On 8/6/2020 at 7:25 PM, Dogedog said:

My name is Carlos Frias and Im convinced that I might have one of the worst case of acne scars..

I see pictures of other people and their acne scar problems but none are as severe as mines. Ive been dealing with acne scars since high school and it hasnt gotta better since.

I hadnt had a date and my ex has left me to another state with our daughter (Im kinda amazed that she stuck with me or even wanted to be with me to begin with.

Since then I gothrough a deep depression almost everyday thinking why me? Ive even considered suicide at one point but I have to remind myself that I have a daughter and she needs me.

I dont go out anymore other than to go to work and I dont go to social gatherings because of my bad acne scars and it makes me wonder if my scars are even treatable. Ive looked into lasers but even those arentalways 100% .

Ive decided that Im going to look into lasers since that is the best option for me.

I understand that my scars wont clear up 100% even with the best treatment but if I can lighten up my scars even by 50% Id be happy so my question is that are my scars even treatable at this point?

Ive always been afraid to post this but I think its about time I let the world know.

Carlos, thank you so much for sharing your story. It's very admirable that people open up themselves for others to seetheir struggles. I'm sure people understand when I say that sometimes it takes help, encouragement, and motivation from others to move forward.

If you read more posts on this forum, you'll know to not start with lasers. There are risks with lasers and they are expensive. The results you get from lasers probably won't rival that of manual methods at this current stage.

The first thing I would suggest is subcision. You have scars that are tethered down. You'll need multiple rounds of it - at least three, I would think. I've had it done once and it wasn't bad at all. The doctor people here recommend is Dr. Rullan in San Diego, CA. After subcision, some people use suction cups or fillers.

TCA CROSS will help but you'll need 4-6 sessions at least. TCA will raise the scar by first destroying the scar floor/bed and then allowing collagen building and reformation. Lots of doctors do this. Dr. Rullan does Phenol Cross. Lots of posts on this forum about him. I'm not pushing you to see him (I have no incentive).

Radiofrequency microneedling such as Infini has theoretical benefits but I would go with the above treatments first. I've had Infini done several times but didn't see the improvement I wanted. My scars are much different than yours and I think yours will see better results.

Don't bother with TCA peels or manual microneedling because those are too weak.

In your journey, you have to be prepared for the downtime. Subcision was the easiest for me to recover from. You'll look swollen for the first few days but you can go back to work immediately. TCA CROSS will result in scabs for the first week and residual redness for the next few weeks. RF microneedling and lasers have long downtimes of 7-10 days for dead skin to come off and then lots of PIE/PIH after that (especially in your skin type).

Thanks for your response. I really do. I actually live only a few hours away from dr Rullen. I was told he was one of the best as you mentioned, up there with Davin Lim. Unfortunately a cant go to see him do to the current pandemic, but I heard so many good things about Dr Rullan but I was also told the treatments will be very expensive but then again thats like most treatments when It comes to acne scarring.

Again Im just looking for a realistic approach here and I understand that most of my scars will be somewhat still visible but if I can atleast get them to be 50% less visible I would be a happy person.

2 hours ago, Dogedog said:

Thanks for your response. I really do. I actually live only a few hours away from dr Rullen. I was told he was one of the best as you mentioned, up there with Davin Lim. Unfortunately a cant go to see him do to the current pandemic, but I heard so many good things about Dr Rullan but I was also told the treatments will be very expensive but then again thats like most treatments when It comes to acne scarring.

Again Im just looking for a realistic approach here and I understand that most of my scars will be somewhat still visible but if I can atleast get them to be 50% less visible I would be a happy person.

His office is open during the pandemic. You just have to wear a mask.

Patience is the hardest thing. BA, a senior member, constantly says that the journey takes several years to complete. If you are patient, you will see results.

Treatments are expensive. Rullan is getting more expensive (maybe due to greed?) but he is still somewhat reasonable. He usually offers subcision, Phenol Cross, Erbium laser, and microneedling for his multi-package deal but I think you should only spend your money on subcision and Phenol Cross. He also offers a Phenol Peel which is expensive (I think $6k) but this is due to overnight stay and the level of treatment. I still think subcisions and Phenol Cross are ones you should go for first.

I seen from some forum posts that he charges up to 1700 for a package deal if Im correct. I guess it isnt really much considered thats multiple different type of treatments youre getting though just like you said I dont want to have to pay for something that I dont currently need like the laser that seems to be thrown in the package deal.

4 hours ago, Dogedog said:

I seen from some forum posts that he charges up to 1700 for a package deal if Im correct. I guess it isnt really much considered thats multiple different type of treatments youre getting though just like you said I dont want to have to pay for something that I dont currently need like the laser that seems to be thrown in the package deal.

That seems about right. Still, you will need a number of treatments so why not save money where you can? If adding in one more treatment isn't that much more and you had to choose a third option, I would go with microneedling. I think that would be better than Erbium which isn't going to do much for deep scars. Call the office and see how much the price is for two and three methods.

You can microneedle yourself with the Derminator 2 which members on this forum have purchased: https://www.derminator.com/ . It's $200 and you keep it for life. You just have to buy the cartridges which are pretty cheap. This device is probably better than what Dr. Rullan is using and you'll save a heap of money in the long term.

13 hours ago, Amanda Hall said:

If you read more posts on this forum, you'll know to not start with lasers. There are risks with lasers and they are expensive. The results you get from lasers probably won't rival that of manual methods at this current stage.

Can i know of co2 laser risk?

6 hours ago, Aung Aung said:

Can i know of co2 laser risk?

If you have darker skin type, you will probably get PIE (erythema) or PIH (hyperpigmentation). Putting on hydroquinone made my skin redder. If the doctor goes too deep, you may get additional scarring just like I did. If you are Caucasian, the doctor can go deeper with fewer risks. I've heard some people say your skin may look like an orange peel after the laser but I didn't experience this. I've also read here that lasers that go too deep will melt fat. Some people on RealSelf said that as well. The recovery for aggressive fractional CO2 laser is long! It took at least 7 days for the dead skin to come off. Then after a few months, I still had redness. You can put on makeup after 7-10 days.

28 minutes ago, Amanda Hall said:

If you have darker skin type, you will probably get PIE (erythema) or PIH (hyperpigmentation). Putting on hydroquinone made my skin redder. If the doctor goes too deep, you may get additional scarring just like I did. If you are Caucasian, the doctor can go deeper with fewer risks. I've heard some people say your skin may look like an orange peel after the laser but I didn't experience this. I've also read here that lasers that go too deep will melt fat. Some people on RealSelf said that as well. The recovery for aggressive fractional CO2 laser is long! It took at least 7 days for the dead skin to come off. Then after a few months, I still had redness. You can put on makeup after 7-10 days.

Thanks for replay Fri

I`m not darker skin type.white skin.co2 laser side effect can cause long side effect (example cancer).

How many treatment you get and improvement?

Can combine subcisin and Co2 laser treatment in 1 session?

53 minutes ago, Aung Aung said:

Thanks for replay Fri

I`m not darker skin type.white skin.co2 laser side effect can cause long side effect (example cancer).

How many treatment you get and improvement?

Can combine subcisin and Co2 laser treatment in 1 session?

I am not concerned about cancer. I have not heard anything about lasers causing cancer.

I got two Total FX treatments. I saw some scars get softer and shallower. Not all scars will be improved. It depends on the scar and where it is on your face.

I think both of those treatments can be done together. Subcision should be done first. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27231159/#text=Conclusion%3A The highly versatile CO,therapeutic modalities achieve better results.

Hey, buddy, I just wanted to lend some support. I know how you feel. It's tough. Just concentrate on a good plan and execute it.

My only advice is to be wary of fillers.

Since you have widespread scarring you should get a thinner filler that can be put throughout. I do think its worth a shot to do subcision and filler. Multiple subcisionsare needed. Ive gotten 5 so far and the improvement has been amazing, but I still need more. Ive gone back to my home country to get treatments since its more affordable and Ive had good results. If you have family overseas where you could get a recommendation it could be worth it to look into doctors there. It could be risky to get scammed if you go somewhere foreign if you dont know how to talk to them so it helps if you know the culture.Just make sure you do a lot of research. Usually a high end doctor overseas can be less than one in the US depending where it is.

On 8/6/2020 at 7:25 PM, Dogedog said:

Ive decided that Im going to look into lasers since that is the best option for me.

No, this is the worst option. Lasers are more geared towards shallow scars and wrinkles.

On 8/6/2020 at 7:25 PM, Dogedog said:

I understand that my scars wont clear up 100% even with the best treatment but if I can lighten up my scars even by 50% Id be happy so my question is that are my scars even treatable at this point?

Yes, it is treatable. But it will take a number of years, at least 3 years. Is this something that you can afford, both financially and psychologically? In order to make any progress, you need to be 100% committed and focused like a hawk.

As for treatment, you need multiple sessions of subcision to break up the scar fibers. This alone will help immensely. Other options like TCA could be considered after evaluating the scars in 3 months. But first get subcision.

Finally, I want to emphasize that the best treatment is educating yourself. Empower yourself with knowledge. Read as much as possible on what is required for which types of scars and what treatment modalities are available. Otherwise, you will wander aimlessly courting others'opinions and suggestions.

On 8/7/2020 at 8:25 AM, Dogedog said:

Since  then I go through a deep depression almost everyday thinking œwhy me? I™ve even considered suicide at one point but I have to remind myself that I have a daughter and she needs me.

 I don™t go out anymore other than to go to work and I don™t go to social gatherings because of my bad acne scars and it makes me wonder if my scars are even treatable. I™ve looked into lasers but even those aren™t always 100% .

I really had to dig this one up. Digging up the ghost from the past isn't easy. 

And you thought your scar is the worst? Think again. 

Ernesto should serve as an inspiration. Not only did he suffer from major acne scars, he was a poor immigrant from South America who, against all odds, became a successful entrepreneur, life coach and a public speaker in UK.

First, check out his treatment outlined here on Acne.org (click on the picture)

[Removed promotional content]

^That guy went on quite the journey. I'm surprised that he had the laser right after subcision and I wonder which procedure produced more results.

1 hour ago, Urbanite said:

^That guy went on quite the journey. I'm surprised that he had the laser right after subcision and I wonder which procedure produced more results.

It's hard to say since his journal has never been updated. But I'm certain he's received more treatments since, including fillers on a regular basis.

But the takeaway from Ernesto's journey, at least for me, is not just the physical transformation, but his positive attitude towards life. Hope the OP will keep this in mind as he embarks on his journey to freedom.

7 hours ago, Sirius Lee said:

It's hard to say since his journal has never been updated. But I'm certain he's received more treatments since, including fillers on a regular basis.

But the takeaway from Ernesto's journey, at least for me, is not just the physical transformation, but his positive attitude towards life. Hope the OP will keep this in mind as he embarks on his journey to freedom.

No, that wasn't my point. He got subcision and fraxel laser in the same 4 hour session so it's hard to know if one was more transformative than the other.

Yes, attitude is important as is hope!

Dr Rullan is open I am seeing him in 2 weeks for the first time. His trio package of Phenol Cross,subcision and microneedling is $1750 this year.

Bruhh save up and go see rullan. No questions asked. I would kill to live near him tbh.

Budget for 3 rounds of treatments at least. What's that like 5k? Worst case scenario is you don't see him and you have money saved up. No questions asked stop what you are doing and save up for treatments.

I can't wait to see results after you go get a few treatments. Please post and keep us informed as you go on this journey.

On 8/19/2020 at 12:10 AM, thepwhisp said:

Bruhh save up and go see rullan. No questions asked. I would kill to live near him tbh.

 

Budget for 3 rounds of treatments at least. What's that like 5k? Worst case scenario is you don't see him and you have money saved up. No questions asked stop what you are doing and save up for treatments.

This ^^^. Straight and direct. This would be my advice as well.

Dr. Rullan has lots of scar patients and he is popular here.

If you decide you want to spend your entire life savings to a greedy doctor, check out Dr. Emer. He will gladly perform 15 treatments on you all at once. Dr. Benham is near him and he has put up more videos on YouTube about subcision. He seems like a cool doctor but I'm not sure he's on the same level as Dr. Rullan.

I wish Dr. Benham had used the same lighting for the "afters." Does anyone recognize what type of needle/method the doctor used?

I'm still EXTREMELY wary of fillers. If any re-tethering occurs it will squeeze that filler down and make those rolling scars even worse.

I intend to use suction like Mr. Matt did!

9 hours ago, Urbanite said:

Does anyone recognize what type of needle/method the doctor used?

He's using a tri-beveled needle. In general, two techniques are used for subcision: lancing and fanning. Lancing is when you jab in and out as in the above video, and fanning is swiping from left to right like a windshield wiper.

9 hours ago, Urbanite said:

I wish Dr. Benham had used the same lighting for the "afters." Does anyone recognize what type of needle/method the doctor used?

I'm still EXTREMELY wary of fillers. If any re-tethering occurs it will squeeze that filler down and make those rolling scars even worse.

I intend to use suction like Mr. Matt did!

It's a good idea to keep in the back of your mind that doctors will touch up photos, use flash, Photoshop them, etc. They also use their best photos, obviously. But that doesn't mean they don't get results.

I got Bellafill and in one small area on my cheek, I can feel a bump. It's not visible to people, but when I slide my finger across it, I can definitely notice it. The point is to make sure you see a doctor who doesn't inject you like crazy. However, most fillers can be dissolved with Hyaluronidase (I think this is correct).

On 8/20/2020 at 10:25 PM, Amanda Hall said:

It's a good idea to keep in the back of your mind that doctors will touch up photos, use flash, Photoshop them, etc. They also use their best photos, obviously. But that doesn't mean they don't get results.

I got Bellafill and in one small area on my cheek, I can feel a bump. It's not visible to people, but when I slide my finger across it, I can definitely notice it. The point is to make sure you see a doctor who doesn't inject you like crazy. However, most fillers (EXCEPT FOR BELLAFILL!!!)can be dissolved with Hyaluronidase (I think this is correct).