POSTED UNDER IPL REVIEWS
Permanent Hypopigmentation After Laser Treatment - Nashville, TN
ORIGINAL POST
I was scarred and the RN burned me. Laser settings...
$1,000
I was scarred and the RN burned me. Laser settings too high, which left me initially with purple water blisters on chest then when healed, permanent white scars in the tip of the laser. I've been trying for over 2 years to get these scars fixed and can't.
I can't wear any V neck shirts or dresses, much less a bathing suit. Beware! Just look at my pictures if you have any doubts.
tabithanash's provider
Replies (60)
July 4, 2011
I'd like to thank you and everyone else for sharing their stories, I'm really having second thoughts about IPL. I would still like to have it done but I will find out as much as I can about the place first and won't get it done unless I am confident that they are competent. Also if there is a consultation I will try to have just a small area done to make sure there is no unexpected reaction, I really hope that's possible.
July 4, 2011
Please have 2nd, 3rd and 4th thoughts about having this done. I am 1.5 years after 1 Smartxide treatment and still have spiderman scars that are so prominent that I have to cover them up all the time on my chest. Finding a swimsuit is impossible, even if I could get the courage up to go swimming. This have wrecked my life...I had to donate all my nice evening clothes, forget wearing any type of summer dress or v neck anything - trying on clothes or bras is a nightmare reminder. I feel self conscious and ashamed that I allowed myself to be disfigured for the rest of my life. It has changed the way I feel about myself and my confidence sexually and emotionally. I feel like crying every time I come out of the shower and see my chest in the mirror. Please, please do not consider C02 laser.
July 5, 2011
Susan2009, I feel the exact same way! I have given all my V neck shirts/dresses, etc. to Goodwill. I do not go to the pool/beach/lake anymore either. I understand how you feel. I wish my chest just looked like it did before I let this incompetent RN get ahold of me with the IPL machine. It has been almost 3 years for me and it does not get any better, sadly. I don't let my husband see me anymore without something covering my chest. I wear scarves around my neck, even in 100 heat. I completely understand how you feel. The bad thing in my case was the "medical spa" strung me along for over one year, so I could not even sue them! I never even got my money back, but I sure have bombarded them with bad reviews online and filed complaints with every consumer board, health board, BBB, every place that would take a complaint. But they just respond and say I signed a waiver... Have you had any luck w/a suit or refund?
Tabitha.
Tabitha.
July 6, 2011
I'm still researching all my options, so far I think IPL is the safest option for me. It seems what is important is who it is done by. I am 27 and I have broken veins all over my nose and face. I have no self confidence, no social life, I'm extremely self conscious and it affects me every day, I just want it to be fixed. It's really horrible to think that people who are not properly trained or experienced can scar people for life and get away with it. I am thinking it would be safer to see a dermatologist than a beauty therapist(?) I'm not going to rush into any decision but I have to try something.
July 7, 2011
Yes, for sure check out the person who is going to be doing the procedure. The lady who did mine was a Registered Nurse, not just an aesthetician, so even if they appear to be qualified, ask to see before and after pictues and yes, have a test patch done first. I can tell you this, if after the first zap you are purple and ashey, that's going to leave a scar. Redess is normal though. What city are you in? I would google dermatologists in your city and see what kind of reviews they have. Unfortunately, the place I went in Nashville had NO review, not bad or good. However, I have taken care of that now, as they have plenty of bad reviews. Hopefully I can save someone the same misery I am still going through. I sit here today at work, it supposed to be 90+ degrees, and I have a shirt on that ties at the neck, to cover my scars.... Good luck and keep me posted!! I'm interested to know how it goes!
Tabitha.
Tabitha.
September 7, 2011
I had this happen to my face I was only 23 the lady who performed it lied about every aspect of treatment I had no idea anything could even go wrong. Can completely feel your pain in crying every day and affecting every aspect of your life! I am not the same person she has wrecked my life! Aspect of your life! I am not the same person she has wrecked my face my life I had just been offered modeling jobs prior to her ruining my face and was due to start a nursing course which I had already paid for. It has been 2 half years now and I still struggle with every day life to avoid mirrors or my reflection when out I don't go out with friends much as feel so hideous I have not felt able to work since due to panic attacks and depression and through all this I am still struggling to sue!!! As apparently courts doen't think much of facial scarring so wouldn't be awarded much and no win fee won't take me due to this. They must be loads of people like us out there surly we can team together and get justice!
SarahÂ
September 7, 2011
Sarah, I am so sorry to hear this about your face! Where did you have this done? When I got burned and then realized it was going to hypopigment/scar permanently, I got on CitySearch and Yelp and Yellow Pages websites and searched for the "spa" that burned me, DERMESS, and I made sure to put pictures on there and give them a bad rating and let people know what they did to me. I figured if I could prevent just one person from getting burned like I did, it might help a little. DERMESS has not dared dispute what I wrote, because they know I'm telling the truth! Also, in your state there should be a regulatory board that oversees aestheticians (or in my case it was an RN that burned me) and you can file a complaint against them. It will go on their record, that way if she burns other people who also file a complaint, they could eventually take her license. Also she should have been supervised by a physician. They call them "Medical Directors" here in Tennessee, but they are NEVER at the spa! They just let the spa use their name to look legit, and then the doctor gets a cut of the profit. I filed a complaint against him with the state medical board for failing to oversee the laser treatments that were being performed. It made me feel better to "fight back" so to speak. As for the scars on your face, you said it has been 2 years... When you first got the treatment, did the burns turn purple and did they get water blisters? Have you seen any improvement (or pigment) coming back into those areas? What have you tried as far as creams, or dermarolling, etc? I have been talking to a girl on here who said she is seeing promising results from getting Bioperine tablets and crushing them up and adding a little water to make into a kind of thin paste/thick solution and rubbing that onto her scars. She said w/in 3 days she was seeing some spots of pigment return. I need to ask her how the progress is going. Don't give up!! I am still working on the hypo scars, but I have seen a little progress. I was burned in Sept. 2009, so almost 2 years now. Let me know what things you have tried... and hang in there!
Lisa
Lisa
UPDATED FROM tabithanash
Progress with hypopigmentation
It's been a while since I updated about my progress with the hypopigmentation. I think what progress I've had can be attributed to several things. I did dermarolling for a long time and also single needling on the hard parts of the white scars. I also had a couple of Fraxel (the milder one) and a clear and brilliant treatment. I also used vitamin C serum, Retin A and hydroquinone bleaching cream. I really think the needling helped more than anything. And simply giving the scars time to fade. This picture was taken today in the car. Overcast sky so it's not really bright light. I'm certainly not clear of the scars but they are a lot better than the white railroad tracks I had for so long!! So hang in there and don't let doctors tell you that needling doesn't work!!
Replies (5)
May 25, 2015
Anyone BURNING anyone with a laser should be sued!!! Everyone be careful of the paper you sign. If you have to sign ALL kinds of stuff, just walk out!!
May 26, 2015
AH HA ...DR MARVEL IS THE ONE THAT Disfigured me and he is the owner of Demess REnewal in Nashville...he has disfugred so many and been sued a lot run do not walk....just because it is advertised on the internet does not mean it is good ....I just wish I had done a background check on this piece of crap marvel...my life will never ever be the same I do as well have no self esteem now ...will never take my top off or wear a bathing suit again it has effected everthing in my life I am very antisocial now....I hate this man ...he should be banished from any medical procedures and he employees people who are not at all qualified to do these things...he is a fraud
May 27, 2015
Ginger3138, did this happen recently?? I put my original review on this site several years ago when Terri Hightower was still running Dermess with her husband as the medical director. From what I hear, the Hightowers divorced and Dr Marvel took over Dermess. Are you here in Nashville?? Did you put up a review of Marvel??
May 28, 2015
forgot to tell you I live in Winchester tn so I have a 4 hour round trip I have made for the last 9 years to Vandy for surgeries ...I am going back June 1 for a post op visit...and I do not take any pain meds so all the procedures are done with local injections minus a few....been tough.....but I can handle physical pain the mental pain from this bad bad person is what lingers ....
UPDATED FROM tabithanash
To clarify device that burned me...
I just realized that I have not specifically stated that the device used on my chest was an IPL, so technically not a laser. I think IPL is commonly used to treat hyperpigmentation. But the nurse who performed this treatment had the settings too high, obvious from the purple blisters. I have no idea what she was thinking. After the first zap, she should have seen that the skin was burned, but she carried on with the haphazard pattern you see in my picture. Anyway, just wanted to clarify this was IPL. I've recently had a co2 treatment under my eyes for bags and crepe skin texture and I'm beyond satisfied with the outcome!! I plan to post a review with before and after pictures soon. It's only been 8 days but is looking really good!! I did my homework and had consultations with 5 different PS before making my decision. I'm so happy with the results!!!
Replies (7)
June 1, 2015
That's terrific news- so glad you did not give up - look forward to seeing both your new eye pics as well as your newly treated chest. Best wishes. Thank goodness we can share on RealSelf. Best wishes!
August 28, 2015
if you give up then you are basically giving up on your life as it was..now it will never be the same life or body...but I must keep going forward ..because if I quit then I quit me....forever...cannot do that must have all hope in the medical industry to help fix all the issues that idiot non doctors cause ....it is so sad that so many peoples lives have been changed ..destroyed...if they have no money for the fixes...but even then it is a emotional and physical roller coaster I wish on no one....just had another breast procedure...should have been a one and done breast reduction but that bad non doctor that said he was a board certified plastic surgeon disfigured me 9 years ago....over 100 surgeries and 9 years and a lot of money later ....still not done.....feeling very weary at times...would like this nightmare to be over....maybe one day....
June 21, 2015
Who did the needling procedure and who did the CO2? Nashville, in spite of having Vanderbilt U with its good Med School and PS specialty is really lacking in good practitioners. Maybe they ( the good ones ) all move away.
August 28, 2015
dr shack did a co2 and a fraxel on me different body areas.....and I did the derma roller at home...but will be going for the derma rolling professional soon just for a few small acne scars in a small area....it does work ...just doing one thing at a time :)
August 27, 2015
I don't think an RN is qualified to use this type equiptment.
August 28, 2015
no a rn is not allowed but in those day spas...and non hospital based places it happens everyday....and the results are bad....of course when you have a Huge hospital like Vanderbilt all the drs have to follow all protocol everytime...even if you have been a patient for years like me 9 yrs later I still have to get bloodwork etc. before any procedure they do not take chances or make mistakes....Dr. Shack has used many lasers...(been trained for a long time) like the yag to remove tattoos ...red marks in surgical scars.. the fraxel...the co2...but like I said soooo many drs nurses in those "non hospital based practices " take a video course or a 30 min in office demo and then they have the laser in their hands and when you sign that wavier ..its not their problem its yours for a lifetime...and most times a nonfixable...but there is hope in Europe ...its a kit that fixes burn scars surgical scars ,,,etc makes them gone..its a stemcell kit...but not available yet in the us waiting for fda approval ....and it does work....sorry lost the link but it will be approved one day here so patience is the virtue we all want more of .....
Hi tabithanash
Wow, I can't believe she burnt you like that. The scars are not all that noticeable actually, but I can understand how they would not want people to see them. I certainly hope you went back to the doctor and asked them for your money back. I'm so sorry. Please keep us updated. Although, not happy pictures for you, the community thanks you so much for being so brave and sharing.
Thank you so much for the review, enjoy your Friday.
-Britt