Lil' Nica1987

CO2 Laser and Fat Transfer for Acne Scars - Reno, NV

Hey Madison,

I'm going to talk to my surgeon and hopefully I get get some pix on here or maybe even on his website. If so, I'll provide a link this way everyone can see that taking this route is a very good choice, considering I tried a lighter version-where I actually went through 3 treatments and they did almost nothing to improve my skin. What I can honestly say, is any treatment you have done will initially look amazing and you'll think that the scars are gone and you will find it hard to believe that you reached an 100% improvement on just the first try. In reality, this isn't ever the case. What'll happen is, no matter what level of depth they use on the laser they choose for your face and scar types, the immediate result is a swollen red and scabby look. The swelling is what makes the results so tricky to see initially, because it causes your face to stretch and creates an illusion that the scars are flat or even gone. The scars should definitely improve greatly, but I am just giving you a heads up on being patient and not getting to overly excited. If you do a profractional your face will look like it has patches of lots of small dots on the treated areas. If you do a full on CO2 laser, you'll look like you had a real serious sun burn and you'll definitely see scabbing and peeling on the treated area. Any of these will be accompanied with the swelling, but it'll go away withing days, as you heal. This is when you'll start seeing the actual results. Again, don't get too excited, since the results really don't show until at least 5 or 6 months in. The scabbing and peeling hurts, but you can take your choice of strong pain killers, which will give you a lot of relief and get you through this phase. The phase isn't long-term. The worst is within the 1st 3-to maybe 5 days, at most. Maybe only 2-3 days, it all depends on how deep the laser goes. So, make sure you free up your schedule and give yourself some time to relax and heal at home with help from family and /or friends. All of this is crucial, because when one is in pain and doesn't feel 100%, they prefer to be catered to and pampered. That always makes us feel good, right? So, use that same concept in this situation. In all, it'll get you through the process the easiest. As far as the fat transfer, I believe that without it, my results would've been just a little under what I expected. I believe that it really made the impact in brining myself and my doctor to my desired reults. I love the way he went in and gave me a slight, small cheek lift. It was cute and at the same time, this mimics the swelling that makes your scars flatten out. It helps stretch the skin a little more, making it plump and helping the scars really smooth out. I know, I sound like I'm over here promoting this, but honestly, I felt very alone when I went out and searched for help in "fixing" my face and eliminating the scars that I had after my horrible cystic acne years. Everytime I mentioned I wante dto sand down my face or joked about getting a new one, my family would get mad and tell me I was beautiful, but I didn't feel that positive about myself. So, I researched different options. Went to different offices and inquired about laser, peels, and all kinds of fun stuff. I finally found my current surgeon and he was so very informative and helpful. He's got a sincere and great personality. I felt it natural to open up about how I felt and to describe what, in my head, would be the way I'd like to look. I showed him old pictures of me and all that fun stuff. Now, I'm just infinitely thankful that I made the choice to do things this particular way. After the surgery I was back to work only a week later. I did use cover up to cover my red face, since it was still kind of raw and in the healing process. During this process, it's hard to use anything on your face, but it is possible. Stick to things like CoverFX, since they are specific makeup products made to be used after surgeries. Now, it's been a year since my CO2 deep laser resurfacing and my skin tone is all one color. I dont' really need to use makeup anymore. It's a very cool, different feeling. I use makeup, because I'm a makeup fanatic, and I love to experiment with different looks. You don't need it after your face has healed and the tone evens out. You will not have any red, purple, or even brown scarring to cover up either. So, in my opinion, this is a smart and amazingly effective route to take. Imagine, I had my whole face resurfaced. I has even slightly small scars, almost everywere on my face. Now, they are vitually gone. The deepest ones, leveled out and you can no longer see their marks. It's great! I'll give everyone my word. It's worth the money, the pain, the discomfort, the need to cover up redness for a little bit; everything... The final result is simply beautiful. =) Good luck to everyone out there. Don't forget to share your experiences if you ever experience something as compelling as what I feel I've experienced. I felt I owed it to everyone else to tell my story and help them make a decision in at least where to start towards a beautiful newly restored you! =)

Hi Britt,

Honestly I believe one or the other on its own is a great investment in the long run for amazing results, but when these procedures are performed together they can bring you the closest to the realistic results you were shooting for. I can't stress enough to find a board certified surgeon for these procedures since they areva little more abrasive and the idea is to choose these options when you want better than average results. I got just what I'd hoped for and I'm just very greatful for Dr's like Dr. Virden who dedicate their lives in mastering their practice and helping people, such as myself to live their lives out of the shadows once again! =)

Hi Britt, The way things happened were that I first tried the YAG laser/ minimal CO2-at a very low level. This was because it was done only by an esthetician who was not able to go to high levels and she was very afraid that I'd have hyperpigmentation, since I tan easily and have a medium complexion. Well, when Dr. Virden went in and hit me with CO2 at a very abrasive and super strong level, my skin peeled terribly, but the experience was bearable. It was more than anything a little uncomfortable, but it was only for the 1st few days. I'd go through it again if I needed it, but to be very honest, the results were fabulous. It may have been because I also had the fat grafting, but in all; My face is almost to perfection. It isn't perfect, but it'll only take some light maintenance, maybe a few non abrasive peels and that'll keep my face looking young and very pretty. :) If I can get a hold of some good before and after pictures, I'll post them up. I will also make sure that my photos are available for the public to view, during consults and so forth at Dr. Virden's facility.