Rolling Scars

[keisha 1]

Hey guys, well I've been off accutane for about 7 months now and my skin is clear of acne but I have rolling scars and red marks on my cheeks. My derm told me to wait a while after accutane to do any scar treatments. So what treatment works best for rolling scars? I don't mind paying the price if i know there is a high chance of improvement. My scars doesnt look too noticeable in certain lights but some lights they look very noticable. I'm abit frustrated because I battled acne since i was 13 and now I'm 22 and I'm finally cleared but now scars are here. It's a neverending cycle. I just want normal skin. That's all.

Here are some pictures of my scars

So would my scars be classified as rolling scars???

[Charlemagne 0]

Hey guys, well I've been off accutane for about 7 months now and my skin is clear of acne but I have rolling scars and red marks on my cheeks. My derm told me to wait a while after accutane to do any scar treatments. So what treatment works best for rolling scars? I don't mind paying the price if i know there is a high chance of improvement. My scars doesnt look too noticeable in certain lights but some lights they look very noticable. I'm abit frustrated because I battled acne since i was 13 and now I'm 22 and I'm finally cleared but now scars are here. It's a neverending cycle. I just want normal skin. That's all.

Here are some pictures of my scars

Well, the good news is that it doesn't look like your scars are that deep, so maybe some non-invasive treatments would be the way to start out. Did your derm have any ideas about what sorts of treatments would be appropriate?

[tp85 0]

They don't look very deep at all. They'll probably fade and look a lot less noticeable with time.

[gttraveling 1]

No way to know if they will fade or lessen, but you're very pretty, so who cares.

[keisha 1]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I know my scars aren't that deep but in certain lighting they look horrible. I wouldn't mind scarring anywhere else on my body but not the face. ahhhh, Should I try dermabrasion or any laser??? help

[Snowman 0]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I know my scars aren't that deep but in certain lighting they look horrible. I wouldn't mind scarring anywhere else on my body but not the face. ahhhh, Should I try dermabrasion or any laser??? help

i know what u mean certain light definately makes them look awful!!!

well definately DO NOT go for MICRODERMABRASION waste of time i m looking into laser maybe but try a dermaroller

[Charlemagne 0]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I know my scars aren't that deep but in certain lighting they look horrible. I wouldn't mind scarring anywhere else on my body but not the face. ahhhh, Should I try dermabrasion or any laser??? help

Hi Keisha,

From what I've read on this board, dermabrasion is not a good option for asian skin, with pigmentation problems sometimes occuring. Take a look at Sword's ordeal with dermabrasion.

Maybe take a look at the Fraxel link and see what you think of that.

[keisha 1]

Thanks for the warning guys. I definately won't go for microdermabrasion now. I don't have much money to waste anyway so I need something that has atleast some improvement.

[*Ariana* 32]

Hi Keisha,

Your scars are very shallow. If I were you, I would examine my skin and find the scars that look the deepest and have subscision on those and then follow up with some type of resurfacing treatment. Due to your complexion, I would not consider dermabrasion, but fraxel might not be a bad idea. Also, some members on our site have had some pretty good success with subscision and fillers combined. You may want to ask Rupert about it because he did it for his rolling scars.

Thanks for the warning guys. I definately won't go for microdermabrasion now. I don't have much money to waste anyway so I need something that has atleast some improvement.

[semolina pilchard 0]

i believe opportunity's suggestion regarding subcision is a good one. i will be having this done later this month, as i have rolling scars also. my dr. said it's particularly effective for 'hill and valley' scarring. it's about four hundred and may require more than one treatment but yours look much better than mine so i suspect you'd fare even better.

[keisha 1]

what is subcision>?

[semolina pilchard 0]

there should be a lot of detailed info about it online- or you may find doing a search in this forum helpful. basically, a curved needle is inserted beneath the skin and moved around in the immediate area to break the tissue that tethers the skin down. that's a really crude way of saying it but that's the gist. multiple sessions may be needed because the skin will eventually reattach. my dr. also calls it undermining but it's most commonly referred to as subcision, especially on these boards.

[paquita 2]

I haven't tried any surgical procedures (my case is very similar to yours, finished Tane 9 months ago & have rolling scars in my left cheek)

From reading these boards I would avoid some procedures. I woudn't have dermabrasion, and I have white skin, but i read horror stories about pigment problems. I also read horror stories from TCA, CO2 etc. The only one that seems safer is Fraxel. I went through that long 147 page threat because I am really considering something that at least if it doesn't work, at least I'm not gonna screw up my face.

The other treatement I will be considering are temporary fillers, but those I still need to do more reading and research.

I had microdermabrasions and stopped at my third, I think. The woman burned my skin and I ended up with a brown blemish. Thank God I was able to remove it with hydroquinone, but I felt like crap and I now I know they can really mess up your skin if you are not careful.

I have been using RetinA 0.1% Also a cream, Neocutis that is extremely expensive. My scars are there but they have soften a lot. I don't know which cream is doing the trick, but I'm partially satisfied.

[keisha 1]

Hmmm subcision sounds very invasive and painful.

Yeh I'm on page 7 of the fraxel thread and it seems very promising. My derm also perscribed Retina 0.1% cream for me also and told me it should help with the scars abit. I don't really know if it's helping but I stopped using.

[paquita 2]

I think you should keep using the RetinA unless you had some reaction to it. It is not a miracle drug but I honestly think it smooth my scars.

The Frazel thread really doesn't have a lot of info. I would probably just read the last page. Only 3 people I think posted pics and it was towards the beginning. The middle is just people talking about Fraxel machines and begining their treatements, but not a lot of testimonies after the treatement was done, which is when it's supposed to kick in.

[keisha 1]

thanks paquita, I think I will go back on my retina A cream. I have no reaction to the cream, just abit of flakiness to the skin. I just don't know what treatment to trust, I don't want anymor treatment ruining my skin further or waste anymore money.

[Snowman 0]

u wanna look at using a dermaroller then applyin your retin-a cream. it will be more effective. dermarollers are meant to be pretty good i cant say personally as i ve only just started rolling 2day!!

[semolina pilchard 0]

Hmmm subcision sounds very invasive and painful.

Yeh I'm on page 7 of the fraxel thread and it seems very promising. My derm also perscribed Retina 0.1% cream for me also and told me it should help with the scars abit. I don't really know if it's helping but I stopped using.

the only significantly painful aspect is the shot that numbs the area. it's not terribly invasive at all and healing involves about a week of swelling and a small spot left from the incision. fraxel is an entirely different beast, if you're concerned about invasive/painful procedures. i've had laser done and it was far more painful than any excision-type procedure i've had. entirely different price bracket as well. as for retinoids helping indented scarring, i've used them for years with no effect whatsoever in that regard. it's good to have and use for other benefits though. but it's obviously down to you and how you want to approach it.

[pip123 0]

Retin-A is helping my scarring. I have scarred pores and shallow rolling scars. It took over 4 months before I saw a difference and it continues to improve. I just wanted to add that, because even though it hasn't helped semolina pilchard, it has helped me. I have also been taking loads of vitamin c and eating healthy to help it work better. It has got rid of my redness too.

[semolina pilchard 0]

Retin-A is helping my scarring. I have scarred pores and shallow rolling scars. It took over 4 months before I saw a difference and it continues to improve. I just wanted to add that, because even though it hasn't helped semolina pilchard, it has helped me. I have also been taking loads of vitamin c and eating healthy to help it work better. It has got rid of my redness too.

curious, pip- how old are you?

[keisha 1]

Retin-A is helping my scarring. I have scarred pores and shallow rolling scars. It took over 4 months before I saw a difference and it continues to improve. I just wanted to add that, because even though it hasn't helped semolina pilchard, it has helped me. I have also been taking loads of vitamin c and eating healthy to help it work better. It has got rid of my redness too.

Sounds good, Since I already have retina_A I might as well finish the tube. Thanks everyone for your input.

[plan b. 0]

keisha, did your scars get worse after accutane? im about to finish my accutane and am now noticing rolling scars. its kinda depressing..but at least my face is clear.

[The Charmed 1 1]

keisha, did your scars get worse after accutane? im about to finish my accutane and am now noticing rolling scars. its kinda depressing..but at least my face is clear.

Ditto

[bibs 0]

hi keisha--

your scars look a bit similar to the way mine were. i had a bunch of divots but some good skin in between. TCA cross REALLY helped me. it didn't cure them 100% but more like 70%.

[keisha 1]

keisha, did your scars get worse after accutane? im about to finish my accutane and am now noticing rolling scars. its kinda depressing..but at least my face is clear.

I had a few scarring before accutane, I think I'm just prone to scarring but I noticed I had a intial break out during accutane which was my worst break out ever and had like 4-5 huge cysts on my cheeks which I popped, I think that's what caused more scarring. So yeh I think accutane contributed to my scarring but It still cleared my skin so I can't really complain. And Also even before accutane I keep getting acne in the same spot over and over again for years and year so I guess it just eventually scarred.

hi keisha--

your scars look a bit similar to the way mine were. i had a bunch of divots but some good skin in between. TCA cross REALLY helped me. it didn't cure them 100% but more like 70%.

I heard TCA can cause hyperpigmentation problems in darker skin like mine.