birth control and *POOF!* I'm becoming riddled with rolling scars. (I also have one very large/ deep boxcar scar and one pitted scar, both from areas at which I'd picked.)
i have what a dermatologist called "superficial icepick scars" that comes out of nowhere. the doc told me icepick scar in superficial form is hard to treat as TCA Cross doesn't work on them. but that's only 1 doc opinion btw.Anyway my suspect for mine was they were indeed inflamed or clogged pores since they surround an inflamed acne scar. sometimes my clogged pores could be so big and visible all of a sudden as well especially during my retinol treatment. i need to squeeze them a bit. i don't even see anything during the extraction just a slight clear liquid that i think from squeezing it too hard. but then the pore would go back to smaller again.so yes i think in some cases it could be formed from clogged or inflamed pores underneath.
i also see some pictures of AMVC as most of them are really not visible to others, it could be probably due to loss in collagen underneath. as for the reason why all of a sudden in that specific area and normally in linear or circular form of collagen loss, i do hope further medical journal could provide the explanation. i also have one in my forehead and i hope i could stimulate the collagen with needling still. it also happened all of a sudden and the derm i went to also suspect there was an acne there whilst clearly there wasnot. she also told me we will experience collagen loss as we age though i don't feel i'm old enough to have depleted collagen and why all of a sudden randomly in that area is still a mystery. i would think collagen loss due to aging would be more in a uniform pattern and not just a bit here and there in particular shapes.
On 8/13/2019 at 3:32 AM, poorbunny888 said:i have what a dermatologist called "superficial icepick scars" that comes out of nowhere. the doc told me icepick scar in superficial form is hard to treat as TCA Cross doesn't work on them. but that's only 1 doc opinion btw.Anyway my suspect for mine was they were indeed inflamed or clogged pores since they surround an inflamed acne scar. sometimes my clogged pores could be so big and visible all of a sudden as well especially during my retinol treatment. i need to squeeze them a bit. i don't even see anything during the extraction just a slight clear liquid that i think from squeezing it too hard. but then the pore would go back to smaller again.so yes i think in some cases it could be formed from clogged or inflamed pores underneath.
i also see some pictures of AMVC as most of them are really not visible to others, it could be probably due to loss in collagen underneath. as for the reason why all of a sudden in that specific area and normally in linear or circular form of collagen loss, i do hope further medical journal could provide the explanation. i also have one in my forehead and i hope i could stimulate the collagen with needling still. it also happened all of a sudden and the derm i went to also suspect there was an acne there whilst clearly there wasnot. she also told me we will experience collagen loss as we age though i don't feel i'm old enough to have depleted collagen and why all of a sudden randomly in that area is still a mystery. i would think collagen loss due to aging would be more in a uniform pattern and not just a bit here and there in particular shapes.
I never got a doctor to agree or find that my scarring is not acne related, so its interesting that you encountered a doctor who did (granted like you said, its just one doctors opinion).
However, Im in the same boat with you in terms of the random collagen loss in weird shapes. I have small pockmark and linear divots that have formed since 2013, but the worst have been 2 linear indentations (like oblong cylinder-like indents) near the sides of my noseboth which have formed within the past year.They look like what would be nasolabial folds, but like youIm kinda too young to have these (I dont smoke or drink or do drugs, either). Theyre very noticeable and their appearance only temporarily improves when I apply my hyaluronic acid toner and serum in my skincare routine.
I saw my rheumatologist again like I had mentionedearlier in the thread and his only solution for now was to run more bloodwork since its been 4 years since I last saw him. He thinks the positive ANA reading I have isnt anything big to worry about...he also said he doesnt think I have an autoimmune issue or disorder. But he cannot help with the .scarring and random lines on my kneecaps.
On 8/13/2019 at 4:02 PM, poorbunny888 said:i have what a dermatologist called "superficial icepick scars" that comes out of nowhere. the doc told me icepick scar in superficial form is hard to treat as TCA Cross doesn't work on them. but that's only 1 doc opinion btw.Anyway my suspect for mine was they were indeed inflamed or clogged pores since they surround an inflamed acne scar. sometimes my clogged pores could be so big and visible all of a sudden as well especially during my retinol treatment. i need to squeeze them a bit. i don't even see anything during the extraction just a slight clear liquid that i think from squeezing it too hard. but then the pore would go back to smaller again.so yes i think in some cases it could be formed from clogged or inflamed pores underneath.
i also see some pictures of AMVC as most of them are really not visible to others, it could be probably due to loss in collagen underneath. as for the reason why all of a sudden in that specific area and normally in linear or circular form of collagen loss, i do hope further medical journal could provide the explanation. i also have one in my forehead and i hope i could stimulate the collagen with needling still. it also happened all of a sudden and the derm i went to also suspect there was an acne there whilst clearly there wasnot. she also told me we will experience collagen loss as we age though i don't feel i'm old enough to have depleted collagen and why all of a sudden randomly in that area is still a mystery. i would think collagen loss due to aging would be more in a uniform pattern and not just a bit here and there in particular shapes.
i always wondered about AMVC Scars ....when i look my amvc scar closely (not so easy) as scar are on my side of cheeks but when lookedclosely they appear as normal skin texture with indents
when you monitor amvc scar closely they resemble normal skin texture and properties but just dented...i dont think skin appendages are lost in AMVC dents as most of times lost in scars from trauma chicken pox etc
amvc scars are just indents in skin due to elastin and collagen loss and it resemble normal skin but with dent
whats your guys views in this
11 hours ago, Anish004 said:i always wondered about AMVC Scars ....when i look my amvc scar closely (not so easy) as scar are on my side of cheeks but when lookedclosely they appear as normal skin texture with indents
when you monitor amvc scar closely they resemble normal skin texture and properties but just dented...i dont think skin appendages are lost in AMVC dents as most of times lost in scars from trauma chicken pox etc
amvc scars are just indents in skin due to elastin and collagen loss and it resemble normal skin but with dent
whats your guys views in this
Right. But at the end of the day, they are still scars since they appear due to loss or lack of collagen/elastin. Regular indented scarring forms for the same reason.
10 hours ago, boafriend said:Right. But at the end of the day, they are still scars since they appear due to loss or lack of collagen/elastin. Regular indented scarring forms for the same reason.
not every indented scar is same....deep indented scars have lost skin appendages and with collagen while amvc scar only lost collagen and elastin i think
In my opinion, it could be both since ones i have on my cheek had 1 inflamed acne nearby which seems to affect the nearby area (or it could be from enlarged/ clogged pores that don't get inflamed but changed in appearance). But one in my forehead seems to loss its collagen all of a sudden. There's no trauma or whatsoever in the surrounding area. I think it's a subject that's pretty difficult to be proven clinically and would still remain mystery in years to come since it must be hard to follow each individual skin history and what's happened underneath it
I can't really see the indent you mention. What i see is only nasolabial fold which i think gets deepened due to loss of collagen. Have you ever heard of face yoga? Not that i've tried it but i think it would do lesser harm than any treatment plus it's definitely increase blood flow into the face. It has exercises for lessening the appearance of nasolabial fold. Might worth a try
13 hours ago, poorbunny888 said:In my opinion, it could be both since ones i have on my cheek had 1 inflamed acne nearby which seems to affect the nearby area (or it could be from enlarged/ clogged pores that don't get inflamed but changed in appearance). But one in my forehead seems to loss its collagen all of a sudden. There's no trauma or whatsoever in the surrounding area. I think it's a subject that's pretty difficult to be proven clinically and would still remain mystery in years to come since it must be hard to follow each individual skin history and what's happened underneath it
I can't really see the indent you mention. What i see is only nasolabial fold which i think gets deepened due to loss of collagen. Have you ever heard of face yoga? Not that i've tried it but i think it would do lesser harm than any treatment plus it's definitely increase blood flow into the face. It has exercises for lessening the appearance of nasolabial fold. Might worth a try
Yeah, I agree. Indentations are still due to loss of the same stuff, whether its structural (damage from acne)or due to unknown reasons (such as AMVC). I just dont understand how something so traumatizing has not been reported or researched. There are like 3 or 4 medical journal publications on it with no further insight. From these forums, it appears a lot of people are suffering from this.
And thanks for the insight. The indent is very noticeable though and formed out of nowhere. Its super noticeable in that pic I posted....its like 3in long. Ididnt have it in July and in beginning of August, it formed within a week. I feel real nasolabial folds form slowly over time and not spontaneously. Im also just 30 years old. Doesnt make sense to me.
AMVC is only found in young people sochildren to 40 years old in any case reports I have been able to access. I am sure many others have it but doctors are not definite in the diagnosis and if you had any prior acne they will just say its from that.
i wish they had more data to atleast if its progressive or after some time it will stop. From what I have read mostly new scars stop occuring but I read cases where it stopped then started again.
I think doctors don't research enough or care to diagnose these cases because they aren't typically deep scars and are asymptomatic.
7 hours ago, Skinweird58 said:AMVC is only found in young people sochildren to 40 years old in any case reports I have been able to access. I am sure many others have it but doctors are not definite in the diagnosis and if you had any prior acne they will just say its from that.
i wish they had more data to atleast if its progressive or after some time it will stop. From what I have read mostly new scars stop occuring but I read cases where it stopped then started again.
I think doctors don't research enough or care to diagnose these cases because they aren't typically deep scars and are asymptomatic.
Yeah. Ive PM-ed some older members from this thread but it seems many of em havent logged in for years. I would just like someinsight from others. I feel I am one of the few who have been here for years and have come back to give updates.
On 6/4/2018 at 10:51 AM, SLSL said:It's a myth that avocados contain a lot ofomega 3. They do not if you do some studying. They docontain mostly monounsaturated fats. I've been to all kinds of doctors about my condition, and yes, unfortunatelynone of them will believe that your scarring came outof nowhere.It's up to you to do some trial and error to see what helps and doesn't help. I would say treat your body as if you have an autoimmune disorder. My conclusion is that our skin is being tagged as a threat/microbe and attacked by antibodies. As people with the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis' joints get attacked; as people with multiple sclerosis' nerves get attacked, etc. They all have somethingin common... a virus laying within the body that goes in and out ofremission. I think mine comes from yeast on the skin.But we need to address our immune system. Maybe take natural antivirals or antifungals(I haven't tried that yet but am going to, but there will be die-off symptoms aka things may get worse before they get better). Unfortunately,you're going to have to be your own doctor.
I totally agree with you! I am in the same boat. Started getting this scarring around the time I took doxy antibiotics and another med and then started getting very strange symptoms including scarring, rashes, and unintentionalweight loss. I don't actually have an autoimmune disorder but also think this is a yeast and/or bacterial issue. I finally found a dr that agrees. Just out of curiosity, did you figure out if yours was in fact due to yeast and has it stopped?
Have there been ANY updates from ANYONE?
It's disheartening how dead this thread is. I've found a handful of people on places like Reddit and MedHelp with the same exact issues, but there are no updates or responses from anyone
I continue to have little divots and lines form every few months.
Been getting this for a few weeks, I feel so upset. Ive noticed some weird phases over the last few months from noticing new freckles, rashes, hives etc to now this. Ive also had trouble sleeping, and now get burning / itching sensations on my face -indents on my cheeks/eye area &forehead, I dont know what to do or think. I was on doxycycline for a year which I stopped earlier this year. My skin was FLAWLESS which is why its so hard to get over. IM ONLY 19 and it feels like Im losing myself!! I really do hopetheres light at the end of the tunnel. I have the doctors in a couple days and I just hope I get referred to a dermatologist, also thinking about doing some dermapen. Im so upset its unbelievable..
On 12/14/2019 at 11:00 AM, AJ_UK said:Been getting this for a few weeks, I feel so upset. Ive noticed some weird phases over the last few months from noticing new freckles, rashes, hives etc to now this. Ive also had trouble sleeping, and now get burning / itching sensations on my face -indents on my cheeks/eye area &forehead, I dont know what to do or think. I was on doxycycline for a year which I stopped earlier this year. My skin was FLAWLESS which is why its so hard to get over. IM ONLY 19 and it feels like Im losing myself!! I really do hopetheres light at the end of the tunnel. I have the doctors in a couple days and I just hope I get referred to a dermatologist, also thinking about doing some dermapen. Im so upset its unbelievable..
Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry you have this happening. There really seems to be a connection between doxycycline being taken and/or retinols being topically applied and this scarring later happening. And for some, over-exfoliation causing it.
Whether this scarring stops or not really varies by person. I've personally been having this shit for 6 years now, with March 2020 marking 7.
I'm not sure how your doctor visit went, but most dermatologists are not helpful whatsoever. And Dermapen may help reduce what you currently have over time, but it's hard because if the spontaneous scarring continues, you'll only be playing catch-up with something you can never stop. Sorry for the negativity, but 33 pages in, this is what this stupid supposed "disease" comes down to. Please update me though.
On 12/26/2019 at 6:21 AM, boafriend said:Thank you for sharing. I'm sorry you have this happening. There really seems to be a connection between doxycycline being taken and/or retinols being topically applied and this scarring later happening. And for some, over-exfoliation causing it.
Whether this scarring stops or not really varies by person. I've personally been having this shit for 6 years now, with March 2020 marking 7.
I'm not sure how your doctor visit went, but most dermatologists are not helpful whatsoever. And Dermapen may help reduce what you currently have over time, but it's hard because if the spontaneous scarring continues, you'll only be playing catch-up with something you can never stop. Sorry for the negativity, but 33 pages in, this is what this stupid supposed "disease" comes down to. Please update me though.
Hey, funnily enough things have been improving, I cut out dairy this last month and have been taking antihistamines daily, my scarring has definitely improvedand I can say the itching has definitely reduced, I barely even notice it, my complexion looks a lot better and my allergies seem to have got better, my skin has got flakey and dry however with the use of diprobase its now controllable,thanks for the response. Im sorry to hear youve been going through it so long, Im hopeful that because Im young Ill grow out of it. Good luck, Ill try to stop in now and again, but so far so good. Whatever happens, Im going to not let it hurt me, Im blessed to be on the earth as it is, some people arent so lucky!
On 12/27/2019 at 6:36 PM, AJ_UK said:Hey, funnily enough things have been improving, I cut out dairy this last month and have been taking antihistamines daily, my scarring has definitely improvedand I can say the itching has definitely reduced, I barely even notice it, my complexion looks a lot better and my allergies seem to have got better, my skin has got flakey and dry however with the use of diprobase its now controllable,thanks for the response. Im sorry to hear youve been going through it so long, Im hopeful that because Im young Ill grow out of it. Good luck, Ill try to stop in now and again, but so far so good. Whatever happens, Im going to not let it hurt me, Im blessed to be on the earth as it is, some people arent so lucky!
Weird, I quoted you but my response vanished.
Good to hear you are seeing an improvement. I was young when this scarring started but it never fully went away. It seemed to have stopped for a couple of years or so but started up again a year ago for me.
I just started cutting out dairy completely from my diet mainly because of cystic acne, so well see where that goes. And I have heard of taking antihistamines, but just dont want to rely on taking a pill everyday. It cant be good in the long run too.
Update me if anything changes!
I've been talking to myself in this thread for months. Does anyone have experience with coffee/tea contributing to this? I read from this thread that those drinks can contribute to random scarring.
20 hours ago, Fakir said:Definitely a curiosity.
You're fortunate to not be suffering from this. I've had this shit for 7 years now to no end. Some people experienced this horror and had it stop in a few months. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.
Are there any updates from anyone or people experiencing this? I don't get why this thread is so dead...this is a serious issue (albeit with zero cure and low chance of a positive diagnosis or understanding from medical professionals).
I haveconnected with people on Reddit who have experienced this random scarring too. This thread, however, is the biggest source online for this exact issue. Fifteen years' worth of people experiencing this.