27, Asian skin, what's the best acne scar treatment for this pic? (Photos)

Question

27 asian skin

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hello Thrifty.  There are many different options when it comes to acne scars and every practitioner will likely give you a different recommendation.  The bottom line is that when choosing a practice to perform your acne scar treatments, ask them for photos that show someone like you and what the results were.  This helps ensure they can deliver on the expectations they set for you.

With that said, if you were to come to our practice, you would likely get a combination of TCA Cross, fractional resurfacing and dermal fillers (see link below).  TCA cross is excellent for deeper ice pick or boxcar (square or sharp edged) scars.  The process uses Trichloroacetic acid over a number of visits to soften and fill those very difficult ice pick and boxcar scars.  After using TCA (or perhaps even in combination), we would suggest DEEP fractional laser resurfacing.  This requires proper anesthesia to go through as patients are awake at our practice, but we use nerve blocks to help them be more comfortable.  Finally, we would likely use some dermal fillers for wider depressed areas after TCA and laser resurfacing procedures are complete.  Best of luck.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

Asian patients with acne scarring comprise a very significant proportion of my Upper East Side Manhattan practice. Naturally, of greatest concern to them is which procedure(s) are safe for use in skin of color. (SOC) Both Field Subcisions for diffuse, widespread acne scar-related atrophy, as well as isolated (individual) subcisions, which I have been using to elevate and smooth boxcar & rolling scars since 1995 have a proven track record for efficacy and safety in all skin types. Likewise, as I often emphasize to my Asian patients, TCA CROSS, which I have been using for 23 years, for treating ice pick scars and dilated pores is safe for use in all skin types, in fact, I make it a point to explain to them that TCA CROSS was in fact developed in South Korea and later presented in the U.S. I do not recommend light and other energy-based devices for one thing, they run the risk for the develop of over or under pigmentation problems, especially in persons with SOC. And importantly, the hard science to support the use of these expensive, supposedly "next big devices" lags woefully behind the heavy marketing hype and social media misinformation to promote them. So, make sure to consult with a board certified cosmetic dermatologist with expertise in treating acne scars in Asian and exercise a whole lot of buyer beware when being hawked this or that supposedly new and improved laser or RF devices. Best of luck.

27, Asian skin, what's the best acne scar treatment for this pic? (Photos)

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27, Asian skin, what's the best acne scar treatment for this pic? (Photos)

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