Hey all!
I had 3 tca cross treatments last spring 7 months ago. Initially treated spots were quite red but they faded during first two months to pinkish color. Now though I feel like as these pink spots haven't improved that much. They're not that bad since they can be covered up pretty easily, but it's frustrating since I thought that by now it should've healed back to more neutral color. Has anyone else experienced this? If there are people who know about this do these spots heal just like post acne redness does, or should I find some treatment for it? The pinkish hue on the cheek can be seen on the picture below.
If it's from the TCA I'm not sure, but I personally don't think TCA effects would last forever. But maybe (given it's light but a 1-2 inch radius) it's some sort of rosacea that is flaring either on it's own or as a side effect to the TCA. Has this redness EVER even to a lesser degree been present before TCA? If so, it could be like an underlying irritation like rosacea. If it's light rosacea and it's stubborn and a Derm agrees with the following, then you could try non-steroid cream like elidel or a oral like doxycycline. I seem to have responded really well to doxycycline so far, so we'll see over a few months but bring that up to a Derm if it's rosacea. There might be some downsides and side effects to either/both so that's why you should ask a derm but I'm just going from what I have and what I've tried for what it's worth.
That's quite interesting. From everything I've read, hyperpigmentation like that is temporary, so it should fade with time. I'd echo @harmlessboy1441and ask if you've noticed it fading at all. If it's fading even slightly I'd bet it will keep fading.
52 minutes ago, Dan said:That's quite interesting. From everything I've read, hyperpigmentation like that is temporary, so it should fade with time. I'd echo @harmlessboy1441and ask if you've noticed it fading at all. If it's fading even slightly I'd bet it will keep fading.
Not to be too 'gross' , but I've also been researching this thing, Demodex mites, which is "usually" on all human's (face) skin and is most of the time asymptomatic and just present everywhere, but is as much as "10x more prevalent on those with rosacea" and can move beyond just present into parasitic depending on one's immune system. My thesis is that acne scar sufferers and those with a "broken skin barrier" may have much more of this causing problems, and it may also develop into rosacea or may mimic identically symptoms of rosacea or even dermatitis.
I believe I may be suffering long term from something like this which flares in different seasons or environments or other factors. It masks itself as or causes rosacea and could even "feel" like dermatitis.To test this thesis I'm taking doxycycline and will be using a sulfuric (prescription) facial wash soon. So far, the doxycycline which has the effect of anti-bacterial, basically nullifying the body's immune response to the demodex bacterial aspects, has triggered for me an unbelievably immediate improvement, serving to almost confirm my suspicions.
I just bring this up because it's not easy to really piece together, and I thought it would be helpful info based on my trial and error recently. Dan, since your an Admin, you might find this helpful in anyone exhibiting symptoms they can't pinpoint.
