Dear all,
I am new to this forum and I hope someone can help me here.
I have scars in my cheeks and I am unable to identify them. My dermatologist only prescribes be chemical peels which have not been much effective so far.
I want to ask my dermatologist for dermarolling, laser etc. But before that I wanted to identify my scar type(ice pick,box car, rolling etc.) I am guessing I have a mixture of boxcar and rolling.
Please help me identify the scars. I will be really grateful.
Also, I don't know why, but the scars are not much visible in sunlight. I am adding 2 pictures, one in artificial lighting which shows the scars clearly and the other in sunlight which masks some scars. Please tell me why this is the case.
I don't really see scars maybe a few ice pics, and some shallow box cars. Overall your skin is in good condition. ARe the red areas hypotrophic scars (raised) or active acne / PIH wounds from acne.
I agree with your doctor TCA peels are best for textural issues. Perhaps they are not doing a strong enough one. I would not do laser!
For icepics tca cross is done
You could microneedle with your doctor and use a retinoid / retin a/ isotrex / tretinorin cream Many of use use http://derminator.com for microneedling once a month when we are not doing anything else.
The red areas are the most concerning, I beleive they are PIE,
Please click the faq in my link or the top of the acne scar sub and goto skin PIE, microneedling, and acid peel sections.
You need subcision as well. I see pitting. You want to release those. TCA is for surface issues. It will take a few of them. No you might not have glass perfect skin if that is your goal. Acne scar treatment is never one and done (or 3 tca peels). It takes time and several treatments. I think you could get better care with the help of a doctor / subcision. Infini RF or Vivance Rf microneedling is another tool for surface box cars and rolling scars.
@beautifulambition thank you once again, I will definitely ask my doctor for subcision as per your suggestion..but I have a query...it will be very kind of you to respond to this.. today morning I clicked a picture in natural lighting in my balcony..the scars don't appear as bad..I had clicked the earlier picture in very bright overhead lights in the washroom..I want to know, which photo is the true representation of my scars.. when ppl see me, which version do they see..please respond
Your confusing me... You say you did 3 TCA peels and your scars look very deep with a picture showing pitting, then you show a picture with no pitting like my original advice. If you have no pitting keep doing TCA peels, if you have pitting get subcision. You realize with TCA peels you must do many, they must be strong enough, and your trying to get under the skin issue, basically sand down the dermis, so no you cannot do this quickly.
Scar treatment is done over years. Start using tertinorin (nightly, when your not peeling), buy some on ebay.
Believe me, I clicked both the pictures in the last 2 days...this confuses me too..I used the same camera but different lighting and it makes such a drastic different..I don't know which one is real..I asked you because definitely in this vast forum you would have come across situations like mine..I don't understand..it's like mind games..I don't know what to believe
In the morning your face is swollen from sleeping. The scars look better or nearly gone. That's why someone who has done a surgery in the face needs to sleep nearly sitting to avoid further swelling. In natural light the scars might look better, too. I think that you have a few pitted scars which show the second photos, but not sure
Malia is right, scars look different in the morning compared to at night. Water intake has an effect too. Take a hand mirror while standing in front of the mirror in your bathroom and hold it underneath your cheek, use the mirror in front of you to look to get a better look from different angles at your scarring. This will give you a better idea of what types of scars you have and the severity.