Acne scarring

Glory

About 1.5 years ago I posted about my DD and her ongoing battle with acne. It has been a really tough go but it is finally under control. Unfortunately she has scarring. The scars are mostly on her cheeks and are a dark colour although not hugely pitted. They are not diminishing so it is time to look at some solutions.
She has a doctors appointment next week but I am wondering if anyone has experience or suggestions on what to try?

thanks so much!

8 years ago

Off Topic

9 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

carter

Veteran

Has she tried St. John's Wort oil? Worth some research, I think. I used it on my surgical incision after it had closed up. The scar is just barely visible now.

8 years ago

Ankita

(website)

Active Member

Hi Glory, I'm facing the exact same problem as your daughter.
I never had any issues with acne till i was 25 years and then one fine day I woke up with zits and it refused to stop. I did get rid of acne and had clear skin for almost 2 years, but last october I again had a serious bout of acne, which till date has not settled.

I know how hard it is for the person who is dealing with severe acne, but you must be patient in order to see results.

I've tried anything and everything under the sun and I can tell you what worked for me. The most important thing is to see a dermatologist, so I'm glad your daughter's seeing one soon

Salicylic acid face-wash has done wonders for my acne. It not only helps clear them, but also makes sure that they don't come back. It unclogs pores and also gently exfoliates the skin. I'm using one from SebaMed right now and it's really good....it doesn't leave the skin feeling dry at all.
The other thing that works well is a topical cream. Anything with Clindamycin is very good for acne and scarring. It's the only thing that's majorly controlled my acne.
I've also taken antibiotics to control acne and so far it's going great and I've seen no side effects whatsoever.

For scarring Aloe Vera Gel has really helped me...I have a small plant in the house that I use. Simply cut a small portion of the stem, slit it in the centre, scoop out the gel and apply straight to the scarring and then leave it on for as long as you'd like.
Another thing you could try is Lacto Calamine Lotion. I'm not sure if you get it where you live, but I'll insert a picture here for reference just in case. This truly is a miracle product.
I've also gone through a number of Chemical Peels for my scarring and in case the dermatologist suggests it, I think you should give it a thought. They do make a remarkable difference... and I would recommend a gentle peel every now and then.

Sorry this has been such a long reply, but I really hope that your daughter finds a treatment plan that suits her

Sending love and good wishes your way!

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8 years ago

Glory

Veteran

Carter thank you for the suggestion on the oil. I will look into this as it seems a very gentle approach.
Ankita, I am so sorry you have also experienced this. My DD has been battling this for about 7 years now. Everything was tried from topicals to many rounds of antibiotics. At the end she was put on accutane for 2 periods of time. It worked very well the first time but returned about 1 year afterwards. It has worked again this time but left some serious scarring. The accutane takes a long time to work as well.
She also uses a prescription face wash with clindamycin and finds it quite helpful.
I will look at the aloe and lacto calamine that you suggest.
Thanks so much for responding with excellent advice.

8 years ago

Ankita

(website)

Active Member

Ugh, I can imagine Glory.
Aloe is a very gentle and soothing natural remedy, and i hope at least one of these things work your daughter.

8 years ago

Anonymous

This product has great reviews on Amazon. I haven't personally tried it, though.

http://tinyurl.com/pzahtex

8 years ago

Glory

Veteran

Hi LavenderMoon. Thanks for the suggestion. We have tried it already and didn't find it made a difference. It might be that acne scarring is different. We also tried mederma which worked really well on surgical scars (amazing) but not on the acne. I did notice they now have an advanced product so I am going to see if I can find that.

8 years ago

carter

Veteran

Glory, this is the one I used once or twice a day for about a month. My husband has to put on his reading glasses to even see the scar;-). It's literally almost non-existent. I hope you find something to help her!

http://www.amazon.com/Herb-Pha.....s+wort+oil

8 years ago

Ankita

(website)

Active Member

Sorry I've come back to this because I really feel the need to tell you whatever I know from dermatologist visits and personal experience...in the hope that it helps.
I was told it's essential to use a good Sunscreen every single day,especially if I'll be stepping out into the sun because acne scarring tends to darken in pigmentation with sun exposure. Maybe check if your daughter's been using any daily?
Also, if she's got dryness or tacky feeling skin, Uriage products have excellent reviews. I've been using their Hyseac Pore Refiner for 2 months and have seen results.
Another thing I have personally been doing is exfoliating once every week usually on a Saturday with a mild scrub. I use the Tea Tree Scrub from the Body Shop and it hasn't made me break out at all. Tea tree is known to help heal acne,but I feel shouldn't be overdone.
My husband too had major acne problems a couple of years ago and said that Fuller's Earth face packs helped heal it a lot.

8 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

I haven't read all of the comments, but you could try rosehip seed oil and tamanu oil. Neither has a very nice odor, just FYI. I think that tamanu oil would be better used only at night, since it is very thick and takes awhile to absorb.

You could try frankincense essential oil, which is supposed to speed up cell regeneration. Unfortunately, it's kind of expensive.

Have you considered taking her to an aesthetician? That might be the best place to get good recommendations.

8 years ago

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