What do you regret doing or not doing regarding your scars?

[Q_P 5]

What would you do differently regarding your acne scars if you had the opportunity to go back in time and fix things?

[DudleyDoRight 144]

I consider Dermabrasion and Regular Co2 to be a waste of time.

[adella 0]

If I hadnt had Co2 id have 'normal' skin. Most of my scarring is BURNS from the laser. So obviously thats my greatest regret.

Isolagen...waste of everything, time energy money...

I regret everything I did to my skin, up until I discovered SB products and routine, and use a roller plus do individual needling... now I see changes id never seen with ANY other treatment.

[MCHLLE 0]

nervous picking, stressed picking, bored picking and just picking generally! I also regret applying tonnes of moisturizer thinking I was helping it. Was doing quite the opposite

Treatment wise, Ive done a lot myself, so despite my fetish for buying tonnes of scar treatments online, I haven't forked out massive amounts of otherwise unsuccessful professional treatments, so thats a good thing

Whats wrong with applying alot of moisturizer? Can over-moisturizer hurt the healing process?

Apart from breaking out from it ofcourse.

[Q_P 5]

If I hadnt had Co2 id have 'normal' skin. Most of my scarring is BURNS from the laser. So obviously thats my greatest regret.

Isolagen...waste of everything, time energy money...

I regret everything I did to my skin, up until I discovered SB products and routine, and use a roller plus do individual needling... now I see changes id never seen with ANY other treatment.

What are the "SB products and routine"?

[dykim90 2]

definitely picking and maybe accutane.

[Q_P 5]

definitely picking and maybe accutane.

Do you regret taking Accutane or not taking it?

[RoseP 0]

I would start treating my scars at the same time I treat my acne. Acne - if you're lucky - eventually goes away. Scars stay forever.

[shalibee 0]

Getting needling done here.

http://www.blackandbluetattoo.com/scar_reduction

It's a shame - she took that info (including pics) from elsewhere on the internet and advertises it as her own. She caused more scars and made things worse and others who have been to her can attest. She should get her license revoked for engaging in a practice she knows nothing about.

[klick 0]

Accutane

[Suhail 0]

When I was younger I would have taken care of my skin better. I had prescribed medicine to treat my acne but I never did. I was left with one bad scar but the rest of my skin is perfect,however, this one scar is in a very noticable and bad place on my face so it devastates me. I wouldn't have crossed the scar as much either. I used TCA too much. I wouldn't have sinned as I did, I feel like my scar is a punishment from God for my sins. This is just my personal belief though. I probably shouldn't feel this way though. Everything happens for a reason though, if I ever cure the scar It was meant to be cured, if not then It was never meant to happen and I must live with it. Being on a filler the rest of my life is better then never curing the scar. Yeah I guess I went a little too deep with a response, lol.

Btw monkey you don't have scars lol don't know why you think you still do. I guess everything in life is perception based. You shouldn't spend the rest of your life believing you have something you don't though, that can ruin your life.

[Crabby_Patty 0]

Picking Picking and more Picking.

Also would not have put so much crap stuff on my face like loads of different products and changing them all the time.

Maybe also I would not of gone on dianette which I think made my skin 10 times worse when I came off it then what it was before I took it.

[Dave99 1]

I regret that there wasn't a single person around who gave a crap to try and help me back then, and that includes the doctors. I went to at least four doctors that I remember, and about the only thing they cared about was getting me to come back next month so they could get another payment out of us. After years of that, by a complete fluke I read about Accutane. I went to the doctor that I had been going to for a couple years already and asked him about it... He said he was "waiting to use that as a last resort". At this point my face looked like I had been in a car wreck. So that comment got my blood pressure up a bit. Amazingly enough, he still didn't want to give it to me, but I made him. I'm convinced he just didn't want to lose the monthly payments, and had I not mentioned it, probably would have never prescribed it. About 8 months later it was completely gone. Problem was, about 90% of the damage happen in that last year. I'd try to sue the a$$, but the old fart is probably dead by now. Having a physical ailment with no cure is one thing. Having an ailment that is curable, but the people around you are too incompetent and lazy to use it, is tough to take... Even after all these years.

[shalibee 0]

I regret that there wasn't a single person around who gave a crap to try and help me back then, and that includes the doctors.

I totally feel for you. The thing I don't understand is why there doesn't seem to be more effort put into research for more effectively treating scars. Ok, for instance, research has come up with a way to grow eye lashes (latisse). I mean, who would have thought that you could grow your lashes longer and thicker? It's something everyone thought "you're born with it or you're not."

And this is the thought with acne and the resulting scars "you're genetically predisposed or you're not." But truth is, there has to be a way to treat scars just like there is now for short/sparce lashes. Right now, however, there really isn't much out there for severe scarring and yet acne and scarring have been documented to cause depression and major self-esteem issues.

As for myself, I have minor scarring and I've had microdermabrasion (different from dermabrasion) and smoothbeam. Those did NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING. If they did result in any improvement, it's nothing that is visible to the human eye. And from what I've read on these boards, the results are dismal for many other treatments.

So why can't there be more dedication given to LONG-TERM/permanent treatment of acne and scars? I know some may say it's to keep the dermatology business afloat. But gosh, it's crazy. I would do anything to find that permanent treatment knowing what acne has done to me. I would never want anyone to go through the emotional pain and struggles we all know too well.

Edited December 29, 2009 by shalibee

[tj101 0]

Well, I wish I would have treated my acne as soon as I saw it was getting out of control.

As for treating the scars, I wish I would've tried needling sooner, it took me some years to overcome the though of needles on my face.

[MrObi 0]

Picking, using soap from clinique and using a wrong moisturizer growing up.

[Dave99 1]

So why can't there be more dedication given to LONG-TERM/permanent treatment of acne and scars? I know some may say it's to keep the dermatology business afloat. But gosh, it's crazy. I would do anything to find that permanent treatment knowing what acne has done to me. I would never want anyone to go through the emotional pain and struggles we all know too well.

The fact is, the same could be said for most things in medicine. They would like us to believe that they are miracle workers, but they are far from it. Unfortunately, most people get into medicine to make money. I had my old dentist retire. She turned her practice over to a young new guy. The first time I went and saw him, he told me I had 5 fillings needed. I just about crap myself. I have 5 fillings in my mouth total, my whole life. Something told me to check it out. I went to another older guy... He told me he saw nothing that needed immediate attention. The other guy was totally scamming me. It's hard to believe someone would do something like that to somebody, but they are all over the place. Healing is not their main concern... Money is. And unfortunately, there's more money in placating problems than actually solving them. And the few good people are going to work on cancer and stuff like that, not cosmetic stuff. Nature gave our body's some amazing regenerative qualities... But unfortunately most don't cover the aesthetic part very well.

[mebe 1]

regret taking accutane. It changed my physically and molecularly. Its all been downhill after it.