JohnMarston 29 Share Posted December 25, 2018 (edited) My Acne Scarring Journey 2019 and Beyond! By 'John Marston' TREATMENT PROGRESS DOCUMENT - UPDATED REGULARLY https://goo.gl/pQT2hp I will be undergoing numerous procedures to improve the appearance of my acne scarring over the coming months I am 17 years old, living in the UK, I have been through 1 round of Isotretinoin, my cumulative dose was 130 - 135 mg/kg approximately. It cleared up my cystic acne very nicely though I still suffer with scarring from prior to accutane and post accutane! Here I will document all my procedures and changes in my skin, namely acne scarring. I have mainly rolling scars, and a few boxcars, my scarring is moderate . Follow if you wish to stay up to date with my progress, I will be having treatments and appointments in the coming months! Strangely I only have scarring on the right side of my face, so all pictures will be of my right side. Treatment plan I have been advised a treatment plan by user BeautifulAmbition based on my scar type that I will be following, each treatment will be spaced 3 months apart to allow for healing. I will be very pleased with a 50% improvement which I think is achievable given my age and financing from my parents which I am very grateful for. NOKOR Subcision with Filler - 6 RF Microneedling - 6 Fully Ablative Laser - 1 + A deep chemical peel or laser for texture to finish off. - Confirmed by BA. RF Microneedling will be in-between subcision treatments after 2 subcision treatments. I will have Sculptra filler injected prior to RF Microneedling, AFTER the subcisions for collagen stimulation. I aim to improve my scars by 50% in the coming years. Eventually I will incorporate a tretinoin cream and Vitamin C serum into my routine to help with the PIE. Photos more photos: https://imgur.com/a/TVXzgqX Thank you for reading ! Don't forget to follow Edited March 4, 2019 by JohnMarston Added TCA Cross, treatment duration Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 Photos are what my scars look like in the most harsh and unflattering lighting, this can only be mimicked by a flashlight or bright overhead angled light. Given that, I feel much better about myself as these scars to me don't look so bad, but unless i'm under this style of lighting they aren't anywhere near as severe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Anish004 42 Share Posted December 27, 2018 post a full face pic under normal lightin or good lighting Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Adding pics for documentation reasons, can compare my skin from Jan 1st of this year in the future and see how things change. Things will certainly change drastically after my Chu sessions and Lim in summer got a new pimple, first one in 8 months, I believe its because of the giant pizza and crap I have been eating over xmas. Starting a low carb / meat heavy and only green veg diet in Feb. Please excuse the facial pubes. Shaving irritates my accutane skin I hope to fade redness and dark patches over the next 6 months using sunscreen and eventually vitamin C. unrelated: anyone have any idea when i will grow an actual beard rather than facial pubes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tryinghard123 4 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Please note this is how you look 99 percent of the time.....harsh lighting is fake as hardly anyone and I mean anyone sees you in that....coming from someone who is much more severe than this The bottom picture is how you look like in real life stuff the flashlights etc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JamesL 10 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Keep updates man, good luck!! I hope it all works out for you Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 3, 2019 16 hours ago, JamesL said: Keep updates man, good luck!! I hope it all works out for you Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 UPDATE: I have an initial consultation with Prof. Chu on Monday 14/01/19 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 8, 2019 Very true, I never look in mirrors with harsh lighting... always makes me feel worse. Many shops have harsh overhead lighting unfortunately which is similar @tryinghard123. Thanks! Will do! @JamesL best of luck to you too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
floridagirl1991 20 Share Posted January 9, 2019 following good luck with treatments Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 11, 2019 @Anish004 normal lighting pic, can hardly see scars... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 13, 2019 Appointment with Chu tomorrow, will update after. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Appointment at 2:45, I will make a list of questions to ask chu and report back with his answers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 14, 2019 Spoke with Chu, here is everything I gathered: Have to wait 6 months post accutane for any treatments £350 for Subcision, PRP, TCA, Dermapen. Great value He said there is no point doing it sooner than 6 months after accutane because of my skins ability to heal. He said that once the tethered scar bands have been severed they cannot re-attach He was definitely anti-filler as BA said because of the point above. He wrote me a script for Differin Told me to start tretinoin in a couple months. 6 weeks minimum between treatments (I will leave 3 months) He uses NOKOR He does some sort of treatment involving PRP, in which he inject it all over the skin? Something along those lines, I didn't fully understand. But he said it was painful Microneedling is 'uncomfortable' even under LA My scars are 'not the worst case' he has seen All the treatments take 2 hours in total (Sub + PRP + TCA + DERMAPEN) Must be 'close shaven' on cheeks for treatments because hair interferes. I wrote this up as soon as I got out on my phone so this is everything he said regarding scarring, we also had a chat about medical school though not really relevant. He was a very nice guy, knew what he was talking about, didn't try to push his treatments to make money and seemed very genuine. All of which I was expecting given that he was recommended by BA and many others on here. The consult itself only lasted around 10 mins, took me 2 hours into london, 2 hours back, but very worth it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
acne_skin_queen 12 Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) . Edited August 27, 2020 by acne_skin_queen . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 Yes, great price, and an excellent Dr. He could charge thousands if he wanted and people would still pay... he isn't after the money though I believe he genuinely wants to help unlike all the medspas that push lasers to try and make as much £££ as possible. Are you in the UK? if so I highly recommend seeing him, I can PM you his contact details as they are quite hard to find Certainly feel more relaxed, looking forward to treatment now @acne_skin_queen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 Finally got a pic that shows the few boxcar scars I have.... adding for my own personal documentation purposes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Starting Differin ASAP - Prescribed by Chu. Starting Tretinoin (low strength) in Febuary - Chu wrote to GP. I'm seeing Chu in June for his : Subcision + Dermapen + PRP + TCA Cross package which costs £350. Edited January 16, 2019 by JohnMarston Quote Link to post Share on other sites
neofox 8 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Why you take isotretinoin? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 Why? because I had severe acne that didn't respond to other treatments and accutane is by far the most effective acne treatment. @neofox Quote Link to post Share on other sites
link626 0 Share Posted January 17, 2019 to those who say you're not gonna be under harsh light, not true. I always catch my own reflection outdoors in car windows, and the sunlight makes my face look gnarly !! The scars stand out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tryinghard123 4 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Yes but under harsh lighting and car windows....that is not how other people actually see you? I think everyone agrees with that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
link626 0 Share Posted January 18, 2019 car windows are like mirrors, so yeah, that's how other people see you when you're standing in the sun. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMarston 29 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Under harsh lighting this is the WORST your scars could ever possibly look. To mimic this someone would have to hold a flashlight up to your face. That is unrealistic and you aren't going to ever be in that predicament. @tryinghard123 is right on this. The closest you can get in a real life situation is in a store with bright overhead florescent lighting and even that doesn't look half as bad as angled lighting @link626 car mirrors are tinted unlike mirrors, everything that casts a shadow is made twice as dark, scars are only visible as they cast shadows. This is why people who don't have acne scars quite like to look in car mirrors because it can make them look more attractive as all their features are accentuated, e.g jawline, cheekbones, etc... I think you need to see a therapist if this is the way you honestly see yourself, I used to be a lot like you, then I saw a therapist and I'm getting better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
