Hey guys im currently undergoing the subcision + suction route to deal with my atrophic scarring as reccomended but i also have a lot of textural issues.
I was thinking of givefully ablative CO2 (sadly erbium is not available to me)a shot this winter but I wanted to ask for the experiencesof other ethnic skinned users on here first.
My main concern is hypopigmentation because i am somewhere between a fitzpatrick 3/4.
I know for a fact that the skin on my body hypopigments after injury. An example of such is from minor burns due to my leg brushing against my motorcycle exhaust. This typically leaves a scab which then falls off and leaves hypopigmentation in that area for several months.
An uncontrolled burn is obviously different from a controlled laser, but i would still like to hear experiences with fully ablative CO2 and/or alternatives that ethnic skin (FP 3+) users have used to deal with textural issues.
Sharing of any experiences is greatly appreciated guys!
@Gary_6100This can be a very scary route for you. If the Dr does not specialize in your skin type they can destroy your skin. Ask how many cases do you see a month with my skin type, ... ask for pictures of scar cases like yours. CO2 on ethnic skin cannot be done fully ablative your will hyperpigment and have other issues, we instead do 3-7% density CO2 with high power multiple passes. It does not need to be a Sciton machine, perhaps your country uses a different brand, check around which brand of Erbium resurfacing they Use. Other popular ones are Alma, Fontana and so many others.
Hyperpigmentation: You must start treating now with a retinoid nightly, and a lightening gel like the PCA hydroquinone free pigment gel, it has things like licorice, arbutin, kojic acid, in it, ... there are others. Use this together nightly both before and after treatment once you heal.
When you have that skin type you will guaranteed still hyper pigment (wear sunscren), - vascular laser will be used for this,it's a trade off for treating your skin type, if your not prepared for that then do nothing.
I would never do any fully ablative co2 on you, this is insane. Perhaps a series of lighter TCA peels if you cannot find erbium. Or some countries in the middle east do dermabrasion as that is what the plastics have experience with.