Got quote from Hesslerplastic Surgery for $1350 , RN does the laser.

https://hesslerplasticsurgery.com/fraxel/

Another option is California Skin laser for $1100. RN does the laser.. Wary because of bad yelp reviews.

https://www.californiaskinlaser.com/fraxel/

Those still look like boxcar scars and not large pores. I don't think Fraxel laser will be effective in treating them.

I think your best bet is Rullan's phenol chemabrasion. It's very expensive and has extensive downtime, but it is likely yourbest option.

Hi, I contactedDr ChristineLee in Walnut Creek. CA.

Her Staff recommendedRF micro needling. They do Erbium laser but there is a chanceof discoloration.

I am thinking of going with staff RF and a in person consultationwith Dr Christine.

I also consultedDr Rullan.

They suggested Erbium or peels for texture improve.

@PerserveringDo you think it would improve pores too? I See mostly RF micro needling advertised for Pores improvement.

Dr Rullan did suggested peels , I need to get more details.

I am very much inclined to Dr Rullan. Looking for any reason to prefer RF.

Dr. Rullan is the best in the business for acne scarring so I would definitely see him over a different dermatologist, especially since you can vouch for his work yourself. I'm skeptical a lighter peel, RF or Erbium would reduceyour pores, but hope to be proven wrong. I think it would require something more substantial like his phenol chemabrasion, butit is such a gnarly procedure that requires a lot of money, time and mental fortitude. It is not for everyone, myself included at this stage of my life. You would probably be better off trying something more moderate like RF microneedling at first and seeing if you get any improvement before moving to such an invasive procedure. It's been successful for some people and is a relatively safe procedure. But ultimately, I would definitely continue seeing Dr. Rullan over a Bay Area dermatologist who will charge more and doesn't have nearly the same experience that he does. Keep us posted.

Have you done microneedling yourself? The procedure has mixed reviews but it seems like a cost-effective way of slowly but gradually improving scars. The Derminator is $200 which is probably cheaper than most places that will do the treatment. I would advise not to be too aggressive (work your way up) - my skin was worsened by deep settings.

Combine this with TCA peels and you may see additional improvement. On a number of threads, I learned that it's best to alternate treatments: microneedle one month and then do TCA peels the next. Allow 4-6 weeks in between treatments.

Both of these have a much shorter recovery time than lasers or phenol peels although effectiveness is probably not as good.

1 hour ago, Amanda Hall said:

On a number of threads, I learned that it's best to alternative treatments: microneedle one month and then do TCA peels the next. Allow 4-6 weeks in between treatments.

Well, that really depends on the depth of the needle and the strength of TCA used.

It's safe to use1.0 mm (or less) needle on a monthly basis. You can use 25% TCA (or less) for repeat monthly procedure. However, these are pretty ineffective for scars.

On 7/11/2020 at 3:48 PM, Sirius Lee said:

Well, that really depends on the depth of the needle and the strength of TCA used.

It's safe to use1.0 mm (or less) needle on a monthly basis. You can use 25% TCA (or less) for repeat monthly procedure. However, these are pretty ineffective for scars.

 

Seems like there's conflicting information. Somewhere I read that microneedling was to stimulate collagen and TCA peels (after a number of them) would help improve scars, although not drastically.

1 hour ago, Amanda Hall said:

Seems like there's conflicting information. Somewhere I read that microneedling was to stimulate collagen and TCA peels (after a number of them) would help improve scars, although not drastically.

You need to be creative with TCA. If you only use 35%, you shouldn't expect much improvement. It's the same with microneedling. If you only go with 1.5mm, irrespective to where it's applied on the face, you shouldn't expect to see a great outcome.

Moreover, while collagen stimulation is helpful in reducing scar appearance, there are other ways to reduce it even more. One way is to minimize the shadow around the scar. Shadow is what accentuates the scar. This can be reduced with TCA.

On 3/24/2020 at 1:08 AM, cali_scars said:

Hi, I contactedDr ChristineLee in Walnut Creek. CA.

Her Staff recommendedRF micro needling. They do Erbium laser but there is a chanceof discoloration.

I am thinking of going with staff RF and a in person consultationwith Dr Christine.

I also consultedDr Rullan.

They suggested Erbium or peels for texture improve.

@PerserveringDo you think it would improve pores too? I See mostly RF micro needling advertised for Pores improvement.

Dr Rullan did suggested peels , I need to get more details.

 

 

I've heard she's really expensive, like double the prices (at least) of other places.Full face RF microneedling with Infini can be done for $1,000. I think RF microneedling is easier to operate than lasers so shop around.

On 7/13/2020 at 12:45 PM, Sirius Lee said:

You need to be creative with TCA. If you only use 35%, you shouldn't expect much improvement. It's the same with microneedling. If you only go with 1.5mm, irrespective to where it's applied on the face, you shouldn't expect to see a great outcome.

Moreover, while collagen stimulation is helpful in reducing scar appearance, there are other ways to reduce it even more. One way is to minimize the shadow around the scar. Shadow is what accentuates the scar. This can be reduced with TCA.

35% TCA peel? Is that suitable for darker skinned people? I'm of mixed ethnicity and am on the lighter side but I do tan. I've heard you shouldn't do peels higher than 20-30% (yourself at least).

14 hours ago, Amanda Hall said:

35% TCA peel? Is that suitable for darker skinned people? I'm of mixed ethnicity and am on the lighter side but I do tan. I've heard you shouldn't do peels higher than 20-30% (yourself at least).

35% is fine.I've been spot treating with 50% and had no noticeableside-effects. If you're doing this at home, you need to be a bit imaginative. Don't splash the TCA over the entire face. Spot treat different scars using various concentrations. See what works and what doesn't. Over time, it'll click.