Phuong-Anh Miêu

Lessons from a Decade of Acne Treatments

This post is dedicated to everyone who, like me, initially struggled with deep acne, and subsequently ended up with scars, enlarged pores, and uneven skin tone. I'm now 34 years old. I started dealing with my problem at 17. As an inexperienced young girl, I tried to cure my acne in a cosmetologist's office, I must say, for severe acne, it's a waste of money and a high risk of complications and infection. I first cured my acne with a gynaecologist (by balancing hormones), although the spots started to reappear afterwards. I got a lasting result from a dermatologist with the help of antibiotics and medicinal ointments. After that, the problem remained - scars. Here's what I did: deep laser resurfacing 10 years ago, then 4 years later I did a medium chemical peel, like TCA. 2 years ago, I had a facelift with a DEKA laser and a couple of weeks ago I had resurfacing with a fractional laser. Over 10 years, I did various minor peels and cleanses. Now in detail about the effect of each procedure.

1. Deep laser resurfacing. Since this was 10 years ago, I can't say what kind of laser it was, but it definitely wasn't "grid-forming". They just smoothly scraped off my skin. I didn't sit in bandages, didn't go for dressings. The recovery was exactly 2 weeks. Then I went to work with a red face and foundation. I only saw the effect of this procedure a year later! The scars really became less noticeable! I would say they definitely reduced by 50%. But there were side effects - the skin became very oily, I suspect that's why my pores are now so enlarged and constantly clogged. From the slightest cold, heat, alcohol, my face is red. And the most unpleasant thing that has remained for life - the skin lost its velvety texture, without powder it looks like the top layer of the epidermis has been removed. I can say that a professional, experienced doctor who was invited from a Moscow clinic for this procedure did it for me.

2. Medium chemical peel. For me, this was the worst procedure. They promised a 30% reduction in scars, but I didn't see any effect. But what side effects - red skin, which doesn't go away for years! The sensitivity from the laser can't compare! After the peel, my skin reacted instantly and turned red like a crab for 4 years, if not more. It was awful. Gradually, such reactivity dulled, but still, sauna, frost, the skin is redder than usual. Also, on the day of the procedure, a small pimple popped up on my face, the cosmetologist removed it, fluid flowed from it and in this place, after the peel, a scar formed, which did not pass. So, a medium chemical peel is such a procedure that is not subject to any control!

3. Skin tightening with a DEKA laser. Since I was already over 30, I wanted to tighten the oval. The cosmetologist promised that there would also be a positive effect on the scars. I'll say right away that this time I got to an experienced doctor. The procedure itself seemed almost painless to me (compared to resurfacing). Although they did it deeper for me. The recovery period was about 10 days. The skin does not peel off at this time! After the procedure, a grid forms on the surface of the face, which became less noticeable after a month, and completely disappeared after a year. I can say that it didn't bother me. As for the tightening, comparing the photos I can definitely say - there is an effect. At work, even rumours started that I had a facelift! But I would still tighten it. As for the scars, they might have smoothed out by about 10%. But very insignificantly.

4. Resurfacing with a fractional laser. Since I did it 2 weeks ago, it's too early to talk about the results. But judging by the sensations, I understand that I will never do this procedure again. The skin is still red, at the slightest uncontrollable touch there is immediate damage. The face is tight. There are strange sensations in the skin on the forehead, as if someone is moving there... I understand that the recovery will take a year, not less! There are terrible grid marks on the forehead, much deeper than from DEKA, I'm very worried about them. The cosmetologist said that for a good effect, it needs to be done again in 3 weeks, but I already understand that my skin simply won't withstand this.

After so much time, having gone through a bunch of procedures in the name of smooth skin and drawing conclusions, I can say that if I had the opportunity to turn back time, here's what I wouldn't do: deep resurfacing, medium chemical peel and fractional rejuvenation. I believe that these procedures seriously spoiled my skin! It became more oily, porous, bumpy. What would I definitely do, and what helped me the most? These are regular cleanses no less than once a month and a regular course of seasonal, superficial chemical peels (mandelic, salicylic). It was from them that my skin shone, the pores were maximally narrowed, and I looked good in photos without photoshop!

Now I understand that only time and regular care can seriously improve the skin relief, this may take 10 years, but with each year, the skin gets better! And I, like many, tried to find a way that can once and for all get rid of scars. DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE! THERE IS NO SUCH WAY! Advertising very colourfully describes the possible result, but no one talks about the side effects, and they are much worse than the result obtained, and sometimes not obtained at all.

I wrote this post for young people who have similar problems so that they do not repeat my mistakes.