I use Tretenoin .05% every night and I find it helps prevent acne scarring (even when I pop pimples). Tretenoin helps speed up the process at which your skin turnsover, thus a faster healing process. Since Tretenoin is perscription only and you might not want to use it, I've heard many success stories of people using Vitamin E or Vitamin A oil to help with scars. For pitted scars, though, microdermabraision seems like the best option. Microdermabraision has a needle roller that you roll over your skin, creating microscopic cuts. When you create these microscopic cuts, a signal is sent to your body to help rebuild the skin there (because you body thinks it's an injury). I've seen people also use glycolic peels and have success with that.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas!

Thank you for posting OP. I can tell acne scars are affecting you , I can sympathize as I also have had major scars. If your in the UK have you considered getting some counseling possibly as it's very tough to do this journey alone and it helps a lot with the healing process.

Your treatment will happen over a few years, acne scars take time to heal.

Dr Chu is in London, go see him and have him dosubcision

I can give you a plan PM me

Thank you all for your replies. So it looks like dermarolling, TCA peels, and subcision would be my best options then? In any particular order? I plan on going to a clinic rather than self-treating, and have saved up some money to do so. I know a 5 course treatment of dermarolling costs round 1000, which is pretty much my entire budget. A TCA peel is around 100-180. I can't find any prices for subcision and filler. Tretinoin is a vitamin A topical right? Like Retin-A, Differin, Adapelene, etc? I think I can get that on prescription.

Also, who is Doctor Chu?

I do still have a little active acne and I'm worried I won't be able to get any serious scar treatments until this is resolved. I have an appointment with a dermatologist in October (the earliest I could get an appointment - and I booked it back in May!!), and I'm considering starting Accutane (been turning it down for months, but I guess I'm getting desperate). But if I do that I won't be able to treat the scars I have now and I'm worried that they'll be harder to treat a year from now. Argh!!

I have no idea what's causing my acne at this point. I thought it might be hormonal, but not entirely sure. In any case, I don't think they prescribe Spiro in the UK. I gave up dairy and cut out almost all the sugar in my diet but to be honest it's made very little difference. I'm physically fit, do lots of exercise, eat lots of vegetables, drink plenty of water, the works - it's so unfair! I only get bad spots on my cheeks and my temples. I occasionally get small spots on my chin, but none on my forehead or nose.

Dr Chu is in London, has good reviews by posters here. Not many good Drs in the UK for this type of thing I hear. He does subcision and TCA peels.

If it where me the first thing I would do is get the acne under control (no new scars), maybe a spiro (like equivalent) for Hormonal if they test and that's the issue or Accutane. Yes it sucks about not being able to treat for scars but this could have long term effects, ...It's all a journey. Oh yes I never thought your were unhealthy, hormonal could be genetic or just the way your body is. Yes with Accutane you have to wait 6 months after so you don't hurt your skin and it can regenerate a bit. But in the mean time how about some benefit professional to blur the indents. or dermaphage is that stuff called that fills the spots, or some makeup help for the reds ( I myself have used stuff like this). I think subcision will help you the most.

Thanks beautifulambition for all the information and advice! My current acne isn't very severe, so I'm hoping to get it under control without resorting to Accutane if possible. I actually asked to be tested for PCOS, and asked my dermatologist if my acne might be hormonal. He basically just shrugged and said that there was no point testing, and that if it was hormonal the only advice they would give is diet and exercise. I'm now booked in for a consultation on Friday at the West London Dermatology Clinic where Dr Chu works, although my appointment is with a colleague of his. I'll see what they say and then post an update.

I think some UK clinics offer PDT - or something similar. From my research it looks as if Dr Chu has been part of a research team looking at a different type of light therapy involving blue and red light. Might ask about it while I'm at the Clinic.

I think @Jollyhohnson asks a good question about how to best order/arrangeprocedures. Do people have strong opinions about the best order and timing for people doing TCA CROSS, subcision, TCA peels and micro needling?

I know the most basic, logical advice is to make sure that when you're doing each modality you are not healing from another. But are their rough time frames to abide by?

I'll ask them that when I go to the dermatology clinic on Friday.

17 hours ago, NeoFight said:

I think @Jollyhohnson asks a good question about how to best order/arrange procedures. Do people have strong opinions about the best order and timing for people doing TCA CROSS, subcision, TCA peels and micro needling?

 I know the most basic, logical advice is to make sure that when you're doing each modality  you are not healing from another. But are their rough time frames  to abide by? 

theres surface treatments and collagen/under surface treatments.mixing 2 of the same types of treatments dosn realy work will,mixing tca cross and peels is a no non realy.the peel halts cross healing dramaticaly so renders it pretty useless.you can however needle then let the initial swelling and pain ease then do a peel or cross afterwards,these mobiltys work.

i cant speak for what spas do but at home treatments are limited.

when the op starts treating her skin she will face soo many things she will have to cope with,its a case of plodding on and doing the treatments and waiting the healing time out.

skin needs to be treated not just on the surface but underneath also so alternating or using needling before peels/cross is advicable.

i know as i am facing all the same dielemas but its simple logic what treatments one can do and mix and what order they should be done in.

Of course Drs schedules are not factored into this.When Drs do everything at once, things can not turn out as good, more rushed, and then ... your body may not heal at the rate they rush you out of the office. So some have the time to separate their procedures.When you say no down time, these people often don't get results they want.

It's complex to give time periods for everything. While treating at home I think each month doing a treatment is more feasible and some people don't have this down time so they do a few things a year. Subcision should always been done first to baseline the skin and release tethers, while you can do anything else first if that works better, it's just more logical. Microneedling, peels, and TCA Cross all have down time. Microneedling you will need a good weekend and possibly some makeup Monday. Cross, I never suggest doing to much at once, you can always use makeup / do a few spots at once as they will be red for several weeks. Peels you will have down time of a week ... for some a few days more, you will have redness for a few weeks (makeup).

Never microneedle then peel !!!! Always peel before microneedle, you don't want acid going down in the channels. This is some pro stuff, I would just separate it out by a month. I have seen some bad results.

Besides that healing time is up to your body. This is why with peels we build in test spots, and dilution to see how you heal and if it works for you.

Great stuff, BA. It's almost like logic still has a place in this world!

Thanks for all this advice - it's really helpful just to be able to talk about it all with people who understand me. I'm incredibly lucky to have really supportive family and friends, but I don't think they really get how I can be so upset by my skin. I've taken your advice beautifulambition and got myself booked in for some counselling too. Not sure what they'll be like as they're not private, but I guess it's a start.

I don't live in London and it's a bit of a trek to get down there - so having downtime between procedures is fine with me. Definitely can't afford to be going down to London every other week. It might make work a little uncomfortable but I guess I'll just have to soldier on. I heard the recovery period after subcision is quite long - is that true?

I'm soooo nervous about tomorrow.

Treat whenever you can, weather once or twice a year or more. No rush, your in charge of your journey. But if your saving a buck one can always put makeup over a bruise I suppose.

Okay. Sorry for the slight delay but it's been a busy weekend. I went to the West London Dermatology Clinic on Friday. I have to say, first impressions weren't good. Rather than a dedicated facility it just looked like any other beauty clinic, based on the top floor above a restaurant. The doctor was ok. Very professional. But he's not actually based in this clinic at all - he's based in a different clinic called Parkfield Medical in Birmingham. Unfortunately he told me that I couldn't have any scar treatments at all until my acne was under control, and he personally recommended Roaccutane - which isn't really what I wanted to hear, but I feel like it's the only option I have at the moment. So it looks like my scars won't be going anywhere. Hopefully Roaccutane won't make them worse.
Meanwhile, for those of you hoping for some information about scar treatments, I wrote everything down and here it is:

Dermatologist recommends subicision as a first treatment if necessary (he said I wouldn't be a candidate for subcision but I don't know if I agree. I'll probably seek a second opinion). He then recommended 1-3 sessions of CO2 laser, with a good amount of recovery time before any other treatments (at least a month in between each treatment). TCA cross would be next. He said that dermapen works in a similar (but less effective way) than CO2 laser, and could be used as an additional follow-up treatment later on. He said that CO2 laser could realistically achieve a 45-50% improvement, whereas Dermapen would more likely be no more than 40%. Apparently for wide, shallow scarring, which is what he said I have, laser is best. Further treatment could then bring that improvement percentage up further.

Subicision would cost 100 on it's own but could be done for 50 if included with another treatment. Filler varies in price.
CO2 is 400 per session, or 900 for three sessions.
TCA Cross is 150 each, or 375 for three sessions.
Dermapen is 225 or 15% off for a package of three or more.
A TCA peel is 150 each.
Some of these prices are estimates and will depend on the treatment area.

I was personally surprised at how much cheaper some of these options are compared to others I've seen.

Obviously the main thing to remember is that if you're on Roaccutane you should avoid all scar revision treatment for the duration of the treatment and six months afterwards (at least!). I'm gonna have to be patient!