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Looks Dr. Rullan and Dr. Taylor are the only two best doctors in US. Based on what I've seen, they are the only two doctors that have treatments that make real difference. I've searched every places for people who had done treatments with them. Looks both two have good reviews. I am mostly interested in the ultimate treatments of the two doctors. I've done a lot of treatments in the past years (CO2, erbium, Genius RF, subcision, filler). Although seeing some improvements, not as much as I've seen from people who did the single ultimate treatment with one of the two doctors. I have widespread ice pick scars (a lot of them are enlarged/aging pores, not looking sharp, but it's just all over the cheek), some shallow boxcars. Also I can feel the skin has scar tissues underneath in some areas although those areas are not visibly indented under normal lighting (can be seen under head lighting).
Here are pros and cons I am considering for the two doctors:
Dr. Taylor
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Pros:
- Taylor Liberator subcision: I believe this big weapon is 100X better than cannula or nokor and can do the real thing for tethered scar tissues. I'd love to have this done.
- TCA peel: I've done 30% TCA peel by myself (only one very thin layer) and the end result looks pretty good. It shrink my diffuse ice picks/enlarged pores and made all of them shallower. So I am wondering if have this done with doctor the result can be better?
- Tangential resurfacing spot treatment: This is localized full field erbium and can smooth edges of boxcars. Although from all pictures I've seen the scars are not completely smoothed out, this method intuitively makes sense. Probably not as good as phenol cross/peel.
Cons:
- Lasers: Dr. Taylor uses Starwalker for Asian skin type. From my understanding, this laser is very weak (comparing to most other fractional CO2/erbium). It seems Dr. Taylor does many passes and I saw people get decent amount of bleeding. But still, it's fractional, so it can never treat 100% of the skin.
Overall, I can imagine Dr. Taylor's treatment can bring a decent amount of improvement, especially for breaking the scar bands underneath the skin with Taylor Liberator. Probably I will no longer feel the scar issues when touch my skin and they will not be (that much) visible under head lighting? But, I don't think this big treatment alone real "one and done" (based on what I saw from this post and this post) and I will still need to deal with texture issues (for my ice picks/pores).
Dr. Rullan
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Pros:
- Phenol peel: Realistically speaking this is the #1 single treatment that produces the most amount of improvement based on cases I've seen. Especially for people (like me) who has diffused ics picks/shallow boxcars all over the face.
Cons:
- Subcision: Normally Dr. Rullan uses cannula. Although people are saying he might be able to use Taylor Liberator, it's not his go-to. Not sure if he will do Taylor Liberator (for me). I've not seen anyone had Taylor Liberator with Dr. Rullan. So not sure if he really does or just he knows there is such a thing...
I believe Dr. Rullan's phenol peel is a MUST for me. Anyway I believe I will do it (at least once, if seeing an amazing result I don't mind do it again after a year or two to achieve close to perfection if that's not too good to be true 
). Based on the famous phenol peel reviews here, here, here and here, I believe this will be a significant change for me as well.
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So, the question is, which one should I choose? I really don't want to waste more time and money. Although I don't mind spend a few more or less thousands $ as long as it's doing the best job. I am aiming in finding the optimal solution that can achieve the goal as early as possible. I've done virtual consultants with both Dr. Rullan and Dr. Taylor (paid and sent them my pictures) and the treatments they suggested as described above. Ideally I wish take advantage of the holiday season at the end of this year to do the phenol peel (as said, I would definitely do it). I have a few things in my mind:
Option 1: Just go with Dr. Rullan. Try to do one (or even two?) trio/quotra with him before phenol peel. Try to ask Dr. Rullan do Taylor Liberator or at least very throughout cannula subcision.
Option 2: First go to Dr. Taylor to do his treatment (as early as possible since now) and then go to Dr. Rullan for phenol peel. Not sure if that's too much within 3-4 months... Or maybe cut down a few things in Dr. Taylor's treatment (Taylor Liberator is the most important).
Does anyone in this forum have done both treatments with these two doctors? How do you feel by comparing them? What would you suggest? Thanks for any comment.
If you have deep icepicks then he recommends excision. I am talking about dr Taylor. Here is what I suggest goto dr rullan complete two to 3 sessions of erbium and phenol combo and finally go with phenol peel combining with Taylor liberator if you are ok with risk. I have done Taylor liberator with dr rullan. It is highly effective.
dr Taylor is good but fractional laser are not that good or causes fat loss and worsening of texture but scars will improve. With phenol acid the fat doesnt die. Or if going laser go for full ablation route.
Ive been thinking about this post and I have to agree with getsmart. I didnt see too much improvement after Dr. Taylors treatment, definitely not enough to warrant 5000$. I kinda regret going actually but its done.
I think if you had rolling scars it would work better but for boxscars like the ones I have, I think Dr. Rullans new phenol/erbium combo is best.
if I could do it again, instead of Dr Taylor I would do phenol cross/erbium x 3. Im almost positive this would have given me even better results than Dr. Taylors procedure.
and as always, phenol peel at the end to finish things off and help with pigmentation
just my two cents. Would you like me to ask him when I go next week what he thinks about Taylor liberator and doing it during the phenol peel?
1 hour ago, Sam456 said:Ive been thinking about this post and I have to agree with getsmart. I didnt see too much improvement after Dr. Taylors treatment, definitely not enough to warrant 5000$. I kinda regret going actually but its done.
I think if you had rolling scars it would work better but for boxscars like the ones I have, I think Dr. Rullans new phenol/erbium combo is best.
if I could do it again, instead of Dr Taylor I would do phenol cross/erbium x 3. Im almost positive this would have given me even better results than Dr. Taylors procedure.
and as always, phenol peel at the end to finish things off and help with pigmentation
just my two cents. Would you like me to ask him when I go next week what he thinks about Taylor liberator and doing it during the phenol peel?
That would be great if you could ask him about TL! I am trying extremely hard to communicate with Mary! So hard to reach her! Thank you so much!!!
4 hours ago, Catharsis2018 said:
September 2021 versus august 2022
Progress is slow but to see it is rewarding
In terms of scar depth, mine is kind of similar to yours in the second picture, also after several years of treatments. But realistically speaking, the lighting is a bit different, so cannot tell how much improvement really is. Scars are always scars. I think situations like us should go for phenol peel. I don't think doing anything else will make any more visible difference, no other treatment can smooth the whole area out, as it's fractionated. I think Phenol peel can blur all the textures, it may still have some shadow under extreme lighting condition. But it will keep improving throughout the year. I don't mind do another to boost more collagen after a year or two if that still bothers me. Previously I thought it's gonna be super super super red for at least three months after phenol peel. But it looks it's not that bad, and should be fairly easy to conceal in front of WFH camera after one month.
Ok so Dr Rullan said that he only does TL when there is severe scarring and the patient has thick skin. He said that this is because as the TL cuts through everything it can even come out of the skin in another spot.
he also said that when doing TL, he starts with cannula to make the opening and then uses the liberator tool.
didnt seem like its one of his faves but he does use it.
37 minutes ago, Sam456 said:Ok so Dr Rullan said that he only does TL when there is severe scarring and the patient has thick skin. He said that this is because as the TL cuts through everything it can even come out of the skin in another spot.
he also said that when doing TL, he starts with cannula to make the opening and then uses the liberator tool.
didnt seem like its one of his faves but he does use it.
Thanks for asking him. Did you just had another treatment with him? I have booked a treatment with him later this month. I will also schedule my end-year phenol peel in my visit.
The thing about subcision and what I have come to realize is a lot of doctors half-ass the procedure so it doesn't matter what tool they use if the doctor is not focusing on the scar instead just going through the motion. I see this in some youtube videos I watch.
It takes a lot of effort to break up the scar bands and then it's really the healing process that patients have to be patient for
5 minutes ago, Insearch said:The thing about subcision and what I have come to realize is a lot of doctors half-ass the procedure so it doesn't matter what tool they use if the doctor is not focusing on the scar instead just going through the motion. I see this in some youtube videos I watch.
It takes a lot of effort to break up the scar bands and then it's really the healing process that patients have to be patient for
Yes. But when it comes to Taylor Liberator it's very easy to just cut everything. That's why some Drs are advertising it asfull field subcicision.
5 minutes ago, froyosh said:Yes. But when it comes to Taylor Liberator it's very easy to just cut everything. That's why some Drs are advertising it asfull field subcicision.
Cutting everything(also no guarantee), the scars will still reattach...
slow and steady wins the race
also, how do you know it will cut everything? Like I said before, doctors half-ass procedures ALL the time
"full field subcision" what a joke... what is that suppose to even mean? If someone get this procedure from this doctor and it doesn't heal their scars in one session..they should ask for their money back.