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Deep Ice Pick Scar (with pics)

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1
(@bolts100)

Posted : 03/24/2017 7:52 am

icepick1.jpgicepick2.jpg

I have this really deep ice pick scar on my face from years ago. It's extremely noticeable, as you can see. Everyone keeps asking if I've had my cheek pierced in the past, which I haven't.   Its impossible to conceal and, for want of a better way to describe it, it fills up with dirt and makeup. I've spoken to the dermatologist who told me not to get an excision due to the scaring it would leave. Is this scar a good candidate for  TCA? Its extremely deep.

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1750
(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 03/24/2017 7:56 am

TCA Cross = ice pick scars, you can do this at home or your derm 50% TCA is used on a sanded down toothpick, you want to reach the bottom of the spot, not the sides, no drips. For a full how to do this, goto the faq in my below signature, goto the bottom TCA and there is a link for all things acid peels.

It will take a few of them to raise the scar bed.

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20
(@starlite)

Posted : 05/06/2017 2:24 pm

Punch excision or TCA. Considering how deep the scar is, I Would go with punch excision if you can find a reliable PS to do it.

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(@Anonymous)

Posted : 05/06/2017 2:32 pm

Has she ever found out how deep it is?should stretch the skin and see if one can see the tether or maybe insert something clean and check the depth?
:)

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6
(@brawn)

Posted : 05/06/2017 8:58 pm

i would get a second opinion from a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon. punch excision would leave a small scar, but i believe it would look much better than what you have now

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1750
(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 05/07/2017 5:42 am

I would never get a excision, without trying tca cross or a scar revision with a stitch by a PS might be better. Excisions just don't work on deep scars, they create another one, I have seen nice scar revisions, but you get a thin line from the PS stich geometric or z shape. Then they use laser to blend. This is so small, TCA cross was made for this, for deep seep thin scars. This is what ice pics are by definition and goto the bone.

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3
(@yhtac22186)

Posted : 06/30/2017 7:06 pm

On 3/24/2017 at 8:56 AM, beautifulambition said:

TCA Cross = ice pick scars, you can do this at home or your derm 50% TCA is used on a sanded down toothpick, you want to reach the bottom of the spot, not the sides, no drips. For a full how to do this, goto the faq in my below signature, goto the bottom TCA and there is a link for all things acid peels.

It will take a few of them to raise the scar bed.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm new to this forum... but I'm not seeing the link for "all things acid peels". Could also be because I'm on my phone and not a computer. I really want to see the step by step guide for performing TCA cross. Would you please send me the link you're talking about here? Thank you!

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MemberMember
1750
(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 07/01/2017 8:09 am

I think it's because of your phone. It's locked as the top post of the acne scar sub. 😉

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/366754-discussion-all-things-acid-peels-for-scars-tca-full-face-peel-tca-cross-phenol-glycolic-salicylic-methods-and-techniques/

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(@albertwilliam)

Posted : 07/03/2017 11:49 am

Nice threat! Thanks for sharing this useful information regarding ice pick scar.

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1
(@thrillkitty)

Posted : 08/01/2017 10:15 am

Did you decide what to do, get it done and have after photos? Same problem on my cheek

IMG_0046.JPG

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11
(@scarwarrior)

Posted : 08/02/2017 2:52 am

You should TCA cross these. I had one identical on my temple and after TCA cross 2x, it has lifted it 50% and I can see the bottom of it clearly. Another 2x treatments and it should be flat with the rest of the skin.

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424
(@obi-wan)

Posted : 09/15/2017 2:58 pm

Just another thought. If you google ' dilated pore of weiner'. They classically occur on the cheeks, upper lip , they resemble ice pick scars or open pores. Treatment is the same, TCA or preferably 2 mm punch excision. The advantage of punch is that most doctors ( I think) send it off for testing under the microscope (I think they call that pathology or something?). Regardless, the treatment maybe the same, but the diagnosis maybe semantics. Just my two cents worth.

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15
(@anonymouz1)

Posted : 09/15/2017 4:57 pm

Hello,

First time poster here. I have been snooping on this forum for many years but never really posted anything until now.

Like many of you, I have been plagued by this affliction we call acne for many years. I got blackheads, whiteheads, pustules, nodules, cysts, furuncles, you name it. After 20 years of hell, my skin is scarred. I saw these pics here of a very shallow sunken scar and I couldn't help and ask myself I really wished I only had that tiny little thing. Just saying. To whoever posted those pics, you have nothing to worry about.

My face has multiple ice picks. I have been lucky enough to have avoided those rolling type scars, those thick raised scars and those wider ones which I believe are called boxscars although I have 3 of those on one of my cheeks. My acne on my face was severe but it was nothing compared to the rest of my body.

My face has cleared up although I still get one or two pimples here and there. My back is a mess. My thighs are covered with these little annoying things. My legs have them too and I also break out on my arms which is difficult to hide. My buttocks have them too. My ears and earlobs get them too.

I have been in constant pain because of those on my back. They tend to grow on the spinal cord. I got back pain from those huge cysts through out my twenties. At times, I felt like a 70 year old man. Some days, I couldn't even walk. Seemed like the infections went deep into the skin to paralyze me. I also had joinpaint because of it as a teenager. Although after many many years, the infections have subsidied quite enough to allow me to regain a normal life with no back pain.

I am just saying there are other people who have it way worse than some users on this forum and continue living. I realized that these things will follow me to my grave. They have subsidied over the years and thankfully do not turn into boils or cysts no more.

Sure, I could of taken Accutane and be cured but my parents as a teenager were against it because of mental health issues running in the family. Also, mine was so bad I would of needed to be on Accutane for years only to see it come back more angrier than before.

I tried cleaning my back and face with diff. soaps. I tried diff. diets. I tried antibiotics. I tried exercise. I tried using natural acids found in fruits for example, vinegar or over the counter products. Nothing ever worked for me. The only thing that cleared most of it was time.

Seems my hormones were/are out of wack and whatever is on my skin loves to proliferate inside my body. I'm rotting from the inside.Because of it, I avoided getting into a committed relationship with a woman, now years have passed and regret it. This stupid affliction prevented me from living.

My back is scarred but once more I don't have those big raised scars nor those sunken scars but rather tiny little white bumps which are called follicular macular atrophy according to this forum. I got 1000+ of these spanning from my upper arms all the way to my lower back and thighs. To me,they look like regular scars as those you get when you get a cut. I'm very conscious about them. I realized though that as you get older people don't care. I see others with scars all over their hands, legs and faces from severe past injuries and don't care about them.

Anyways to whoever is reading this you must learn to own your body with its flaws. Life throws us all kinds of crap. Unfortunately, we can't all be perfect.

I also suffer from many other conditions such as hidrenitis around my groin area. I have thick scars there. I also suffer from keratosis pilaris and scalp psoriasis which develops into severe dandruff. I also have pimples growing on the back of my scalp which I believe is folliculitis.

Dermatologists suggested to me Accutane as a miracle drug to solve all my problems. I believe the food industry and big pharma knowmore about this disease than meets the eye. How come people in the past never had such severe cases of it? How come in some third world countries you don't have such severe cases? I do believe that some stuff like chemicals or drugs they inject our food with have made this disease more common. Some of us, can't tolerate these chemicalsand our bodies rot from the inside.The skin lesions we get scar us for life.

I also think getting laser done on my skin will just create another huge scar to cover up those minor indented ones. Spending a ton of cash to see a minor improvement is just not worth it. Peels also do not work.I also believe subcision creates another scar on the existing scar. The only thing that could ever help us wouldbe scarless healing which if we are lucky may come in the coming years.

Don't let your acne and acne scars hold you back from living. You shouldn't care of what people say to you. Enjoy life while you're young because as you age you will regret it.

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MemberMember
6
(@perfectskin_dreamer)

Posted : 05/05/2018 8:39 pm

To you both, did you address these holes in your skin with a punch excision or TCA cross. I have the exact same thing. One deep hole that is really prominent, cannot hide with makeup, like someone jabbed me with a pencil and created this massive hole. Trying to figure out my next move. Any success?

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0
(@gymshar101)

Posted : 07/19/2018 1:46 pm

Hi all 
i came across this forum as i had the very same ice pick scar on my cheek. 
I was starting to look at laser treatments but i just cant afford it. 
Nothing was working for me. I felt it was so prominent constantly looking for something to help it go away. 
I ended up buying a dermaroller off amazon 0.5mm i used this a couple of times but with no effect. I said i would use it one last time and added slightly more pressure to this area of my face, i then put oil with folic acid over it as i could see my skin in that area was drying up and it really did start to heal up, i have noticed a huge difference and can barely see the mark frombefore, i hope this helps :) 

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0
(@lisabfromtn)

Posted : 09/06/2018 10:32 am

I have the same exact problem, except it is above my upper lip. I am constantly asked if I had a piercing and it drives me nuts. Always fills with makeup and dirt. I've read through all the comments, but not sure what is the best recommendation. I've read a little about punch incision but not sure what TCA Cross is. I'm 68 years old and just not sure I want to do something drastic. But I would like to get rid of this stupid hole on my face. Thank you.

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1750
(@beautifulambition)

Posted : 09/06/2018 7:23 pm

@lisabfromtnPunch excision and a stitch is the easiest way to treat this issue, ... with a single scar. It will have to be resurfaced after by laser most likely.

TCA cross is variable depending on how the person heals and is more for widespread scars but is doable... it's a longer process of healing and procedures. I would advise seeing a few specialist for consult and see if the derm or plastic is confident in your outcome goals.

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(@perfectskin_dreamer)

Posted : 08/26/2021 6:05 pm

It's been a while, but was so comforting to see so many with the exact same hole in nearly the exact same place - apple of the cheek - which just seems to develop there. It was such a deep hole that I thought I would try non-invasive approaches first - BBL, microneedling - did nothing! I was fearful to try TCA Cross and in retrospect, I should have tried that and so upset with myself that I did not. I just thought with my luck that the acid would cause the hole to get bigger - I have very think Nordic/Irish white/pink skin. Putting acid in the hole just felt counterintuitive to me. Absolutely should have tried that. Instead after 25 years thinking and debating what to do, I thought during COVID as I was now working from home that I would go for a surgical excision. In short - beautifulambition, you were right, that then you are left with a bigger scar and in some cases like mine being close to 50 (less collagen) and such a big scar, it left a dent on top of a line scar. I have been in a very bad mental state as it all went terribly wrong. First - my advice to everyone from lesson learned is see an acne scar specialist. I went to a top plastic surgeon - nearly 5 star rating (read every review), but he is a plastic surgeon who is best known for tummy tucks, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation. He did not clearly understand acne scars. He removed the hole first with 2 stiches, seemed easy and all appeared great. Well, he did it free hand surgically, but did not go deep enough, so it sunk like a little tiny dish - went from a perfectly deep pin hole just like the pics above to a pencil eraser head bowl. it was even more noticeable and then bright pink as well - did not heal. So, thinking there was not much else other than another revision, my plastic surgeon said, I need to go a bit deeper, but never did he tell me how much he would take - he took that all out leaving a long gash 6 stitches prominently across my cheek. Have been suffering major depression the last 6 months post second surgery as to why I messed with this - why give up a perfectly fine little pin hole for now a gash across my face, and apples of the cheek are the worst because this one sank my whole cheek in as he went long and horizontal and took a lot out. Since then, I have had to get cheek filler to prop my cheek back up, so it looks somewhat normal, cannot take a good photo to save my life as even from far away has ruined the natural contours of my face, and then next step is to TRY to even out the skin and scar in that whole area with CO2 laser. In short, to all with their little hole, maybe try TCA cross, but other than that I would give anything to have my little hole back compared to the "gash" I now have on my face. Would love any of your thoughts...

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(@perfectskin_dreamer)

Posted : 08/26/2021 9:30 pm

Thank you for your perspective. Yes, you are probably right, once it had turned into an indented pencil eraser size, only option was the eliptical excision that leave a line. My skin around it is quite damaged, the trauma - it's interesting that it looks so bad. Again, my hope is CO2 laser on that cheek to even it out. The biggest worry, which I still am concerned was when my whole cheek sunk in at about the 2-3 post surgery mark - that was when I freaked out. Now after 2 fillers by skilled and caring hands from a new doctor, getting HOPE.

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MemberMember
1353
(@getsmart121)

Posted : 08/27/2021 4:11 am

10 hours ago, perfectskin_dreamer said:

It's been a while, but was so comforting to see so many with the exact same hole in nearly the exact same place - apple of the cheek - which just seems to develop there. It was such a deep hole that I thought I would try non-invasive approaches first - BBL, microneedling - did nothing! I was fearful to try TCA Cross and in retrospect, I should have tried that and so upset with myself that I did not. I just thought with my luck that the acid would cause the hole to get bigger - I have very think Nordic/Irish white/pink skin. Putting acid in the hole just felt counterintuitive to me. Absolutely should have tried that. Instead after 25 years thinking and debating what to do, I thought during COVID as I was now working from home that I would go for a surgical excision. In short - beautifulambition, you were right, that then you are left with a bigger scar and in some cases like mine being close to 50 (less collagen) and such a big scar, it left a dent on top of a line scar. I have been in a very bad mental state as it all went terribly wrong. First - my advice to everyone from lesson learned is see an acne scar specialist. I went to a top plastic surgeon - nearly 5 star rating (read every review), but he is a plastic surgeon who is best known for tummy tucks, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation. He did not clearly understand acne scars. He removed the hole first with 2 stiches, seemed easy and all appeared great. Well, he did it free hand surgically, but did not go deep enough, so it sunk like a little tiny dish - went from a perfectly deep pin hole just like the pics above to a pencil eraser head bowl. it was even more noticeable and then bright pink as well - did not heal. So, thinking there was not much else other than another revision, my plastic surgeon said, I need to go a bit deeper, but never did he tell me how much he would take - he took that all out leaving a long gash 6 stitches prominently across my cheek. Have been suffering major depression the last 6 months post second surgery as to why I messed with this - why give up a perfectly fine little pin hole for now a gash across my face, and apples of the cheek are the worst because this one sank my whole cheek in as he went long and horizontal and took a lot out. Since then, I have had to get cheek filler to prop my cheek back up, so it looks somewhat normal, cannot take a good photo to save my life as even from far away has ruined the natural contours of my face, and then next step is to TRY to even out the skin and scar in that whole area with CO2 laser. In short, to all with their little hole, maybe try TCA cross, but other than that I would give anything to have my little hole back compared to the "gash" I now have on my face. Would love any of your thoughts...

So you are saying the excision opened up and left a pencil eraser indent. In that case it is a failed excision you should have tried dissolvable sutures they are kept longer on the skin. Like close to 12 days and then stitches are cut out.

I know beautiful ambition thinks excision does not work, but depends on the techniqueused for it, I do agree it could sometimes indent the area of excision but it is a closed indent. The only thing would work is full ablative erbium laser on the scar directly. I had two to three excision scars that had this issue and they healed indented. So After laser and 10 days of heal time the area was flatter with really unnoticeable thin line withflat surface.

also if the area is indented you could also go for subcision. That should work as well as if the area got tethered.

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6
(@perfectskin_dreamer)

Posted : 08/27/2021 10:34 am

 I appreciate you caring to respond GetSmart. The actual sutures healed and i have a line, which is not entirely the issue. The underlying tissue and structure around the line sunk leaving a gross dent into the apple of my cheek. And you are spot-on, it had grown/healed tethered. So, when my new doctor - an Acne Scar Specialist (thank you Dr. Mandrea for giving me hope and being so kind!) went in to fill the dent the first time, he did before filler subcision. I had then gotten Restylane as he does not like to do perm fillers - he said let's keep an eye, as I am not eager to have fillers every 6 months to a year for the rest of my life to prop up my damaged cheek. I asked about fat transfer and he said that has variable results and could end up lumpy - wonder if anyone has had fat transfer or grafting for a sunken scar?? Now, you are correct, he needs to blend in this whole area to try to make it look normal - it is textured, colored around the scar and even it out with CO2 Deka DOT ablative laser. As indicated in my email to you - my big question is do I get my whole face done and potentially have issues with grid marks on a low peel setting and then on high for my cheek or just focus on my left cheek - leave the rest well enough alone. Any thoughts?

On 3/24/2017 at 7:52 AM, Bolts100 said:

icepick1.jpgicepick2.jpg

I have this really deep ice pick scar on my face from years ago. It's extremely noticeable, as you can see. Everyone keeps asking if I've had my cheek pierced in the past, which I haven't.   Its impossible to conceal and, for want of a better way to describe it, it fills up with dirt and makeup. I've spoken to the dermatologist who told me not to get an excision due to the scaring it would leave. Is this scar a good candidate for  TCA? Its extremely deep.

Just curious what you ended up doing and how it turned out? Yours was so like mine, maybe mine had a bit more scar tissue around the ring of the hole, but very similar. Did you take any action? I shared my horror story on here...after years of my tiny hole...would give anything to have it back.

On 8/1/2017 at 10:15 AM, ThrillKitty said:

Did you decide what to do, get it done and have after photos? Same problem on my cheek

IMG_0046.JPG

Was curious what you ended up doing with your pin hole? Mine was literally in the exact same place as yours. Looked very similar. I recently shared my horror story with excision. 

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MemberMember
945
(@harmlessboy1441)

Posted : 08/29/2021 8:46 pm

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MemberMember
0
(@lopo)

Posted : 11/29/2021 2:03 am

I had basically the same hole on my cheek for 7 years. It was my biggest insecurity as I felt it was so noticeable. Always filled with makeup and dirt. I remember feeling so embarrassed to do face masks with friends as it made the hole even more noticeable. In reality I™m sure no one ever noticed or thought of it. I found this forum a few years ago and felt so much peace knowing others also had this œhole on their faces. I can™t even remember how it showed up there? Maybe too much face picking at a too young age¦ When I turned 20 I decided to get TCA cross and it helped TREMENDOUSLY. I was thrilled. I felt so confident in my skin, like I never had before. It wasn™t perfect but it was so much better than before. I decided about 2 months ago that I wanted to do one more round of tca to even it out and get that perfect skin I wanted (spoiler- perfect skin doesn™t exist). The second round of tca has been horrible this time around. I guess it was a bigger dosage? It was incredibly painful first off, and I™ve been left with the most drawn out healing process of all time. It™s been 2 months of waiting for another scar on top of my old one to dissipate. It™s dark and red and I™m losing hope my skin will ever go back to normal. Im tired of covering it up with makeup as I feel this new scar is worse than what I had in the first place. I™m wondering if anyone else has gone through a similar experience with healing acne scars? Let me know (:

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