Sorry for the bad pics. I used my iPhone.

For starters, my scars look like that normally. I should have posted a before pic. The only difference today is the insides are red, a couple as seen in pic 3 are swollen on the sides of the scar. I was extremely careful with applying tca, and made sure it didn't spread outside the scar. Maybe I didn't use enough, but considering there is the possibility that scars can worsen...less is more which is why I also only did 50 percent. I was too nervous to go higher.

These pics are without makeup, of course. Normally I wear makeup to somewhat cover this mess - pore filler, foundation, powder. But the makeup seeps into the scars making them appear worse. I'm simply tired of it. I've been on retin-a, for wrinkles, but they made my scars not only appear worse, I think I gained a few new enlarged/scarred pored from it.

I've been battling this problem skin since I was in my mid twenties - I never had these skin or scarring issues as a teen. It's really put a damper on my self esteem, and it's the first thing I notice when looking at my face.

The worst of my scars is on my chin. I also have some scarred pores and box cars on my cheeks near my nose area. I didn't treat those yet. I'm going to wait and see how this goes.

I simply don't have the funds right now for fraxel and excision or other treatments. I do think my chin scars ( a few large ones) would benefit best with excision. They are deep. I just want a normal face in which makeup would cover my imperfections. That's all. If I can get them good enough where a pore filler or primer could cover them with foundation I would be thrilled.

For the past few months I've been using mederma pm thinking that would help....of course it hasn't)

I'll update this thread as thing go, with cleared pics.

Sorry for the bad pics. I used my iPhone.

For starters, my scars look like that normally. I should have posted a before pic. The only difference today is the insides are red, a couple as seen in pic 3 are swollen on the sides of the scar. I was extremely careful with applying tca, and made sure it didn't spread outside the scar. Maybe I didn't use enough, but considering there is the possibility that scars can worsen...less is more which is why I also only did 50 percent. I was too nervous to go higher.

 

These pics are without makeup, of course. Normally I wear makeup to somewhat cover this mess - pore filler, foundation, powder. But the makeup seeps into the scars making them appear worse. I'm simply tired of it. I've been on retin-a, for wrinkles, but they made my scars not only appear worse, I think I gained a few new enlarged/scarred pored from it.

 

I've been battling this problem skin since I was in my mid twenties - I never had these skin or scarring issues as a teen. It's really put a damper on my self esteem, and it's the first thing I notice when looking at my face.

 

The worst of my scars is on my chin. I also have some scarred pores and box cars on my cheeks near my nose area. I didn't treat those yet. I'm going to wait and see how this goes.

 

I simply don't have the funds right now for fraxel and excision or other treatments. I do think my chin scars ( a few large ones) would benefit best with excision. They are deep. I just want a normal face in which makeup would cover my imperfections. That's all. If I can get them good enough where a pore filler or primer could cover them with foundation I would be thrilled.

 

For the past few months I've been using mederma pm thinking that would help....of course it hasn't)

 

I'll update this thread as thing go, with cleared pics.

hi! Please, keep us updated. I will follow your post.

I also used TCA on my nose using 30% TCA. I can't afford to go any higher. It is an icepick scar.

Hoping for the best.

-lenlenlen

 

Sorry for the bad pics. I used my iPhone.

For starters, my scars look like that normally. I should have posted a before pic. The only difference today is the insides are red, a couple as seen in pic 3 are swollen on the sides of the scar. I was extremely careful with applying tca, and made sure it didn't spread outside the scar. Maybe I didn't use enough, but considering there is the possibility that scars can worsen...less is more which is why I also only did 50 percent. I was too nervous to go higher.

These pics are without makeup, of course. Normally I wear makeup to somewhat cover this mess - pore filler, foundation, powder. But the makeup seeps into the scars making them appear worse. I'm simply tired of it. I've been on retin-a, for wrinkles, but they made my scars not only appear worse, I think I gained a few new enlarged/scarred pored from it.

I've been battling this problem skin since I was in my mid twenties - I never had these skin or scarring issues as a teen. It's really put a damper on my self esteem, and it's the first thing I notice when looking at my face.

The worst of my scars is on my chin. I also have some scarred pores and box cars on my cheeks near my nose area. I didn't treat those yet. I'm going to wait and see how this goes.

I simply don't have the funds right now for fraxel and excision or other treatments. I do think my chin scars ( a few large ones) would benefit best with excision. They are deep. I just want a normal face in which makeup would cover my imperfections. That's all. If I can get them good enough where a pore filler or primer could cover them with foundation I would be thrilled.

For the past few months I've been using mederma pm thinking that would help....of course it hasn't)

I'll update this thread as thing go, with cleared pics.

hi! Please, keep us updated. I will follow your post.

I also used TCA on my nose using 30% TCA. I can't afford to go any higher. It is an icepick scar.

Hoping for the best.

-lenlenlen

Thanks, lenlenlen

I've tried so many things - many idea and treatments that I've read on this board.

I've done needling - didn't make any difference, copper peptides (made my skin worse and I broke out) and retin a (made me more prone to scarring)

I think it's wonderful that many of the younger readers (under 25) have the knowledge and access to some really great treatments. I only wish that when I was 25 I could have had a jump start with the knowledge needed to help battle this problem. Because it only got worse, and stuck with me. Those pimples in my chin left worse marks with the large pits they left behind. I was a pretty young woman who never thought twice about putting on make-up. Then the acne on my chin in my mid twenties changed that. Now, I can't even find a good foundation because it all seeps in making things look much worse. So buying any sort of makeup is always a problem. I research and buy only to get home, try something and realize money has been wasted.

I try to stand further from people so my scars look much less noticeable to them. I get nervous when I'm with people in bright daylight outside thinking my scars much look horrid to them in a certain light. It's mostly my chin that is my biggest concern, and it's on both sides of the chin.

I'm also at the age when my skin is starting to age, so that is another issue. But at this point I'm just focusing on repairing....or a better term...making my scar less noticeable so I can properly conceal them. I've had them so long I don't anticipate them ever going away, but if I could just cover them I would be thrilled.

Here is my pics from this morning. The redness has set in on each of the pits I did the cross on, and scabs are starting to form. I'm still keeping the area moist with a neosporian ointment gel. Scars look the same in size, just red and scabs in the middle. I kind of like having the scabs as they fill in many of the holes (even though I know they will eventually fall off)

I believe you look very pretty in person. I can see it in your pics. Amd for the scars, I am pretty sure that TCA would do wonders for the pitted scarring. The chin is much easier to treat and responds well withTCA as much as I know. They respomd better than nose scars.

Do you have husband? What did he tell you regarding your scars?

Best regards,

lenlenlen

a

I believe you look very pretty in person. I can see it in your pics. Amd for the scars, I am pretty sure that TCA would do wonders for the pitted scarring. The chin is much easier to treat and responds well withTCA as much as I know. They respomd better than nose scars.

Do you have husband? What did he tell you regarding your scars?

Best regards,

lenlenlen

a

Hi Lenlen,

I don't have a husband. I think the scarring took a toll on my self esteem through the years and I didn't find myself wanting to date much. I've had a few short lived relationship but with no one of real quality. I don't mention my scars to anyone really. They know they are there. I know they are there.

But I did want to update this thread for anyone who is interested.

It's been over a month since doing the cross. So far I've seen no results. But I think I'm on to so etching that may work for Shallow scarring.....

Last week I did a 15 percent sataltic acid gel peel. It's something I've always done every few months to clear out any congested pores. But this time I tried a couple new things the day after the peel.

I've been making my own vitamin c serum - I buy the vitamin c powder and make a small new batch each time I use it. I've done this for a while too, so it's nothing new.

However when I was at the store last week I bought a bottle of tea tree oil. I didn't know anything about tea tree oil but heard it mentioned throughout times on several message boards. I didn't even know it was used as an antiseptic.

So the day after my sataylic acid peel I spot treated some scars with tea tree oil (undiluted which I know is not recommended - but I didn't know this at the time) after putting on the tea tree oil I waited about 10 minutes and then washed it off. I washed it off because it felt like it was stinging. Then several hours later I did what I normally do, put on my vitamin c serum before go jog to bed.

The next day I woke up and noticed that the spots I had treated with the tea tree oil had developed scabs. Small fluid raised like scabs. Totally normal, because my skin does get very dry from sataylic acid peels. It takes a few days for my skin to flake off and peel...

But these scabs were a little different. They had a yellowish orangy color to them with flecks of black spots (I have a 10x mirror)

So that night again I did the very same thing.

Spot treated these scabs again with tea tree oil, waited 10 minutes before washing it off. En did my vitamin c serum routine...

I've did this nightly for 4 days. Then a couple days ago the scabs were so dried up they came off when I washed my face.

And I swear I couldn't believe what I saw.....my scars were much smaller and more shallow.

I don't know what it is, the sataylloc acid with using tea tree oil or the vitamin c with tea tree oil. I have no idea, but something is working.

I'm now spot treating all my scars this way. It's way too early to post pics, but if I see visible improvement in the deeper scars (that I posted pics of) I will definitely give you all and update.

I should add - the scars that are showing marked improvement are shallow. They are small box cars. So they are not big deep scars.

I should also add: from what I've read tea tree oil should not be used in it's neat form. It can cause allergic reactions and burning to your face.

I am using it in it's undisputed form, but that certainly isn't recommended from what I've read.

I'll post anger update in a few weeks

Sorry for all the typos! I have an iPad and it's all "auto correct" errors

Hope you end up with good results! It's a process to see reusults- I did my own TCA cross- I performed TCA cross at least 3 times on large-ish areas of my checks where I have ice pick scarring. And I may have done random scars on my checks randomly instead of overall areason another 3 occasions or so. TCA cross has been the only method that provided noticeable benefits. I had 2 sessions of Profractional laser where there went deep into my dermis; 350 and 400 microns at 8 and 11 percent- expensive, lengthy downtime and no real results even after 6 months of the session. In contrast TCA cross resulted in shallower ice pick scarring. Scars aren't completely gone but 70 percent improved over about 3 main cross sessions and the passing of 1-2 years. Now I am pursuing Profractional again. Because the scars are shallower and because I found another dermatologist who thinks it'll help along with dermarolling. I did 250 micron on checks at 33 percent it's been 2 weeks post Profractional and I'm really really pleased ... I think TCA set the stage for milder scarring allowing for better results through other processes.

TCA cross can definitely improve scars-

The dermatologist wouldn't do TCA cross on me stating my scarring was too widespread but I did it myself for me it has led to drastically better scar condition

So keep us posted. The progress take time... Skin needs to regenerate and rebuild collagen

Hi,

Thanks so much for the replies!

Something very strange is happening as I continue my tea tree oil journey on my larger scars.

The area right around each pit is becoming raised. I thought "wow! I'm making progress and the scar tissue is coming up!"

But as the days go by in the area of this hardened tissue bordering these scars that have been slowly raising...I'm beginning to see small hardened cysts. This is in areas that I thought were scar tissue. It's like I had mini cysts around these scars making the scars appear to be a deep ice pick or box car, and those mini cysts are coming up from the skin. These mini cysts are also coming up around my deep large pores.

I've been reading more about tea tree oil...what people use it for. It lead me to a site discussing demodex. Never heard of that before..

Guys, I've had a very odd acne condition for almost 15 years.

I would get these cysts that were deep with white stringy things that came out. All would leave deep scars. The stringy things also come up from pores as well. The "pus" was never normal puss - just white stringy stuff. I've also had these inside my nose. Small ones, but they are there.

I think my scars are not acne scars. I think I have a demodex condition.

I have all the tell tale signs. I never heard of this before but it can mimic acne.

I'm now treating my skin (including my back cause I know it sounds gross because I'm a girl but I have had horrible back cystic acne for years) with the natural products used to treat demodex (borax baths, tea tree oil, zinc oxide cream and a surfer cream)

I'm now looking for a dermatologists that I can afford who could possible test me.

I know a lot of dermatologists from what I've read frown at the thought of demodex and tell people it's roseaca or acne.

But I'm going to find a doc that will help and test me so I know for certain.

Everything is beginning to make so much more sense now, and I feel so much hope. That if I did discover what I have, I can at least find proper things to treat it - nothing has ever worked in the past.

My skin is very dry as of now because I'm using drying products on my skin - but the bumps under the skin seem to be rising - which will help if it's purging.

I even have thinning hair...and crusty eye lashes every morning at waking (all other signs of demodex)

I just attributed it to allergies and the hair thinning from getting older.

I'm not doing any scar treatments right now, but I am using the tea tree on my scars, as well as my whole face. It's being diluted now with coconut oil.

I'll keep you updated on my progress and what a derm says.

I do feel a sense of hope. Which I haven't felt in many years.

I took these with my iPhone - to post updates pics of my skin for you. I took them pointed in my 10X mirror. When I looked at the pics on my computer - on a larger screen I see the white flecks. If you enlarge them and look closely you can see these whitish looking flecks - they look just like demodex. I can't see these flecks unless I enlarge the pics - you can't see them when looking just into the 10X mirror - it takes enlarging. But they are there.

Looking at these pics brings me to tears. I'm actually feeling a huge sense of relief.

Hi

Just an update to anyone reading. I'm 100 percent certain in my gut that I have both forms of demodex (follicule and sebaceous glands, as well as ocular demodex) my vision over the past year has gotten progressively worse where I can't take the glare at night. My last eye visit my vision showed "remarkable decreased vision in left eye" that was in September. I saw an optometrist, but I should see a real eye doctor.

Still haven't seen a doctor, I'm in the midst of getting health insurance coverage.

I did tell my mother, who is a nurse, and she thinks I'm crazy. She's never heard of demodex. I even showed her the pictures. She then googled demodex and saw pictures of people with severe roseaca. I don't have that full face redness. I have constant flaking and like a skin plaque that constantly flakes and rubs off, it's like a film, kinda like silicone make up. I also have cystic acne on my back, peri orbital area, nose and cheeks (over the sinus) I stopped discussing it with her or anyone. I don't want to be labeled crazy.

I've had great success over the last 11 days with my skin!

My orange peel texture is diminishing. My holes are becoming more and more shallow. My skin feels the smoothest it's ever been. My large scars on my chin are getting smaller and smaller. The edges are raising, and I'm able to exfoliate the raised areas. I'm almost certain over the next couple months they will show remarkable improvement.

I'm going to keep treating my skin, and in 2 weeks I will post follow up pics. That way you can see how much this treatment has improved things. Oh and my nose! I've had a rhinoplasty (2 of them) the first was 18 years ago. It didn't heal properly and filled up with a lot of scar tissue. Then 10 years ago I had a revision. The doctor who did the surgery said "your previous doctor did a real hack job on your nose - I removed a tremendous amount of scar tissue"

Well the revision never healed either and I was left with such sever scar tissue my nose looks very bulbous (but not red) and it is so swollen in my profile too.

This treatment is softening my nose! The scar tissue is shrinking! My profile doesn't look as weird anymore - I have such hope.

This is what my treatment consists of:

At night. I first wash my face and eye area with tea tree oil shampoo. Then I apply 50 percent tea tree oil mixed with 50 percent coconut oil, I leave it on for a half hour each night. I also put this inside my nose where I also get these cysts. Then wash off and apply 20 percent vitamin c serum. I then apply msm gel. I wait for the gel to dry and then coat my face with aquaphor.

In the morning I was my face with the tea tree oil shampoo. I spot treat my larger scars with my 50/50 tea tree oil coconut oil mix. I also spray my face with coconut oil, then exfoliate. I then rehash my face with the tea tree and apply the msm gel. I dab some zinc oxide diaper cream on top as my sunscreen.

I also treat my back with tea tree oil body wash, and diaper cream at night.

If you have demodex vitamin A is a huge NO NO!!! It will only make things worse. I applied a rose hip serum under my eye the other day and they flaked throughout the day. Demodex loves vitamin A.

I'll be back in a couple weeks

Hi teds mom! How is your scars doing? And oh, you memtionrd it responded well to nose scars. How is it now? I have done tca spot rreatment on my nose but I think there is very little improvement. Hope to hear from you soon!

Hi

Just an update to anyone reading. I'm 100 percent certain in my gut that I have both forms of demodex (follicule and sebaceous glands, as well as ocular demodex) my vision over the past year has gotten progressively worse where I can't take the glare at night. My last eye visit my vision showed "remarkable decreased vision in left eye" that was in September. I saw an optometrist, but I should see a real eye doctor.

Still haven't seen a doctor, I'm in the midst of getting health insurance coverage.

I did tell my mother, who is a nurse, and she thinks I'm crazy. She's never heard of demodex. I even showed her the pictures. She then googled demodex and saw pictures of people with severe roseaca. I don't have that full face redness. I have constant flaking and like a skin plaque that constantly flakes and rubs off, it's like a film, kinda like silicone make up. I also have cystic acne on my back, peri orbital area, nose and cheeks (over the sinus) I stopped discussing it with her or anyone. I don't want to be labeled crazy.

I've had great success over the last 11 days with my skin!

My orange peel texture is diminishing. My holes are becoming more and more shallow. My skin feels the smoothest it's ever been. My large scars on my chin are getting smaller and smaller. The edges are raising, and I'm able to exfoliate the raised areas. I'm almost certain over the next couple months they will show remarkable improvement.

I'm going to keep treating my skin, and in 2 weeks I will post follow up pics. That way you can see how much this treatment has improved things. Oh and my nose! I've had a rhinoplasty (2 of them) the first was 18 years ago. It didn't heal properly and filled up with a lot of scar tissue. Then 10 years ago I had a revision. The doctor who did the surgery said "your previous doctor did a real hack job on your nose - I removed a tremendous amount of scar tissue"

Well the revision never healed either and I was left with such sever scar tissue my nose looks very bulbous (but not red) and it is so swollen in my profile too.

This treatment is softening my nose! The scar tissue is shrinking! My profile doesn't look as weird anymore - I have such hope.

This is what my treatment consists of:

At night. I first wash my face and eye area with tea tree oil shampoo. Then I apply 50 percent tea tree oil mixed with 50 percent coconut oil, I leave it on for a half hour each night. I also put this inside my nose where I also get these cysts. Then wash off and apply 20 percent vitamin c serum. I then apply msm gel. I wait for the gel to dry and then coat my face with aquaphor.

In the morning I was my face with the tea tree oil shampoo. I spot treat my larger scars with my 50/50 tea tree oil coconut oil mix. I also spray my face with coconut oil, then exfoliate. I then rehash my face with the tea tree and apply the msm gel. I dab some zinc oxide diaper cream on top as my sunscreen.

I also treat my back with tea tree oil body wash, and diaper cream at night.

If you have demodex vitamin A is a huge NO NO!!! It will only make things worse. I applied a rose hip serum under my eye the other day and they flaked throughout the day. Demodex loves vitamin A.

I'll be back in a couple weeks

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted update you all. I had been treating myself with tea tree oil and coconut oil. I developed a pretty nasty staph infection which resulted in a major cyst on my chin (largest I ever had in my life) it ruptured and left a nasty huge half inch scar. A scar deeper and larger than a pencil eraser. My doc was so shocked at it's size he immediatly referred me to a plastic surgeon after giving me antibiotics for the infection.. I had it revised via an eclipse cut and stitch in August. The results turned out great - it's still a scar but just a line. So today I went back to the plastic surgeon and had 7 punch excisions done on my chin. The scars that I had in my above pics have now been punched out. I will update you with additional pics as they heal for anyone that is interested in the revision.

I have also been treating my skin for many months with a tea tree oil, coconut oil and suffer/zinc combo cream. I no longer have any small lumps and my skin has greatly improved. I'm convinced it was demodxe. So I figured now was a good time to try to get rid of my scars! I hope it turns out ok  I was given steri strips. I left the plastic surgeons office in many bandaids because he said they would ooze tonight which would make the steri strips come off.

Hi All

Just wanted to update-

I found a picture of my infection that I posted on having! Ok, The only pic I have does not do this crater justice. It was VERY deep, the lighting doesn't really show the depth. This pic was after the antibiotics and a few weeks of healing.

Now, I've attached more pics. The first pic is one of the pics I posted when I first started the thread (this was BEFORE the infection/massive cyst rupture) I circled where the cysts developed.

The second pic is a pic of the hole a few weeks after the rupture (pre eclipse surgery). It was the size of a pencil eraser and was almost as deep as one too. It was so deep the doc had to cut right next to one of my chin muscles when doing the excision.

The third pic was taken today. I am 2 months out of surgery for THAT cyst - you can see the line that is now there (where I circled in red) and some one the track marks from the stitches. The one is quite long - about 3/4 of an inch. That is how he had to do it. He has to make the scar 2.5 times as long as the widest point of the scar. It's the kind of cut they do so the skin doesn't buckle at the top or bottom. The stitches do leave tiny holes in the skin, but they have gotten much better. With the way lighting hits my face it's so much better after the surgery - I REALLY wish I had better pictures for you! I'm not wearing any make up in these obviously - but make up really looks great on that long line. 

All the other marks on my face are the stitches from the punch excisions I had done yesterday.

I wanted to post this pic for people to see the new scar that replaced the old scar from the nasty staph infection. It may look bad to most of you - but to me it was a huge improvement. Make up and pore filler does wonders over this scar. It's still a little lumpy but it's so much better than the hole that was there.

The couple pics were taken today. So far I like the very last one. Those scars look like they may heal perfectly.

Please keep us posted I just found your posts today and would like to know if you think it's worth it since I need a few done. Hope your doing well.

Thanks! I sure will. I am getting the stitches out onTuesday, So I hope I can see some results. I'll post more pics as things start healing.Now I can't really tell anythingbecause the stitches are still in. If this does work I may get 10 more done in my nose/sinus area. I have just now been reading aboutsubcision and suctioning - so that may be an option too.
Thingis my plastic surgeons office keepsrecommending me the eribum (sp) laser after this isdone But it's 900 a treatment and they say I will need 3 to see any difference. I don't have that kind of money (2700 dollars) at thistime, but I will save up if I think it may be worthwhile. It's a hard decision because I am also reading that CO2 laseris the way to go. TBH it's cheaperjust to get more punch excisions done and maybe follow up with a peel in a few months when things heal.He charged me 350 for the excision in August (for the massive cyst) then 475 last week for the 7 punches done on my chin. So if I get a few more punches done and then a peel, it's a lot cheaper than then laser. Plus there are so many people that say lasers have made there skin worse - I just am very uncertain.

Stitches come out tomorrow. Things are looking good on most of the punches- so I think I will be happy tomorrow. I will post pics when the stitches are out!

Please do! Best of luck

Stitches were removed but I'm not happy. Some scars look even worse! When the stitches were removed they said I had "challenging" stitches because my skin swelled around the stitches. What have I done? The one side of my chin the scars look worse. A couple scars look a little better but not that much. I will wait a few days before posting pics. I'm hoping that the swelling around the incisions go down because the scars look worse due to the swelling. I was given antibiotic ointment and was advised
to start applying scar guard in 5 daysz

i found my original post with some iPhone photos of my face.. and years later today i took photos of my skin now.  what do you say.. has there been some improvement?
The last time i did anything to my skin including the last cross session was in 2015.
The first two images are my skin today.. in natural light.  third and fourth photo were taken before I did my first cross treatment.  the before photos were taken at night, not in natural light.. just unflattering light.. however i don't think the unflattering light really showed the depth of my scars in reality.
 

such an improvement ^^.You have nice skin now and I see an 60-75 % of improvement