Hi everyone,
I am looking to get my acne scars reduced like a lot others here and I would say that I have around 95% rolling to 5% boxing scars (though it is hard to tell between the two). I only have scaring on one cheek and minimal scarring on my forehead so I am not sure if I should just get botox for my forehead and do acne scar treatment for my cheek for do scarring treatments for both.
However, for my acne scarring,I am located in Vancouver and I was quoted $1995 plus tax for this treatment: https://skinlife.ca/treatments/3d-acne-scar-repair/ which they explain as
The treatment program is a combination of various procedures including but not limited to: Fractional Laser, Fractional RF (Infini RF), Duet RF (Ablative), Cosmetic PRP (Acne Scar Therapy), TCA CROSS, Easy TCA Pain Control Peel, Vitamin C Injections, and/or USPL Lasers .
They say that this does not include subcision which is another costs another 1200-2500 for a single session. From what I've read, it seems that subcision seems like the best shot of improving rolling/boxing scars which makes me a bit hesitant about this treatment.
I am more interested in the treatment that another forum user got at a nearby clinic called reviva
https://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/362015-my-prpfractionalsubcsionintracel-rf-microneedling-treatment-with-pics/
I was wondering if for rolling scarsa mix offractional microneedle rf, subcision/filler and prp would be idealThe above user got all these plus a fraxel laser in one sitting which sounds way too harsh for me personally.
I was wondering which clinic would be the better option, and if getting microneedle rf, subcision/filler, and prp would be too harsh in one session and if so how should I space them out?
Any advice would be truly appreciated.
This post is hard to answer. I have not seen your scars and thus cannot give you a customized plan. Based off your percentages above. You need subcision. That should be your only goal to begin with, if you have depressions - pits you need filler as well. TCA Cross is also necessary if you have icepicks, but you have box cars,... so this is a tricky one, if they are smaller they can do tca cross on them, larger we do rf needling and or angled co2 laser to soften the border of the boxcar.
What you have above are packages, this is the worst possible thing you can do. IT's not based on your skin type, scar type, and goals. Treatment has to be based on the patient not selling something. But I understand sometimes we operate in a world where we have to goto some of these Drs.
Find a dr to do subcision and filler when the swelling goes down(1 week normally). Then you wait 3 months and do rf needling, and another subcision when you need a top up(filler) again. Your going to do 3-4) total subs with 3 rf needling sessions mixed in. Wait and this is important 3 months apart, not 1 month like Drs tell you. Healing is very slow with the body. If you need to goto one Dr for subcision, and another DR/Med Spa for RF Needling.
If you need another boost for boxcars, then you get angled CO2 laser after this.
Peels are the last step (Acid Peels) for texture.
Many treat over 3 years, everything is optional, treat as you have time and money, you can at home monthly(between dr treatments) dermastamp/derminator and use retin-a/tretinorin/differin nightly, if your ethnic also use konjac/licrorish/arbutin like cream for skin whitening with the ret.... We want cell turnover.
Thank you for the great response
I was wondering if too many of these harsh treatments would be more detrimental than good to your skin, especially for someone like me who has sensitive skin. I am using retin-a and just past my 2nd month using it with azaleic acid to still deal with small breakouts. My deeply scarring acne has been gone for around a year
but I want to wait a month or two until my acne has fully subsided before starting these treatments.
I got a quote from Reviva clinic that says they combine microneedling-rf (Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Micro-needling RF, Duet RF or Sculptra injection) with a subcision and filler-add on. I am not sure if this means that they will space out these treatments but the cost of a subcision and Juvederm dermal filler is about 900 and I am not sure about the miconeedling-rf cost.
I am a bit hesitant to use at home devices for now but I will look into it