HELP!!how do you get rid of ice-pick/pigmented acne scars???

[lightthecandle]

so the question is for those who've had them or know someone who did...how and when are they supposed to fade?? do i stop obsessing as much as i do (alot)? should i change my diet? drink water? completely avoid sweets??? excercise?weight train? stop worrying? see the thing is i look really pretty in pics (well, if i put makeup on) but when you're up close, and don't have any on...they're are sooooooooooo noticeable.

it just makes it hard to interract with people/be friendly/start a convo/ or even smile at people =(


I mean really when are they supposed to go away?I've had acne since my freshman year of highschool and now i'm going into my 4th in college, and they're still taking over my life! the good part is that I don't really break out but the bad thing is that i do have blackheads and my pores are HUGE! I'm not just saying that...they're ice pick scars. my older sister had the same problem as mine and she's 3 years older, and they've completely gone away, (even the icepick/pigmented scars) by the time she was a junior in college...all the boys are absolutly in love with her! but i can't say the same about me. I"m left with these hideous scars on both sides of my cheeks. i would do laser surgery but that's 5000$ and money i DO NOT have (unless I take it as a loan for college expenses, but i'm not sure if that'd be smart ) and plus because i'm asian indian there's a lower chance that even the laser will fix it..i think the derm said 30% better, but that's not good enough, especially for 5000$!




...I do excercise everyday (run 1.5 hours) but still no improvement!!!
also, i'm using murad hyperpigment lighttening gel, and that hasn't improved it either.

i often do fantasize that they'll go away the next day..but alas.. i'm not a magician =(

[Amadeus]

I'm not a dermatologist, but if they are "ice pick" scares I am assuming the scar has gone down to a level in the skin that won't go away. Laser sugery I think is the only way that will get rid of it.

[NotesMaeve]

The only thing that's cleared it up my scars is getting out in the sun, regular activity, a healthy diet, and apricot scrub. Boring, yeah.

[groove88]

here try (Acne.org Message Boards -> Red marks left after acne) there are a few more regimes you can try. Don't give up, but you are far better teaching yourself to accept these that worry about them. Follow a good diet, keep up the excercise and time will see you get better. Also i do think as someone mentioned, laser treament might be needed for pick scars. There also a section that talks more about this under the acne forum.

hope this helps

[lightthecandle]

I'M STILL SUFFERING.

I went on a no-sugar-diet for 2 weeks and my skin looked alot better. then the next week, i ate brownies 5 days a week and french fries, and beef almost everyday. why the hell do i do this to myself. I hate myself .


NO SUGAR ANYMORE. F**K SUGAR.BYE AND ALL JUNK FOOD PERIOD.

[lifetimelearner]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

I'M STILL SUFFERING.

I went on a no-sugar-diet for 2 weeks and my skin looked alot better. then the next week, i ate brownies 5 days a week and french fries, and beef almost everyday. why the hell do i do this to myself. I hate myself .


NO SUGAR ANYMORE. F**K SUGAR.BYE AND ALL JUNK FOOD PERIOD.

berating yourself will make things worse

instead find healthy substitutions for the sugar

[Writertype]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

I'M STILL SUFFERING.

I went on a no-sugar-diet for 2 weeks and my skin looked alot better. then the next week, i ate brownies 5 days a week and french fries, and beef almost everyday. why the hell do i do this to myself. I hate myself .


NO SUGAR ANYMORE. F**K SUGAR.BYE AND ALL JUNK FOOD PERIOD.

I suffer some acne scarring as well, and it sucks. It sounds like you might be talking about active acne more than scars, though-- scars don't go away when you stop eating sugar and then rush back when you start again. If a lot of the more noticeable stuff on you is actually active acne, try getting in to see a dermatologist and get some medication for it. Retin-A micro and Benzacline do wonders for me, but your dermatologist can advise you. Also, if you are sexually active steer clear of the Retin-A because it can cause birth defects in the baby.

For the real scars, the damage to the skin that stays behind even once the acne clears, the dermatologist told me to give it time. Apparently a lot of people get better over the years. Kind of sucks that you have to wait through your early twenties with scarring, but there is a glimmer of hope there. If it doesn't get better, laser treatment or some kind of dermabrasion might be your only option.

As one poster above mentioned, though, try not to think about it! I know from personal experience that it can really get into your head and mess with you if you let it, but I bet your scarring is nowhere near as bad as you think it is. For me I imagined it was terrible earlier on and have come to realize it's really not so bad. Regardless, a confident and happy personality will make people overlook those scars any day!

[rawxstasy]

I used to have alot of acne when I was a teenager. I used "Clinique" but I still had scars and large pores. If you could use something like Proactive that would keep the oil down and help prevent more acne. Also raw food diet will improve your skin ALOT. I think that is the best because you are cleaning yourself from the inside out. Also I use sunscreen when I'm outside, that has made my skin more evenly toned. Even after all that, I sill have large pores, but I just don't worry about it. My skin is still beautiful.

Here's my space page to see how I look.

MySpace.com - Rawxstasy - 43 - Female - BOZEMAN, Montana - www.myspace.com/rawxstasy

[dice]

Jojoba oil, aloe vera, and persistance. Slather them on.

Eat a lot of flaxseed oil.

or DDF - Glycolic Toner. $40, might not make a difference if its very severe, but it worked magic for me.

[cristhianalexiz]

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

I'M STILL SUFFERING.

I went on a no-sugar-diet for 2 weeks and my skin looked alot better. then the next week, i ate brownies 5 days a week and french fries, and beef almost everyday. why the hell do i do this to myself. I hate myself .


NO SUGAR ANYMORE. F**K SUGAR.BYE AND ALL JUNK FOOD PERIOD.

I know exactly what you mean. I have had acne since 9th grade and it wasn't just any acne it was inflammatory acne due to proactive. So you see not only did I have to deal with the existing acne I had I also had to deal with the scars. But there is a solution just go to a dermatologist. They did wonders for my face, Retin A and Clyndamicin were my medications and they help keep the annoying bumps at bay. I am now a freshman at SDSU and even though I still have scars, forehead, cheeks, neck, chin area and back I still go on with my daily life and not worry so much about it. You have to be patient and besides if guys like you because of your look are they really worth your time?

[agnostic]

Just cut out the sugar and severely limit white flour. That alone will be the biggest step you can ever make health-wise. Sometimes I think that the rest will take care of itself. For motivation, get "Sugar Blues" by William Duffy. It will make you sick and angry enough to stop it.

Do this first and then take it from there after some time.

Best of luck.

Originally Posted by lightthecandle

I'M STILL SUFFERING.

I went on a no-sugar-diet for 2 weeks and my skin looked alot better. then the next week, i ate brownies 5 days a week and french fries, and beef almost everyday. why the hell do i do this to myself. I hate myself .


NO SUGAR ANYMORE. F**K SUGAR.BYE AND ALL JUNK FOOD PERIOD.

[gord]

Strange thought I know.. bear with me.

I recall a hollywood actor with a particularly noticeable patina of these skin depressions.. but in this case, it lent such a tough, swarthy Ive-been-there-man kind of charm and realism to the guys character onscreen it was a real positive feature.

By all means if you want to change it, go for it, get wise counsel and take a course of action to get the results you want.

cheers,

gord.