Can Someone Help Me Evaluate My Scars? I'm Thinking Of Doing Dermastamping

[Nyla 30]

I'm not sure if mine are 'deep' or 'shallow' since everyone's definitions differ. I would think mine are quite moderate/mild.. would dermastamping be good for rolling scars? The scars are also darker than my skintone and have been there for more than a year! I'm really starting to get depressed. The picture quality isn't that great but you can definitely see where my skin is indented/red/discoloured.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[Rob_X_22 71]

need better pics i don't even see scars

[acneacnegowaway 0]

I don't see anything, I agree we need better pictures.

[Nyla 30]

I tried to take better pictures. Okay so my condition used to be like this (April 2011)... (on the left, do you guys think it was very bad? It makes me cringe and depressed that I EVER looked like that, ugh). And on the right is my skin right now, my left cheek. The right cheek is pretty much the same. I have very shallow rolling scars and some pitted scars but i suffer the most from discoloration. I don't know what to do, I've done laser twice and that helped with redness and discoloration but did NOTHING for scars. Please help ( I've been suffering from marks and acne for over 3 years.. is this permanent discoloration?

Edited October 14, 2012 by Silk Doll

[Rob_X_22 71]

i still don't see anything but actice acne ...u prolly need to get rid of the acne then worry about scars ...i don't think u'll have any

[*Inspired* 135]

You appear to have active acne and hyperpigmentation. You need to resolve your acne first.

What kind of laser treatment did you have?

[Rob_X_22 71]

tokyogirl have u done any dermaneedling?

i just ordered this

so i can attack the individual crater type scars its 1.5mm without rolling my face so often anyway i read on a german i think website where they are using a suction method along with the dermaneedling ...anyway has anyone tried that any recommendations ?

[*Inspired* 135]

No, I have not tried rolling or stamping. There's absolutely no way I could stick needles in my skin. I've made so many mistakes that I'm just paranoid about home treatment at this point. Plus, I don't handle pain and blood well. I simply couldn't do it.

[Nyla 30]

guys, I don't have active acne.. one or two, that's it. my main issue is scarring and hyperpigmentation... the picture on the LEFT is my skin last year. right is now..

[*Inspired* 135]

guys, I don't have active acne.. one or two, that's it. my main issue is scarring and hyperpigmentation... the picture on the LEFT is my skin last year. right is now..

Apologies. I missed that point in your comment. Have you tried Retin-a and Hydroquinone to clear the hyperpigmentation & improve skin tone? It's really hard to evaluate scars when there are pigmentation issues.

[Nyla 30]

thanks, and it's alright and no, i haven't tried those.. i did try to buy hydroquinone at a pharmacy near me but i was told that i needed a prescription. i might buy it online. i've heard of the risks involved though and i'm a little scared to try it, but i'm desperate. however, my scars are shallow (or at least i think so... can someone enlighten me though?) and look almost like normal skin. but i know they are there because under harsh lighting you can definitely see them.

rob: is dermastamping recommended for me? will it help with hyperpigmentation?

and here, i've attached pictures of my scars, with natural light for better viewing.

[Rob_X_22 71]

i think you need to see a shrink because your nuts if u think u have acne scars

[*Inspired* 135]

thanks, and it's alright and no, i haven't tried those.. i did try to buy hydroquinone at a pharmacy near me but i was told that i needed a prescription. i might buy it online. i've heard of the risks involved though and i'm a little scared to try it, but i'm desperate. however, my scars are shallow (or at least i think so... can someone enlighten me though?) and look almost like normal skin. but i know they are there because under harsh lighting you can definitely see them.

rob: is dermastamping recommended for me? will it help with hyperpigmentation?

and here, i've attached pictures of my scars, with natural light for better viewing.

You should be under the care of a doctor if you're going to use hydroquinone. It can irritate your skin. Kojic Acid is a milder inhibitor, and a safer option. It takes longer to see results, but I would try it if you're not under the care of a dermatologist.

Your scars are so shallow, I wouldn't worry about them. If I were you, I would treat the hyperpigmentation because dark marks can create the illusion of shadows. The shadow effect causes shallow scars to appear deeper.

[Nyla 30]

i think you need to see a shrink because your nuts if u think u have acne scars

that was kind of rude. i know to some people my scars aren't deep or obvious but this isn't a trick of the mind, they are DEFINITELY there. when i went to do the laser even the doctor said i had mild scars.. i'm just trying to get help here so that i can get my skin in tip top condition and you call me nuts. that's not fair.

tokyogirl, i'll check kojic acid out, thanks. i have been treating my hyperpigmentation, actually. for years, but it's fading extremely slowly.. i've tried using apple cider vinegar, both orally and topically. whitening creams, lemon juice, prescription creams, the regular OTC stuff but nothing seems to work. when i get a zit it leaves a mark even when i don't touch it.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[Rob_X_22 71]

i'm just being honest ...your not going to get anyone to feel sorry for you when people on this board really do have real scars

[Nyla 30]

i do have REAL scars, they just happen to be shallow. and i'm looking for help because i want my skin to look as good as possible. what is so wrong with that? if my not having 'real scars' bothers you so much, go find someone else who doesn't have real scars (according to you) to pick on..

Edited July 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[Emhfali 0]

u have weird skin. but no real scarring. minimal icepick. minimal.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Emhfali

[Nyla 30]

u have weird skin. but no real scarring. minimal icepick. minimal.

lol yeah, that's REALLY helpful. thanks! jesus people, why do you all have to be so negative with your comments? i am just looking for help. if you don't have any real, constructive advice to offer, i suggest you don't even reply..

Edited July 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[Rob_X_22 71]

take better pics in better lighting ...honestly we can't really see anything

[Nyla 30]

the picture i attached a few posts up, on the right, a close up picture, UNDER bright lighting.. where you can see my hyperpigmentation and scarring clearly. that's how it looks in real life.

[FruitBiscuits 22]

I do see scarring, icepicks(like Emhfali said) and maybe rolling..? hard to tell by the pic...To be honest, icepick scars are hard to improve...that's what I've heard from many derms and org.

I agree it's shallow scarring but I know EXACTLY how you feel because I have shallow scarring, too and they make me feel insecure and i want to improve them as much as possible, because I want to feel comfortable with my own skin!

For hyperpigmintation marks you should leave them and let them fade on their own...or if you want to try peels, I recommend lower % peels(less than 15%). Personally I like lower % Lactic acid peels. It works for me well and it won't irritate my skin =) And don't forget to apply moisturizer, too. Most of lower % peels don't do anything to indentation, but it help exfoliating your skin and fading marks faster.

Good luck =)

Edited July 5, 2012 by myskin2012

[Liquid_Ocelot 49]

i'm just being honest ...your not going to get anyone to feel sorry for you when people on this board really do have real scars

Get the hell outta here with your 'real scars' bs. Scars are scars, just because yours are worse doesn't mean no one else has a right to complain or seek improvement.

thanks, and it's alright and no, i haven't tried those.. i did try to buy hydroquinone at a pharmacy near me but i was told that i needed a prescription. i might buy it online. i've heard of the risks involved though and i'm a little scared to try it, but i'm desperate. however, my scars are shallow (or at least i think so... can someone enlighten me though?) and look almost like normal skin. but i know they are there because under harsh lighting you can definitely see them.

rob: is dermastamping recommended for me? will it help with hyperpigmentation?

and here, i've attached pictures of my scars, with natural light for better viewing.

I think you look like a good candidate for dermastamping. Start off with a test patch and see how your skin reacts using a 0.5mm derma stamp, then move on to 1.0mm and 1.5mm every 6-8 weeks. What's your budget like? There are some good hyperpigmentation serums to use after stamping with minimal side effects, but they're expensive. Or alternatively you can just use Vitamin C 20%, its good for your skin generally and will also help with pigmentation. Alpha arbutin is another good one, it's like hydroquinone but with much less side effects.

Don't worry, you have scarring but it's minimal, with the right treatments your skin will look much better.

[Nyla 30]

thank you guys! both myskin2012 and liquid_ocelot. finally some real advice liquid_ocelot: 0.5mm? hmm. i was thinking of starting off with the 1.5mm dermastamp because i heard that 0.5 doesn't penetrate enough. is that true? also, my budget ranges between $60-$80. i'm buying my dermastamp from owndoc.com, including the infadolan ointment which i am recommended to use, vitamin c serum powder, copper peptide mask etc and all that comes up to about $70. one dermastamp from owndoc is $17. i don't want to spend too much, but if it's absolutely necessary i would be willing to.. where can i get alpha arbutin?

Edited July 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[Nyla 30]

i'm not buying the bottle and retin-a, and i don't have disinfectant so i'm getting chloramine-t. here's a list of the things i'm buying

x1 1.5 OR 0.5mm dermastamp (waiting for recommendations) - USD 17

x1 copper peptide mask - USD 4

x1 chloramine-t - USD 4

x1 vit c serum - USD 3

x1 infadolan - USD 9

i've recalculated, it would be USD 46 inclusive of shipping (USD 9), and for me that would be SGD 58 (i live in singapore). i think it was $70 previously because i calculated the prices of two copper peptide masks instead of one..

Edited July 5, 2012 by Distressed17

[DudleyDoRight 152]

I will reask the question, what laser did you have? Just saying laser means nothing to us. As long as the hyperpigmentation lasts it is impossible to evaluate the extent of your scars, but they do seem minimal.