I think I'm turning into a product junkie!

[ChrissyC 5]

OK. This is probably pointless without a picture, but humor me. My scarring is relatively shallow, but there's quite a bit of it. I have two DEEP icepicks. A smattering of small icepicks, a lot of scarred pores, probably some boxcars thrown in for good measure. I'm part asian, but a Fitzpatrick II. I've tried everything along the way, gave up for several years, found this board and am back at it!

I've undergone 4 fraxels - last two at 24. I'm about three weeks out at this point. I am toying with a fifth, just to see if number 5 is my "Yipee!" moment. I believe my scarring has softened about 40%, but of course, that's just not good enough for me

So, in my arsenal is: Exfol and the supercops. I just ordered mandelic acid (stubburn nose blackheads), TCA (50%) for cross, and a 30% glycolic peel (to go along with the supercop regime which I've been doing for about three weeks so far). Also in my arsenal is the possiblilty of another fraxel and a medical microdermabrasion (diamondtome)

And now my question (finally!). I know scar remodeling is a long and slow process. But I have a wedding coming up at the beginning of November and there will be a lot of people there that I haven't seen in a long time. I want to look good! What do you think will give me the best bang for my buck?

I'm kind of thinking as the copper peptides as a longer term solution. Once I do any of the other things, there is downtime involved (as in - skin is fragile and I'll need to wait a couple of weeks to proceed with additional steps)

Anyone?

[shyone 0]

OK. This is probably pointless without a picture, but humor me. My scarring is relatively shallow, but there's quite a bit of it. I have two DEEP icepicks. A smattering of small icepicks, a lot of scarred pores, probably some boxcars thrown in for good measure. I'm part asian, but a Fitzpatrick II. I've tried everything along the way, gave up for several years, found this board and am back at it!

I've undergone 4 fraxels - last two at 24. I'm about three weeks out at this point. I am toying with a fifth, just to see if number 5 is my "Yipee!" moment. I believe my scarring has softened about 40%, but of course, that's just not good enough for me :rolleyes:

So, in my arsenal is: Exfol and the supercops. I just ordered mandelic acid (stubburn nose blackheads), TCA (50%) for cross, and a 30% glycolic peel (to go along with the supercop regime which I've been doing for about three weeks so far). Also in my arsenal is the possiblilty of another fraxel and a medical microdermabrasion (diamondtome)

And now my question (finally!). I know scar remodeling is a long and slow process. But I have a wedding coming up at the beginning of November and there will be a lot of people there that I haven't seen in a long time. I want to look good! What do you think will give me the best bang for my buck?

I'm kind of thinking as the copper peptides as a longer term solution. Once I do any of the other things, there is downtime involved (as in - skin is fragile and I'll need to wait a couple of weeks to proceed with additional steps)

Anyone?

40% and you've not had a "Yipee" yet? If I get 20% softening, I'll have ... multiple "Yipees!" :lol:

[ChrissyC 5]

Well, you know how subjective that % number is. I'm basing it on my husband's observations, but honestly, it all happens so gradually that I'm still lookoing at the same face in the mirror. You know what I mean? I'm not nearly as self conscious as I was, but why not maximize the results?

[billyboy 0]

Chrissy, I wish I could help. Do you really think 40%? Have you seen my pics on fraxel thread with pre and post (fraxel + punch floats). I really think I got a small fraxel gain. 40% is huge - congrats.

It seems like others have gotten fast benefits with fillers, but I assume that is only for deep scars.

[ChrissyC 5]

Hi billyboy! Good to see you outside of the fraxel thread

40% - who the heck knows. My husband says 50%. After my third fraxel the doctor thought 35%. Those numbers are so subjective. Maybe I'm off base. I know that I feel much better about my skin. Maybe the copper peptides have something to do with that. Maybe the collagen actually is continuing to fill in post fraxel. I will never have porcelain skin, and don't imagine the scars will ever completely go away, but they are SO much softer. My skin looks... decent... in most lighting (esp. if I'm using primer and tinted moisturizer)...but no one would ever say I have "good" skin.

[widgie 0]

40% - who the heck knows. My husband says 50%. After my third fraxel the doctor thought 35%. Those numbers are so subjective. Maybe I'm off base. I know that I feel much better about my skin. Maybe the copper peptides have something to do with that. Maybe the collagen actually is continuing to fill in post fraxel. I will never have porcelain skin, and don't imagine the scars will ever completely go away, but they are SO much softer. My skin looks... decent... in most lighting (esp. if I'm using primer and tinted moisturizer)...but no one would ever say I have "good" skin.

I feel exactly the same way... My improvement is at about 50% with two more Fraxels to go. But the improved texture and skin tone make my scar improvement appear even greater because they are less noticable. But it IS all subjective. I feel so much better and that is enough for me....I know I'll never have perfect skin either.

I am a product junkie to the extreme. I've been using the cp products for 6 months now. However I just started using them daily about a month ago because since the Fraxels, my skin doesn't get as irritated as it used to. I also just started using the mandelic acid....last night in fact. If you want quicker results, I'd say bump up the daily exfoliation if your skin can tolerate it. Exfol is nice, but not that potent. People on skinbio and Diane Yvonnes forums talk about using stronger daily Salicylic acids (like 5%) in conjunction with the mandelic acid. And maybe try a microdermabrasion cloth. I ordered mine from ebay and it's nice because you can control how much you want to exfoliate.