Three months ago I saw a dermatologist to have a small acne scar (5mm) removed from my face. I was referred to this dermatologist by my family physician so I thought I would be in good hands. The dermatologist originally said he would use a punch excision technique to remove the scar.However, when I arrived for my appointment, he changed his mind stating that the scar was not as bad as he originally thought and that he would be using a technique similar to dermabrasion. He then used a curette to literally scrape the skin from my cheek. I now have a new scar that is 1½” x ½”. It is red and uneven - It looks and feels horrible. The original scar is not gone; in fact, it is quite a bit deeper and wider than it was before the procedure. The dermatologist prescribed a steroid cream and a skin bleaching cream that did nothing but irritate the tender skin further. I have since met with a new dermatologist, and he has started me on Dermatix and SkinCeuticals Phyto +. It’s been only a week, but I do think there has been some small improvement with relation to the redness. He has also suggested a combination of IPL and Pixel treatments along with some Restylane (to fill the gouges left by the curette) to repair the damage. He did tell me that my face will not be as it was before, but it could be improved. Even though I believe I can trust this new doctor, I am very concerned about the use of lasers on my already red and tender skin. Any information or advice (positive or negative) that can be shared would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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February 10, 2010
Answer: Injectable Fillers may improve the appearance of your facial scar.
Laser treatment of hypertrophic facial scars in my opinion has been very helpful in allowing them to resolve quicker with better results. We typically recommend vascular laser treatments to alleviate the redness or discoloration and that helps the scar to flatten faster with better results. I...
African American skin is more likely to develop hyperpigmentation, but there are many options available for treatment of these scars that incorporate skin lighteners.
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