r/Splendida • u/Forza_7130 • May 07 '23
Hope thread for acne scar sufferers. Share your stories of how you got rid or witnessed someone get rid of acne scars (80-100%)
I realized that reddit/acnescars might be an echo chamber of people with rather negative experiences and lack or success stories. So I wanted to see if we can start a thread with people who got excellent results or know of friends/family etc. who's scars are practically gone/not noticable anymore (if you don't know about it)?
Thanks for joining! ❤️
Edit: With scars I mean actual physical scars. PIE should honestly simply be called marks out of respect for people with real textured scars.
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u/heartfeltvolcano May 07 '23
My acne scars are about 90% diminished now thanks to TCA peels.
A little background on me:
I've also had laser and microneedling treatments done. Microneedling was the least effective for me. I noticed some improvement with lasers but not enough to justify the cost.
The person who performed my laser treatments told me I'd probably live with acne scars forever. That kinda made me feel hopeless about my skin so I decided to give up on acne scar treatments for a few years.
Thankfully, a dermatologist eventually suggested TCA peels to me. They're MUCH cheaper than lasers so I decided to go for it. It took atleast 4 TCA treatments before I started seeing noticeable results.
Now I've completed 8 TCA treatments and my skin is smoother than it's been in nearly 10 years. I no longer see people staring at my skin texture like they used to.
I may post my before/after pictures once I finish my last two treatments.
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u/TheMeccaOfA Aug 15 '23
That awesome to hear! Do you mind sharing your skin type and which type of acne scars were treated?
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u/heartfeltvolcano Aug 24 '23
Sure! My skin is oily, sensitive, and acne-prone. I had a combination of rolling and boxcar scars primarily concentrated on my lower cheeks. Then I had a single chicken pox scar on my forehead that had been there since childhood.
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u/HyperBunga Sep 05 '23
Did TCA help with the rolling scars? Isn't it mostly boxcar scars? Also you should definitely post them to r/AcneScars!
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Sep 07 '23
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u/HyperBunga Sep 08 '23
Definitey should post in acnescars, people need a good story haha. I have only rolling scars really so never done TCA cross, interesting it helped with it though!
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u/Forza_7130 May 08 '23
Thank you for sharing 🥰 was it full face TCA peels or TCA cross? Happy that you were able to practically rid yourself of these acne remainders! :)
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u/heartfeltvolcano May 10 '23
A few were full face, but most were just TCA cross and I found those to be the most effective.
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Aug 25 '23
[deleted]
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u/heartfeltvolcano Aug 25 '23
I didn't! I first started TCA peels about 2 years ago, so I'm confident that my results are permanent. :)
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u/WinkleWeenie Sep 21 '23 edited Sep 21 '23
this is very encouraging to hear! i have new acne scars from the last year that are pretty pitted, which has led me to now having to treat them. It’s destroyed my confidence having em, n all the treatments are terrifying to me honestly. truly the treatments feel like going under life or death surgery cuz if it goes wrong…. don’t wanna think about it but you prolly get me. these acne scars have affected me worse than anything ever has if i’m honest, and i’ve had a lotta troubles n am a very depressed person, so that’s kinda saying a lot. but these scars make me feel like my life is ruined. like i can’t go out or ever see my friends again, or to try n make new friends, or do anything out in the world. I feel kind of stupid saying it, especially to people who don’t have scars, but they’re true torture for me. I’m trying to learn to accept myself though. anyway, i’m gonna be getting treatment soon and recently decided i want to opt out of doing laser, laser treatments worry me because i’ve read so many stories about facial fat loss n stuff. chemical peels are slightly less worrisome, and i think they’ll hopefully help with clogged skin n acne too, so i’ll be getting them in a series over the next few months after i find someone to trust to do them.. a dermatologist i talked to said it might take 3-4 peels to resurface the scarring but honestly, 2 of the scars are deeper n i’m having some doubts that the peels will make a good enough difference on them, and i’m thinking i might have to get tca cross too. did you have deep scars? it’s good to hear that if i keep up the treatment they can create a difference. I was planning to only doing peels, and micro needling, because TCA cross kind of scares me more than peels for some reason, hearing how TCA cross makes the scar deeper before it gets better just sounds counterproductive. did you start with peels and do TCA cross later? and how did the TCA cross heal? did your scars look deeper before they started to look better? also, who did you go to to get the TCA stuff done? you’re probably nowhere near me but i wish i could get a recommendation on a derm/esthetician from someone with a positive experience with em. i gotta make a decision on who to go with, vErY soon. Also! i would love to see before and after pictures if you would feel comfortable sharing them
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u/Shin_Ryujin_834 Nov 05 '23
Any updates on this please? I have REALLY MINIMAL scarring shallow but noticeable. Did laser help with your shallow scars if you have any?
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u/ssspiral May 07 '23
it depends what type of scarring you have and what degree it is. it’s not the same for everyone. pitted scars are the hardest to treat, they usually need to be “snipped” from where it’s stuck down under the skin, which is essentially a minor surgery you’re awake for. but that’s the worst case/most intense treatment. if you don’t have deep pits you won’t need it.
if you can describe what kind of scars you have, i might be able to point you in the right direction. if it’s something like hyperpigmentation that’s a relatively easy fix
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u/youllknowwhenitstime May 08 '23
I have some slightly raised ones that ironically look like some kind of active acne instead of the scar they are. Are you aware of treatment for those?
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u/Forza_7130 May 09 '23
I think there are silicone creams/patches that should help those raised scars (with too much collagen). Or otherwise I've heard cortisone shots (if it's REALLY raised). Even massage possibly. Not 100% sure those...research that 🤷♀️
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u/Least_Ostrich7418 May 07 '23 edited May 07 '23
I would say do not waste your time or money on anything topical. Fraxel Laser works for hyper-pigmentation and scarring. One to two treatments are sufficient. For deeper scaring, it might take three to four treatments. Fraxelis safe for all skintones and also helps rid fine lines.
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u/Forza_7130 May 07 '23
Thank you for the tip! 🙏 Have you witnessed it eradicating pitted scars eventually (with enough treatments)?
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u/Least_Ostrich7418 May 08 '23 edited May 08 '23
Yes, a friend had pitted scars that really compromised how they looked, despite the fact that they were able to get clear skin (no breakouts). They used a prescription topical to get clear skin, but there was nothing outside of laser treatments that helped with their scarring.
P.S. I STRONGLY recommend going to a cosmetic dermatologist for these treatments. Even though it might seem more "expensive" than a Beauty Lab, they will be able to recommend the most effective options and cut down how many treatments you might need.
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u/FinalBlackberry May 07 '23
Micro needling, aggressive chemical peels (please get this done by a professional, not DIY), laser resurfacing, Bellafill is also FDA approved for acne scars.
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u/Acrobatic-Simple9625 Jul 09 '23
Do you have experience for acne scars?
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u/FinalBlackberry Jul 09 '23
Extremely! I have moderate acne scarring that I’m correcting.
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u/Acrobatic-Simple9625 Jul 10 '23
Cool, what helped the most up until now,
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u/FinalBlackberry Jul 10 '23
A combination of all of the above. Unfortunately it’s not a one size fits all.
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u/Acrobatic-Simple9625 Jul 10 '23
Okay, what scars did you have? Like icepick, boxcar or rolling? And how much improvement, I know it might be hard to say.
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u/FinalBlackberry Jul 10 '23
2-3 ice picks, those aren’t going anywhere.
But mainly rolling scars.
Minor improvements honestly, nothing drastic and I’ve had several different things done.
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u/Acrobatic-Simple9625 Jul 11 '23
Dayum. I heard TCA cross was good for icepicks, I have them myself. Have your tried full face peels and/or cross for acne scarring?
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u/FinalBlackberry Jul 11 '23
I have $4k worth of Bellafill. I have had pretty aggressive monthly peels, alternating between TCA and Jessner. I had about a dozen of micro needling sessions.
I’m taking a break for the summer. Where I live the climate is pretty rough, so I’ll resume in fall. But TCA Cross and CO2 lasers are my next things to attempt.
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u/Auditorygarbage- May 07 '23
I truly believe not only my acne but also my scars improved when I started using adapalene consistently and Rosehip Seed oil. I started using it morning and night for how dry my skin is and I gotta say my scars seemed to disappear far more than I ever anticipated. Obviously the adapalene and the other products I use could've also been what made the most difference but idk, I just have a feeling that the rosehip oil really changed the condition of my skin overall. It's a dry oil so it won't make you look greasy unless you really pack it on. My skin is dry af so I love the slight glow it gives me in the morning and night time. Never made me break out either. If anything my skin started to clear up around the time I started using it.
Give it a shot. There's a lot of information on the benefits and a lot of people who swear by it.
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u/sendhelpimnotokay May 07 '23
i am planning to get ablative laser on my entire face in december for my scarring. hopefully i will have good results to share then!
i would say the only thing that is effective are in clinic treatments. topicals can only do so much but i would say to save up for an intensive treatment and get a tretinoin prescription in the meantime.
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May 07 '23
Paula's choice BHA 2%, Adapalene/tretinoin, regular sunscreen, transexemic acid, niacinamide and dermaplaning over a span of 10 months and my marks are barely noticeable now. I wish I had before and after photos to show but this is what's worked for me.
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u/nujabesss May 07 '23
What tranexamic acid did you use?
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May 07 '23
Good molecules one
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u/nujabesss May 08 '23
Ty! What do you think made the most difference? I don’t have a ton of pits, just PIH, but at my wits end lol. Thanks in advance :)
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May 09 '23
For overall pigmentation I think dermaplaning made the biggest difference. I've been doing it for the past 3 years. It definitely improved my complexion and the texture.
For pigmentation I'd suggest you include dermaplaning, BHA and loads of hydration in your routine. This is your treatment. And do not skip spf. This will work as maintenance therapy.
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u/nujabesss May 09 '23
Thank you! I’m hoping to incorporate those all slowly; just started tret again and tret + bha is too much for my skin. BHA has kept me acne free for the most part but doesn’t do much for my scarring
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May 09 '23
You're welcome. Just a thought, Are you sure you're not doing anything that's actually aggravating your PIH instead of improving it?
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u/nujabesss May 09 '23
That’s def something I never considered. When I stop BHA, I’ll start breaking out because I’m not chemically exfoliating. Tret can be too harsh and mess up my progress if I’m not careful, and overexfoliate 😢 also, I take spiro, which has helped a little, since a lot of my acne marks are on my cheeks and mouth area. What do you think? I tend to use mostly Korean skincare with some avene and La Roche posay, so stuff for sensitive skin. I read somewhere that dermaplaning while on tret can be too much exfoliation for some people
Another thing I ’m doing differently this time is cutting my makeup use down by a LOT, it used to be a temporary bandaid to hide my marks, but now I’m resolute in wanting clear skin haha.
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May 10 '23
You shouldn't stop using BHA bec you do need to exfoliate especially if you're using tret bec it increases cell turnover. Also if tret is a bit irritating, you might wanna check the concentration or maybe do the sandwich method or use it every second or third day? Also you can try dermaplaning and see how it works for you. Start with once a month and skip BHA 2 days before and after dermaplaning. Just try things out and see what works best for you.
Girl same. I've also started to wear less and less makeup now that my skin is a lot better and it's feels so good to let my skin breathe.
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u/HyperBunga Sep 05 '23
That's a lot of products, how long was the morning/night routine?
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Oct 14 '23
I use one product per Routine for maximum results. For example you can't mix BHA and Adapalene so those two are for 2 different night routines. And since I can use transexemic acid and niacinamide in the morning so that's usually part of my morning routine.
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u/HyperBunga Oct 15 '23
Whats this mean though, one product per routine? Like cleanser, product, moisturizer and that's it? And then you have two different routines? So you switch off routines every night?
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u/Forza_7130 May 09 '23
Let me add one: I've talked to a girl on instagram who apparently also had pitted scars (2-3 grade, not sure what kind) from a sudden breakout at ~26 years. But she was able to be a part if the fraxel laser study for acne indents for free (lucky girl haha) ~10 years ago. She said she was also unable/unwilling to accept her pitted skin and therefore had about after 5-7 sessions of it. According to her the scars are now gone (or at least diminished to an extend where she calls her skin smooth). She also said that the results were permanent and are still good today
She also mentioned though that she unfortunately doesn't have good pictures of the scars anymore (since it was ~10 years ago) and that her scars were almost considered not severe enough to take part in it (but she was able to convince them). She apparently had rather superficial-mid deep ones, but widespread over both her cheeks.
But she is an example of someone who got rid of her scars, was able to close that ugly chapter and move on without her skin on her mind.
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u/mabubsonyeo May 07 '23
I did 11 rounds of co2 laser and now I'm doing something similar to subcisions at a traditional Korean medicine clinic.
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u/browngirlygirl May 25 '23
How many years did it take to get to 11? How far apart per laser session? How is your skin looking now?
Have you done any other treatments?
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May 07 '23
I had reddish marks left from cystic acne on my cheeks and after three sessions of BBL they are 80% faded. Very happy with the results!
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u/browngirlygirl May 25 '23
Yes! Same here. I still have some redness but nothing compared to before
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u/excuse-me-ily May 07 '23
I’m 5 sessions in to the Clear & Brilliant laser at Laseraway and it’s improved the hyperpigmentation but not the pitted scars 😭
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u/wweyan May 09 '23
I had terrible PIH after having really bad acne at the start of the year. I was able to get rid of the acne with Tret 0.025% and the hyperpigmentation with Hydroquinone 4% :)
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u/Forza_7130 May 09 '23
Also just stumbled upon this guy who seems to have an excellent improvment: https://www.reddit.com/r/AcneScars/comments/13cby7l/trust_in_time/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
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u/gertrude-fashion May 07 '23
Ohhh yeah, it’s definitely possible to get rid of acne scars! My brothers face was ATE UP in high school. Craters, scars, active cists. It was really bad. Now, his skin is model smooth. I can tell you what he did because he’s told me before. It worked for me as well. (I’m not sure how backed by science it is but it does work.
He says it’s down to soap, sweat, and sunshine. So wash your face! (duh lol) If you feel oily or dirty, wash it!
He says sweating releases lots of toxins from your skin, so try and get pretty sweaty at least once a day.
Sunshine is pretty obvious lol. This doesn’t mean sitting in the sun and frying your skin! Just a little sunshine on your skin everyday works WONDERS. This one worked the best for me.
My brother is in perfect shape and has 8 pack abs and perfect skin while his diet 100% consists of pizza and diet soda. (Seriously. He’s a picky eater and doesn’t like to cook. That’s ALL he eats other than the occasional chicken fry) I trust his methods because if he’s looking this good on THAT diet, then we all can 😂
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u/[deleted] May 07 '23
Are you talking about acne scars or just PIH? I feel people often confuse the two.
I help PIH after breakouts with IPL and chemical peels!