Thanks Supernova for your reply. I did have filler put it so I have no idea if the depth is improving. But, the skin was/is thinner in that area. It seems to be improving slowly. But hard to tell since I look at it every day.

I have read that atrophy usually does improve. But I'm very curious to know why in some people it doesn't. Does anyone know why?

Thanks Supernova for your reply. I did have filler put it so I have no idea if the depth is improving. But, the skin was/is thinner in that area. It seems to be improving slowly. But hard to tell since I look at it every day.

I have read that atrophy usually does improve. But I'm very curious to know why in some people it doesn't. Does anyone know why?

I don't think anyone knows - I don't think doctors fully understand why cortisone even causes atrophy to begin with! It's humbling when you realize how much of medicine is a crapshoot - we do things that work but often don't totally understand WHY they work. Or what other processes we're affecting at the same time.

Supernova: ain't that the truth! Geez! Get rid of one problem (the cyst) to replace it with another (the atrophy)! I will never get another kenalog injection. I've had about 8 in my life and the atrophy never occurred. All the other times I went to a derm....this time it was a doctor at a med spa who I'm sure doesn't have nearly as much experience injecting with kenalog. He did use the standard amount (.5) so maybe it was just coincidence. Who knows. But I can't wait for it to be gone.....if it ever does.

I have a question for everyone to had/has atrophy. What does yours look like as its starting to go back to normal? I can't tell if mine is! It looks like part of it has or is trying to go back to normal but other parts don't!

I have a question for everyone to had/has atrophy. What does yours look like as its starting to go back to normal? I can't tell if mine is! It looks like part of it has or is trying to go back to normal but other parts don't!

Mine is just very gradually getting shallower - like the fat is very slowly adding underneath and a little bit around the edges. The skin is still a bit bluish. But it's REALLY hard to see changes, which is what makes this so discouraging.

I have my own question for anyone who has had saline injections to treat their cortisone atrophy. I've had two saline injections so far: the first one (4 weeks ago) helped by about a third but the second saline injection (1 week ago) doesn't seem to have done much so far that I can tell. Does it take a while after the saline to see progress? Does having more injections keep helping? I've had this indent now for more than 3 months and am getting so discouraged waiting for it to heal (

Supernova: thanks for your reply. That's how I feel mine is. Even with the filler put it, it obviously doesn't help with the kenalog induced thin skin in that area. I'm coming up on week 11 I think. But I know mine got worse that first month so I don't think I should be counting that whole month. My skin is also a bit blue/grey, hard to explain. But it seems like its SLOWLY filling in. Maybe in another month or two it will be better??

As far as the saline injections, I haven't had any yet because of the filler. I'm going to my derm on Tuesday (one month follow up on Sprionolactone) and I'm going to ask her if I should bother with the saline or just wait it out since it seems to be improving.

I've heard the progress of these is measured in months....not days unfortunately.

So I went to my derm today....she injected saline into my area of atrophy. Soooooo get this!! The saline itself does NOTHING for the atrophy! What actually helps it, it the needle injection!! A controlled wound is created which makes the body work to produce more collagen! Crazy! So we'll see! Going back in 3 weeks for another one.

Here's a question too: do your derms charge you for this?! I left without having pay for it, but was given a handout on saline injections and its says......six injections for $840!!!!!! Insurance doesn't cover them I guess?! What the heck! Better not get a $100+ bill from my derm for a damn saline injection!

And also, what's devisating to me, my derm said that it might not go back to what it was (. She said that she's never seen it be permanent on the face, but it might not go back to what it was.

LOL I like you're title! It really draws the reader lol. Anyways, I'm really sorry about what happened to you! I'm glad you decided to get a new derm, lmao you should deff sue, jk. It's really not thaat bad, and in time and with the right procedures, I'm sure it'll get better (: Haha I totally get how you feel with cortisone. Hate corticosteroids or anything related to cortisone

Oh man you guys, I'm feeling really discouraged right now. I think I overestimated my improvement before. I really think it's barely half way there, if that. So hard to tell. I've had two saline injections now over the span of five weeks and though they helped, it hasn't been as much improvement as some others have reported and has left me disappointed. It's been about 4 months since the cortisone injection and about 3.5 months since the atrophy started (though it continued to worsen for probably a month so I'm not sure where to start counting). I'm so worried this will never heal. I've never had scarring anywhere near this level before and I know if I had left the cyst alone it would have left basically no scar behind as I don't scar that easily.

For those who say their denting was permanent, do you mean it left a small scar behind? Does anyone have *major* denting that lasts permanently? I can't imagine going through life with a noticeable dent in my face (not a little pockmark, an actual dent). It's a divot on my chin at least 1/4 inch round in kind of a canyon shape that I can still really feel when I run my finger over it.

Oh man you guys, I'm feeling really discouraged right now. I think I overestimated my improvement before. I really think it's barely half way there, if that. So hard to tell. I've had two saline injections now over the span of five weeks and though they helped, it hasn't been as much improvement as some others have reported and has left me disappointed. It's been about 4 months since the cortisone injection and about 3.5 months since the atrophy started (though it continued to worsen for probably a month so I'm not sure where to start counting). I'm so worried this will never heal. I've never had scarring anywhere near this level before and I know if I had left the cyst alone it would have left basically no scar behind as I don't scar that easily.

For those who say their denting was permanent, do you mean it left a small scar behind? Does anyone have *major* denting that lasts permanently? I can't imagine going through life with a noticeable dent in my face (not a little pockmark, an actual dent). It's a divot on my chin at least 1/4 inch round in kind of a canyon shape that I can still really feel when I run my finger over it.

Geez I'm in the same boat! Mine has improved SLOWLY but I'm at about 13 weeks so I guess I'll have to wait a few more months. My derm said 6 months it take for these things to fill in. But the good news.....she told me she has never seen it be permanent on the face before. I also have scaring, it's like a scar around the atrophy. It's so hard to explain! Supernova, you should look into getting filler put it. It really filled up the deep hole the kenalog created. While it didn't help with the thinned skin, atleast I don't have a damn hole in my face.

On 9/6/2013 at 1:13 AM, JennaBean said:

On 9/5/2013 at 1:26 PM, Supernova30 said:

Oh man you guys, I'm feeling really discouraged right now. I think I overestimated my improvement before. I really think it's barely half way there, if that. So hard to tell. I've had two saline injections now over the span of five weeks and though they helped, it hasn't been as much improvement as some others have reported and has left me disappointed. It's been about 4 months since the cortisone injection and about 3.5 months since the atrophy started (though it continued to worsen for probably a month so I'm not sure where to start counting). I'm so worried this will never heal. I've never had scarring anywhere near this level before and I know if I had left the cyst alone it would have left basically no scar behind as I don't scar that easily.

For those who say their denting was permanent, do you mean it left a small scar behind? Does anyone have *major* denting that lasts permanently? I can't imagine going through life with a noticeable dent in my face (not a little pockmark, an actual dent). It's a divot on my chin at least 1/4 inch round in kind of a canyon shape that I can still really feel when I run my finger over it.

Geez I'm in the same boat! Mine has improved SLOWLY but I'm at about 13 weeks so I guess I'll have to wait a few more months. My derm said 6 months it take for these things to fill in. But the good news.....she told me she has never seen it be permanent on the face before. I also have scaring, it's like a scar around the atrophy. It's so hard to explain! Supernova, you should look into getting filler put it. It really filled up the deep hole the kenalog created. While it didn't help with the thinned skin, atleast I don't have a damn hole in my face.

I'm getting another saline injection today (my third) and hoping for the best. I think I'm going to follow through with the recommended course of 4-5 saline injections and hope that it speeds up the healing. If I don't see noticeable improvement in the next month or so, I think I might consider getting a filler. Honestly though, I'm not even sure where to get that done. So far all my treatment is with my family physician and getting in to see a dermatologist will take months (I'm in Canada).

I'm trying not to let this get to me too much and my stress about it varies daily (or hourly) - sometimes I think it doesn't seem so bad/noticeable but other times I'm just like 'Crap, there is DENT on my face! Of course everyone can see it!' I wish I knew objectively how noticeable it really was to others in the real world [Edited image out]

I really think the saline helps. I've read a ton of articles about saline injection treatments for atrophy. I had my first one done on Tuesday and noticed SLIGHT improvement. But my derm said I will need several.

I bet you'll notice a big difference after the one you do today. Saline does nothing for it. It's the actual needle that does. It creates a controlled wound that makes the body produce collagen to "heal" the wound. The derm office I'm going to, Dr. sire's office, is the one that discovered the treatment. They all swear by it.

I'm the same way you are. Some days I'm ok....other days, I obsess over it. So I totally get it

I really think the saline helps. I've read a ton of articles about saline injection treatments for atrophy. I had my first one done on Tuesday and noticed SLIGHT improvement. But my derm said I will need several.

I bet you'll notice a big difference after the one you do today. Saline does nothing for it. It's the actual needle that does. It creates a controlled wound that makes the body produce collagen to "heal" the wound. The derm office I'm going to, Dr. sire's office, is the one that discovered the treatment. They all swear by it.

 

I'm the same way you are. Some days I'm ok....other days, I obsess over it. So I totally get it

I'd be very interested to hear anything else they recommend at Dr.Sire's office regarding the saline injections (frequency, number, expected healing time, etc) since they clearly have the most experience with them! My doctor has never done this before (it's the first time he's seen atrophy from a cortisone injection, lucky me) and is just following the directions from the Goldman article I brought him. So basically we're both flying blind here!

They say it takes about 6 treatments. But everyone is different and it may be less.

When I had mine done on Tuesday, she did 2 small injections, the needle is soooo tiny! It didn't bruise! I was soooo worried about it bruising. It looked like she did one injection at the bottom and one at the top. And honestly, I really think it did simulate collagen because one small area on one side filled in.

And also, she told me to plan on 6 months for it to heal. So I guess I have 3 more freaking months.

Oh that's great to hear an area filled in! Do the injections affect the filler you have at all?

I'll try and take comfort in hearing that it might take 6 injections - I've only had 2 so far and I guess I expected them to be more of a miracle cure. If it's the needle that really creates the healing (rather than saline washing away remaining cortisone or something) then I guess more injections is the key.

I asked her about it affecting the filler and she said it shouldn't. The only thing that dissolves filler is a substance called hylauronic ace? Might have the spelling wrong on that one.

I mean, I'm sure the saline does wash away remaining amounts of kenalog, but my derm said at 3 months (since I've had the kenalog) it's all gone by now.

Keep me updated about your treatment today!

How deep is your atrophy? At two weeks after my injection, I noticed mine. It almost looked like the user on here Ughhhhh, the larger one she had. But mine wasn't as wide. But pretty deep

It's hard to describe (I think each of these damn dents has a life of their own!) and I can't bring myself to start photographing it. But mine is on the side edge of my chin and has an underlying canyon that is similar in size to the two lines Ughhh had. I can definitely feel the canyon underneath but visually you mostly just see a round spot of about 1/4 inch where I guess the most atrophy occurred and where the discoloration is. Depth at its worst is probably just a bit less than Ughhh had. When I tilt my head down to see it in profile it looks to be about 2 mm deep now (that sounds like it should be small so why does it look and feel so huge?!). Probably was at 3-4mm deep at its worst but I'm just guessing here.

It's hard to describe (I think each of these damn dents has a life of their own!) and I can't bring myself to start photographing it. But mine is on the side edge of my chin and has an underlying canyon that is similar in size to the two lines Ughhh had. I can definitely feel the canyon underneath but visually you mostly just see a round spot of about 1/4 inch where I guess the most atrophy occurred and where the discoloration is. Depth at its worst is probably just a bit less than Ughhh had. When I tilt my head down to see it in profile it looks to be about 2 mm deep now (that sounds like it should be small so why does it look and feel so huge?!). Probably was at 3-4mm deep at its worst but I'm just guessing here.

Mine is at the side of my chin too! Seriously yours sounds just like mine!

Had my third saline injection yesterday. My doctor was also disappointed to see that the second injection didn't seem to help, whereas the first one had. He went back to using a larger needle like he did the first time and the whole thing hurt a bit more. I iced but I have more tenderness and bruising from it.

My consolation is that, like the first time, the bruising and swelling seems to be keeping the dent filled for now. Maybe the payoff for bruising is more healing? Who knows, too early to say but I have my fingers crossed that this will make some difference.

Well I have some hope to spread around. I have had atrophy on several different occasions from cortisone shots and all have ended up filling in, usually within a month. Every time I get the atrophy I am absolutely devastated and cry my eyes out. The problem is that I keep getting them because I am afraid that if I don't get one then the zit will leave a scar that has no chance of filling in. It's such a terrible tug of war. My last atrophy was so weird. The zit went away and the area where the zit was didn't atrophy but all the skin a round it did, and it looked like a freaking weirdo bullseye. Has anyone experienced this? I actually have a new one where the zit went away but there is a line beside the area that looks indented and bright red. I hope the indent is from the cortisone and not from the zit but I am so scared its from the zit because I did squeeze the area I just don't know! I called into work two days in a row because I am absolutely sick about it. All I can do is look in the mirror an cry. It's like one thing after another with my skin. My husband thinks I am so crazy over this and I know I am but I just can't bear getting ready in the morning and putting on makeup when I feel so disgusting. I know I should have hope since I have had many atrophied fill in but each time I get a new one I question whether its from the zit or cortisone. Has anyone else had the indentation be bright red?? My heart hurts so bad right now... Sorry for my rant. I feel like no one around me understands. I am so tired of crying.

So the body will naturally fill in deep indents caused by cortisone injections but it won't fill in even very shallow indents caused by acne. I don't get that???

So the body will naturally fill in deep indents caused by cortisone injections but it won't fill in even very shallow indents caused by acne. I don't get that???

The theory is that the needle disrupts the scar tissue and forces the body to rebuild with collagen, the protein that makes our skin strong and elastic. Your body won't attempt to remodel a scar without intervention from an outside source like lasers or needles.

Well I have some hope to spread around. I have had atrophy on several different occasions from cortisone shots and all have ended up filling in, usually within a month. Every time I get the atrophy I am absolutely devastated and cry my eyes out. The problem is that I keep getting them because I am afraid that if I don't get one then the zit will leave a scar that has no chance of filling in. It's such a terrible tug of war. My last atrophy was so weird. The zit went away and the area where the zit was didn't atrophy but all the skin a round it did, and it looked like a freaking weirdo bullseye. Has anyone experienced this? I actually have a new one where the zit went away but there is a line beside the area that looks indented and bright red. I hope the indent is from the cortisone and not from the zit but I am so scared its from the zit because I did squeeze the area I just don't know! I called into work two days in a row because I am absolutely sick about it. All I can do is look in the mirror an cry. It's like one thing after another with my skin. My husband thinks I am so crazy over this and I know I am but I just can't bear getting ready in the morning and putting on makeup when I feel so disgusting. I know I should have hope since I have had many atrophied fill in but each time I get a new one I question whether its from the zit or cortisone. Has anyone else had the indentation be bright red?? My heart hurts so bad right now... Sorry for my rant. I feel like no one around me understands. I am so tired of crying.

Mine wasn't read, but a grayish color. My derm said sometimes it can be red/pinkish.

Well I have some hope to spread around. I have had atrophy on several different occasions from cortisone shots and all have ended up filling in, usually within a month. Every time I get the atrophy I am absolutely devastated and cry my eyes out. The problem is that I keep getting them because I am afraid that if I don't get one then the zit will leave a scar that has no chance of filling in. It's such a terrible tug of war. My last atrophy was so weird. The zit went away and the area where the zit was didn't atrophy but all the skin a round it did, and it looked like a freaking weirdo bullseye. Has anyone experienced this? I actually have a new one where the zit went away but there is a line beside the area that looks indented and bright red. I hope the indent is from the cortisone and not from the zit but I am so scared its from the zit because I did squeeze the area I just don't know! I called into work two days in a row because I am absolutely sick about it. All I can do is look in the mirror an cry. It's like one thing after another with my skin. My husband thinks I am so crazy over this and I know I am but I just can't bear getting ready in the morning and putting on makeup when I feel so disgusting. I know I should have hope since I have had many atrophied fill in but each time I get a new one I question whether its from the zit or cortisone. Has anyone else had the indentation be bright red?? My heart hurts so bad right now... Sorry for my rant. I feel like no one around me understands. I am so tired of crying.

Mine started off red, then gradually turned a bluish colour. I think the initial redness was just the usual redness that stays behind after a cyst and once that faded away I was left with the bluish hue of the cortisone dent. The line you describe sounds like it is from the cortisone. A cyst would leave a spot I would think (and would be right where the cyst was, not beside it), whereas cortisone seems to often leave lines (mine visually looks like a spot but I can feel an indented line underneath the skin).

And trust me, I completely understand being sick about it - right there with you. Some days I manage to not let it bother me much but other days I'm literally sick with anxiety. I think because a dent like this is such a foreign thing to deal with - at least I've seen zits before and seen them heal! Even big ones. But I've never had a dent before and it's hard to imagine it healing. It really is a shitty thing to go through but I'm trying to have faith that we're all going to be fine.