your scars look kind of like mine, but mine are less deep. they seem to be a mixture of icepick/rolling scars. i don't recommend lasers because i dont think they generally help scars. look into dermarolling! you can find info about it here on the board. good luck!

It's a combination of icepick and rolling scars.

There are various kinds of treatments, but lasers are the most effective and depending what laser and settings you go with it can offer permanent results.

The type of laser a dermatologist will give you depends if you don't want downtime and if you still have active acne.

Fraxel Re:Store: A non-ablative laser with very little downtime. It can offer comparable results to Fraxel Re:Pair, but takes more treatments.

Fraxel Re:Pair: A CO₂ ablative laser (removes the top layer of skin) takes one treatment and has the most dramatic results, but also has a few weeks downtime. Many dermatologists would prefer the CO₂ laser over the non-ablative one, considering you have some deep-looking icepick scars.

Isolaz is used to treat active acne and help with some scarring. Fillers may be an option, too, but a dermatologist can customize your scar treatment the best.

Hope this helps!

Thanks, it definitely helps! I was talking to my dermatologist and she recommended a few treatments of the sciton laser as an alternative to fraxel:repair. I believe sciton is an profractional abalative laser, similar to fraxel but better? I'm not sure if it will be enough, so I'm considering all options including surgical options.

What do you guys think about subcisiion and chemical peels for the rolling scars and ice pick scars? I heard those can be effective.

Thanks, it definitely helps! I was talking to my dermatologist and she recommended a few treatments of the sciton laser as an alternative to fraxel:repair. I believe sciton is an profractional abalative laser, similar to fraxel but better? I'm not sure if it will be enough, so I'm considering all options including surgical options.

What do you guys think about subcisiion and chemical peels for the rolling scars and ice pick scars? I heard those can be effective.

 

Does your doctor offer Fraxel Re:pair? I wouldn't waste your time with Profractional. It's an Erbium laser that doesn't have a very good track record for producing results.

Reviews of Profractional:

http://www.realself.com/ProFractional-Laser/reviews

Subcision should provide you good improvement on your rolling scars. Like all treatments, it really depends on the skill of your doctor and whether your scars respond to treatment.

Thanks, it definitely helps! I was talking to my dermatologist and she recommended a few treatments of the sciton laser as an alternative to fraxel:repair. I believe sciton is an profractional abalative laser, similar to fraxel but better? I'm not sure if it will be enough, so I'm considering all options including surgical options.

What do you guys think about subcisiion and chemical peels for the rolling scars and ice pick scars? I heard those can be effective.

 

Sciton is an erbium:YAG laser (at least the ProFractional kind). I can see why she recommended the non-ablative one: CO₂ lasers are most often reserved for wrinkles and aging skin in the elderly, and the lifestyle of many patients won't be suited for downtime.

CO₂ lasers (Fraxel Re:Pair) are typically more effective than non-ablative lasers; however results from non-ablative lasers are quite comparable and in some cases they outperform the CO₂ kind!

Chemical peels, depending on the strength used, are typically temporary and yield mild improvement. Chemical peels may be initially cheaper, but lasers are more cost-effective in the long run.

Subcision is used for deeper scars, though it's effectiveness is debated. Laser resurfacing (and other treatments) have a more consistent effectiveness compared to subcision.

Just out of curiosity, what else did your dermatologist recommend? Did she explain to you how you'll be treated?

Sciton is an erbium:YAG laser (at least the ProFractional kind). I can see why she recommended the non-ablative one: CO₂ lasers are most often reserved for wrinkles and aging skin in the elderly, and the lifestyle of many patients won't be suited for downtime.

CO₂ lasers (Fraxel Re:Pair) are typically more effective than non-ablative lasers; however results from non-ablative lasers are quite comparable and in some cases they outperform the CO₂ kind!

(snip)

Subcision is used for deeper scars, though it's effectiveness is debated. Laser resurfacing (and other treatments) have a more consistent effectiveness compared to subcision.

 

With the exception of your statement about less downtime, I disagree with your comments 100%, and think you'll find a majority of people on this forum who have had non-ablative laser treatment, erbium laser, sciton profractional, fractional co2 laser and subcision would disagree with you too.

Non-ablative lasers provide little improvement on acne scarring after multiple treatment. Sciton Profractional is an ablative laser, but I wouldn't waste your time with it.

Since when is subcision's effectiveness debatable? Just flip through a few threads on this forum, and you will find it is highly effective on rolling scars. However, you need an experienced doctor to perform the procedure. If you can get away with subcision, why pick laser? Laser isn't always the best option for all types of scars, and may not provide the same benefits to deep rolling scars that subcision can provide. Normally, people go for laser AFTER subcision has leveled their skin some.

My dermatologist recommended sciton profractional, followed by chemical peels depending on the result of the first treatment, and then another 1-2 treatments of the sciton profractional. She believes that the sciton profractional is safer and more effective than fraxel. I'm not too sure about the effectiveness of either of the lasers, which is why I'm here.

From what I've read so far, fraxel:repair seems to be the most effective at removing acne scars. However, I'm sure not about the differences between the 2. Both Sciton and Fraxel:Repair seems to be abalative fractional lasers. Would the difference arise from the wavelength used by the 2 lasers? I think the sciton is less powerful in terms of the energy and heat it delivers to the skin.

I know that the Fraxel also causes collateral tissue damage whereas the Sciton is much less damaging. If the sciton is a safer version of the fraxel, perhaps I can ask my dermatologist to use a higher wavelength for deeper tissue penetration? I have asian skin so I'm very afraid of the pigmentation that fraxel:repair can cause. Quite a few dermatologists on the internet seems to be recommending sciton as standard for acne scar laser treatments.

My idea is to go for a sciton treatment after a subcision to level out the skin some. What do you guys think?

I don't believe Profactional is more effective than Fraxel Re:pair. It may carry less risk because it's less aggressive. Profractional may be more effective than Fraxel Restore or Fraxel Dual which are non-ablative lasers.

Doctors tend to push lasers or treatments that they offer. I would get more opinions from doctors specialized in acne scar treatment. Having wasted $1000s on ineffective treatments, I wouldn't bother with Profractional, non-ablative lasers or chemical peels for scar treatment. Chemical peels will help even your skin color and provide temporary skin tightening.

I prefer Total FX/Deep FX over Repair as it allows the doctor to target each scar with different settings. Repair uses a roller method. which is evenly distributed across your skin. If you look at my gallery, you can see my results from one Deep FX treatment. I only had my scars treated with Deep FX, and am positive I wouldn't get those results from Profractional. I am going for full face Total FX in 3 days.

If I were you, I'd do a lot more research and go on a few consultations before making a decision.

Sciton is an erbium:YAG laser (at least the ProFractional kind). I can see why she recommended the non-ablative one: CO₂ lasers are most often reserved for wrinkles and aging skin in the elderly, and the lifestyle of many patients won't be suited for downtime.

CO₂ lasers (Fraxel Re:Pair) are typically more effective than non-ablative lasers; however results from non-ablative lasers are quite comparable and in some cases they outperform the CO₂ kind!

(snip)

Subcision is used for deeper scars, though it's effectiveness is debated. Laser resurfacing (and other treatments) have a more consistent effectiveness compared to subcision.

 

With the exception of your statement about less downtime, I disagree with your comments 100%, and think you'll find a majority of people on this forum who have had non-ablative laser treatment, erbium laser, sciton profractional, fractional co2 laser and subcision would disagree with you too.

Non-ablative lasers provide little improvement on acne scarring after multiple treatment. Sciton Profractional is an ablative laser, but I wouldn't waste your time with it.

Since when is subcision's effectiveness debatable? Just flip through a few threads on this forum, and you will find it is highly effective on rolling scars. However, you need an experienced doctor to perform the procedure. If you can get away with subcision, why pick laser? Laser isn't always the best option for all types of scars, and may not provide the same benefits to deep rolling scars that subcision can provide. Normally, people go for laser AFTER subcision has leveled their skin some.

 

If you think about it, the users on this forum who have received laser resurfacing are a small percentage compared to everyone who has had the same treatments from all over the world. Not to mention not everyone shares their experiences on treatments online!

Subcision's effectiveness is slightly debated among dermatologists, simply because there are different techniques to it and it isn't always ideal for some rolling scars (the depth and "density" other scars nearby can effect it) and the kinds of procedures to smooth the subcision over. Subcision sometimes isn't used because of the 'bumps' that are left behind, which some patients won't like anyway even though it may be fixed later. Dermatologists do in fact pick certain procedures to increase patient compliance, even though it may be slightly less effective than others.

I do agree that in the right hands, subcision is effective and yes, certain lasers aren't ideal for certain scars. But the nice thing about lasers now is there are several different kinds of lasers, each with various strengths/settings and in some ways it can be easier to control the outcome compared to subcision.

It's up to the dermatologist and 1p2p-tri to determine what will work best for him. It would be a good idea to get a 2nd dermatologist opinion if not a 3rd one if he feels unsure about his recommendations.

Sciton is an erbium:YAG laser (at least the ProFractional kind). I can see why she recommended the non-ablative one: CO₂ lasers are most often reserved for wrinkles and aging skin in the elderly, and the lifestyle of many patients won't be suited for downtime.

CO₂ lasers (Fraxel Re:Pair) are typically more effective than non-ablative lasers; however results from non-ablative lasers are quite comparable and in some cases they outperform the CO₂ kind!

(snip)

Subcision is used for deeper scars, though it's effectiveness is debated. Laser resurfacing (and other treatments) have a more consistent effectiveness compared to subcision.

 

With the exception of your statement about less downtime, I disagree with your comments 100%, and think you'll find a majority of people on this forum who have had non-ablative laser treatment, erbium laser, sciton profractional, fractional co2 laser and subcision would disagree with you too.

Non-ablative lasers provide little improvement on acne scarring after multiple treatment. Sciton Profractional is an ablative laser, but I wouldn't waste your time with it.

Since when is subcision's effectiveness debatable? Just flip through a few threads on this forum, and you will find it is highly effective on rolling scars. However, you need an experienced doctor to perform the procedure. If you can get away with subcision, why pick laser? Laser isn't always the best option for all types of scars, and may not provide the same benefits to deep rolling scars that subcision can provide. Normally, people go for laser AFTER subcision has leveled their skin some.

 

If you think about it, the users on this forum who have received laser resurfacing are a small percentage compared to everyone who has had the same treatments from all over the world. Not to mention not everyone shares their experiences on treatments online!

Subcision's effectiveness is slightly debated among dermatologists, simply because there are different techniques to it and it isn't always ideal for some rolling scars (the depth and "density" other scars nearby can effect it) and the kinds of procedures to smooth the subcision over. Subcision sometimes isn't used because of the 'bumps' that are left behind, which some patients won't like anyway even though it may be fixed later. Dermatologists do in fact pick certain procedures to increase patient compliance, even though it may be slightly less effective than others.

I do agree that in the right hands, subcision is effective and yes, certain lasers aren't ideal for certain scars. But the nice thing about lasers now is there are several different kinds of lasers, each with various strengths/settings and in some ways it can be easier to control the outcome compared to subcision.

It's up to the dermatologist and 1p2p-tri to determine what will work best for him. It would be a good idea to get a 2nd dermatologist opinion if not a 3rd one if he feels unsure about his recommendations.

 

Bieng the nature of the procedure I assume it would be debated because it is very skill dependent. Have you discussed this personally with a doctor? Subcision leaving bumps behind concerns my greatly, thanks.

Sciton is an erbium:YAG laser (at least the ProFractional kind). I can see why she recommended the non-ablative one: CO₂ lasers are most often reserved for wrinkles and aging skin in the elderly, and the lifestyle of many patients won't be suited for downtime.

CO₂ lasers (Fraxel Re:Pair) are typically more effective than non-ablative lasers; however results from non-ablative lasers are quite comparable and in some cases they outperform the CO₂ kind!

(snip)

Subcision is used for deeper scars, though it's effectiveness is debated. Laser resurfacing (and other treatments) have a more consistent effectiveness compared to subcision.

 

With the exception of your statement about less downtime, I disagree with your comments 100%, and think you'll find a majority of people on this forum who have had non-ablative laser treatment, erbium laser, sciton profractional, fractional co2 laser and subcision would disagree with you too.

Non-ablative lasers provide little improvement on acne scarring after multiple treatment. Sciton Profractional is an ablative laser, but I wouldn't waste your time with it.

Since when is subcision's effectiveness debatable? Just flip through a few threads on this forum, and you will find it is highly effective on rolling scars. However, you need an experienced doctor to perform the procedure. If you can get away with subcision, why pick laser? Laser isn't always the best option for all types of scars, and may not provide the same benefits to deep rolling scars that subcision can provide. Normally, people go for laser AFTER subcision has leveled their skin some.

 

If you think about it, the users on this forum who have received laser resurfacing are a small percentage compared to everyone who has had the same treatments from all over the world. Not to mention not everyone shares their experiences on treatments online!

Subcision's effectiveness is slightly debated among dermatologists, simply because there are different techniques to it and it isn't always ideal for some rolling scars (the depth and "density" other scars nearby can effect it) and the kinds of procedures to smooth the subcision over. Subcision sometimes isn't used because of the 'bumps' that are left behind, which some patients won't like anyway even though it may be fixed later. Dermatologists do in fact pick certain procedures to increase patient compliance, even though it may be slightly less effective than others.

I do agree that in the right hands, subcision is effective and yes, certain lasers aren't ideal for certain scars. But the nice thing about lasers now is there are several different kinds of lasers, each with various strengths/settings and in some ways it can be easier to control the outcome compared to subcision.

It's up to the dermatologist and 1p2p-tri to determine what will work best for him. It would be a good idea to get a 2nd dermatologist opinion if not a 3rd one if he feels unsure about his recommendations.

 

Bieng the nature of the procedure I assume it would be debated because it is very skill dependent. Have you discussed this personally with a doctor? Subcision leaving bumps behind concerns my greatly, thanks.

 

Yes, I have. I asked because two years ago a few relatives have told me that laser resurfacing was "bad" for scars and just get a subcision for the icepick scars in my left ear. At the time I couldn't afford surgery (still can't) but I asked about side effects because I knew I was going to get it eventually after I saved some money.

She told me that subcision often does leave bumps behind but with chemical peels and/or laser resurfacing they are smoothed over. Unless you tend to get keloids, those bumps won't be a problem. Still, if you do get keloids, they could use pulsed dye lasers or corticosteroid shots to knock them down.

i've never heard of the sciton before reading your thread. i don't know as much, but obviously the skill of the doctor matters a hell of a lot more than what laser they use. does your doc even own a laser besides the sciton? if not, then you should wonder if she's just trying to sell you her procedure. #devilsadvocate

Update: Yes. They do offer other laser procedures aside from the sciton. She gave me a list when recommending the sciton.

I went to see my dermatologist, and she told me that they don't really do subcisiion since it's kind of a dated technique. he did say that TCA peels might help with the rolling scars if I combine it with subcision. She offered to do a test procedure on a part of my face for free and I took her offer. It's been a week and the sksin is mostly peeled off now. I'mw aiting for the redness to fade so I can see the results. If the results are good, I'm going to try and get a subcision and a TCA peel and combine it with a sciton at a higher wavelength afterwards. My thinking is that since Sciton is non-abalative, there is no harm in getting it done, minus the cost and the downtime. The cost is something that I can easily absorb, and if it will reduce my scar appearance, I will go for it.

Sadly, my interview schedules for these 2 months are pretty hectic and doens't really allow me the downtime necessary. I will update when I get them done.

Thanks to everyone who offered advice on this thread! I really appreciate all the comments and discussion about the effectiveness of the laser and other treatments.

best of luck and keep us updated!