Zit scars on my back. :(

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This is a thread that was started in our old BlissWeddings.com forums by Ana Karenina on 3/24/05. Feel free to add your comments by pressing Post Reply.

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posted by Ana Karenina

I'm getting married in June and have zit scars on my back. The back of my dress is cut low and my scars are totally out there. Can anyone recommend anything better than concealer? Please help...

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posted by bebe0315

Have you talked to a dermatologist or esthetician? I know there are some peels and laser treatments as well as dermabrasion that help reduce acne scarring. If you go that route, definitely go to a reputable place recommended by a dermatologist!

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posted by Ana Karenina

Thanks, bebe! I just called a dermatologist's office and they simply want me in for a consultation. Do you think that I'll have enough time to go through such treatments successfully before June 25? I heard that peels leave your skin red and blotchy and that sometimes you have to do repeats... And that it takes a few dozen times for dermabrasion to polish off your scars till they're unnoticeable. Have you tried these treatments yourself? How long did it take for your skin to recuperate?

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posted by wynelle

I have had several gylcolic facial peels. There are different "strengths" of the acid peel, and each of these goes a little deeper. I have had the first and second level peel. (I have also used the Lancome home facial peel-- the weakest at the dermalologist was stronger than the Lancome, although the Lancome one does show a subtle improvement to the skin.) At the dermatologist, the lowest level turned my face slightly pink, and in about 36-48 hours, I have a "flakiness" on my skin. I was expecting the entire surface of my face to "peel" off in one big shedding. Within 72 hours, the flaking was over and my skin surface more refined. With the second level of peels, within 24 hours my face was beet red, stayed red for a day or so, and it did peel off. This was a deeper peel, and removed a lot of the fine lines around my eyes and mouth.

So, in a nutshell, if you do the peels, you have time for one in April, and one in May and one in very early June. They should refine the obvious appearance of the scarring.

Dermabrasion will do a better job, but it also will take at least two if not three times. It will improve the appearance of the scarring, and with dermabrasion the improvement is permanent. A friend's wife had this done for facial acne. Her face was "raw" looking and scabbed over, but within three weeks of the dermabrasion, was smooth and only slightly pink. You have time for this, too. Be careful in that there is true dermabrasion and the so-called "microdermabrasion" offered through estheticians. The microdermabrasion does require multiple treatments before noticeable improvement is shown. The microdermabrasion is performed by estheticians who are not licensed medical personnel.

Good luck, and only use a board certified dermatologist. Don't use an esthetician located in a spa or beauty salon unless there is a dermatologist on site.

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posted by bebe0315

Ana - if you explain your timing to the dermatologist, they should be able to put together a program and suggest what will work best for your situation. I personally have not had any of these processes myself, but a good friend of mine has fairy severe acne scars on her face and has had some dermabrasion and peels. The improvement has been significant, and heer skin looks absolutely amazing! Her healing has been very similar to what wynelle described, so it actually isn't so horrible. I guess the good thing is that the scarring is on your back, and not your face, so if the first few treatments are really intense and you have a lot of redness and peeling, you will probably be able to cover up with a cotton tee shirt.

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posted by Ana Karenina

You are both awesome. Thanks for the kind advice! I'm seeing a board-certified dermatologist in 3 weeks (couldn't get an earlier appointment).

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posted by labeadel

I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to say good luck! Let us know how it works out.

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posted by tracy22

I highly recommend microdermabrasion for skin on your back rejuventate. But do not use a microdermabrasion kit if you are currently suffering from bacne break out or have dry sensitive skin; it will only irritate your skin further, wait until your skin has calmed down before you put any kinda of abrasive on your skin. Check out this site to look at some good microderm stuff http://microdermabrasion.moneybackguarantee.us

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posted by Ana Karenina

Thanks, everyone. So I met the dermatologist yesterday and he recommended something called "photofacial," which I understood consists of emmitting flashes of laser light onto your skin and therefore evening out scars... The more I read the brochure he gave me, the more scared I got. It stated that results are different for all patients (i.e. it may scar you more than you already are- to me), that skin may burn and remain burned for several months, etc. Yikes. Has anyone tried this? I've asked for time to think it over and am leaning toward asking for a peel over the photoburn. What do you think?

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posted by Shaks18

I know this isnt really gonna help much, but i'd say dont risk it and just go with the concealer and maybe keep your veil on? Either way, I'm sure everyone's going to be too busy enjoying the wedding and looking at your face more than your back.

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posted by bebe0315

Okay, I really REALLY hate to recommend this (go ahead, flame me!) because it's really not good for you. BUT - when I was in high school, while I was really lucky and never had a problem with acne on my face, I used to get pretty bad acne on my back and shoulders. And I found that when I would lay out in the sun for a bit, the active pimples would go away, and the dark spots would fade a lot! So I hate to recommend sun - but - it worked for me!!!

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posted by Ana Karenina

That's what my honey said!! Well, he didn't say concealer, but he said nobody would notice and that the risks aren't worth taking. So sweet...
I'd still like to try a peel, though. Probably not more than once, to be safe. I'm going back on Saturday for it- wish me luck!

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posted by Ana Karenina

Cool, we replied at the same time, Bebe! I've heard the same thing from other people. But for me, the sun just gives me freckles. In fact, last weekend I got 4 more near my eyes. Not that I'm counting. Okay, I'm counting. But I just started getting them in my twenties. Sign of aging, they say. Humph. I'll let you know how the peel goes. Will I be able to shower with HOT water (I like it H-H-H-OT)/sleep on my back afterward? I guess it doesn't really matter, since I'm willing to make a short-term sacrifice for a more appealing back. I so would love to have flawless skin...

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posted by roseprincess

like bebe, I'm going to be very politically incorrect: my dress was strapless & had a low back and I used a tanning bed to keep my arms and back blemish-free. I'm very fair, so I very slowly increased the time I spent under the lamps every other day until my skin cleared and I looked a little tan.

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posted by SuzyBride

It's ok guys! I will be tanning too a few times before my wedding. Not too much (I know, I know once is too much) I just want a healthy glow, I am soo pale!

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posted by bebe0315

Oh my God I will totally be tanning before the big day. I am a ghost (in my bio pic, I had a tan) and we are going to Hawaii for our honeymoon, so if I don't at least have a base tan, I will get lobsterfied on our first day out, even with heavy sunscreen! I will do the tanning beds, and yeah, I always have to start out at like 4 minutes and build my way up! I got a really uncomfortable burn on my butt one time because I tried to go in for too long. Will never do that again!

Ana - what about fade cream? If you are already pale, you shouldn't have to worry about it making light spots on other areas of your skin, and you can concentrate it just on the dark spots. Maybe something like this? http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...UY-PLST-0-SRCH

I haven't personally tried any of these products, so I can't personally vouch for them, or tell you how safe they are! I definitely would do some research first, but it may be an alternative if your dermatologist is okay with it.

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posted by labeadel

I haven't been in a tanning bed since high school, but I have already started to tan for my October wedding. Mostly because I want to get that base tan going so the tan lines won't happen as easily throughout the summer. We like to go to the beach a lot, so if I can get the base tan going, then the tan lines won't be so bad or hard to get rid of! You know how it is once you get them, they won't ever go away! And I'm just like you bebe, I actually started at 4 minutes and am only going to add 1 minute every time. Still no burns yet, but I just started. I feel guilty about tanning too, because it's so bad for us, but you gotta do what you gotta do to look good on the big day, right?!?!

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posted by Shaks18

I just remembered, i used to use alpha-hydroxy serum every night on my face for my acne scars and it works miracles. I'm sure if you apply it twice a day, it would work faster. I used the one by Artistry. Let me know if you need help finding it.

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posted by Ana Karenina

Thanks, guys. I'll ask the doc about alpha-hydroxy. The fader cream is the same thing, no? But won't a peel be faster? Are you against peels? And... just curious: are you guys getting regular facials? If so, when are your weddings? Mine's in June but I haven't had a facial since July of last year (no time & no money, but more than anything because I'm not yet a believer in the power of facials) and my face is looking oddly bumpy. Will regular facials get rid of the odd texture of my skin?

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posted by bebe0315

The last facial I has was probably about 10 years ago at a European spa with my mom an sis - and I had the same angry skin reaction that I had with the Mary Kay stuff. I think it really depends on your skin! Again, I just wouldn't try anything new too close to the wedding. I have considered microdermabrasion (just one of the at home kits) to smooth out, but I have over 5 months to go, so I have plenty of time. I think you may be right, the Alpha-Hydroxy stuff may be the same as the fade cream. I am not against peels, I just have never had one myself and don't know a lot about them. It sounds like wynelle had success with the peels, so maybe you should go that route.

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posted by marchbride05

I think the alpha hydroxy treatments or something like mederma would be the best thing for you. I have some scarring from acne but I was able to cover it up with make-up. Maybe some kind of exfoliating treatment would work too. Talk to your dermatologist about it.

By the way, dermatologists will never recommend sun, so don't bring the tanning up. I am really pale but my dermatologist said that is a good thing because pale skin doesn't scar as badly as darker skin. I don't know if that's true but it was comforting to hear at the time!

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posted by roseprincess

Ana, I totally forgot to recommend Mederma and it's really a wonderful product. It can be a bit pungent-smelling (one of the active ingredients is onion) and it would depend on whether you have someone who can rub it on your back. The product is available at Target and Costco without a prescription. My husband was in a horrible accident and required 150 stitches on his face, I was very bummed about his gorgeous face being scarred (after I stopped shaking) and MIL recommended he use Mederma. It's really made the scar way less noticeable than we expected, and made another old scar disappear.

Alpha Hydroxy is a type of acid peel and can lead to irritation. Since you're already working w/ a dermatologist, mention the Mederma and the AH and see what he recommends. You wouldn't want to use products that will either cancel one another out or provoke an angry reaction from your skin. I hope you find a winning treatment soon!

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posted by Ana Karenina

Hi, all. The doc recommended microdermabrasion over the peel, so I went for my first treatment during my lunch hour today. It actually felt good- sort of like a scratchy back rub... He also recommended that I apply a bleach cream on the dark spots (turns out they're not scars but discolorations), so I bought one. But I get the feeling that I was overcharged: $85.00 for 3 ounces. What do you think?

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posted by Ana Karenina

Oh, Roseprincess, thanks for the info on mederma. It turns out that it wouldn't do much for me since I don't have actual scars. The bleach and microdermabrasion are all I need, according to the doc. It's good to know about it, though; I'll remember for future purposes.

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posted by bebe0315

Ana - I am glad the treatment session went well! And as far as the cost of the bleach cream - it really does depend on what kind you got. If you bought some stuff from your dermatologist, it is probably very good stuff - concentrated with high quality ingredients. You know, I was thinking last night (yeah I know big surprise there.) I did a little bit of shopping last night (needed a new outfit for a wedding on the 30th) and I was looking in the mirror in the dressing room at how ghastly pale I am. I know Ana that you said you are really fair and just freckle in the sun, but what about a Mystic tan? I bet that would take care of any little spots you may have left after you treatment (if any.) You may be like me though - I actually like my fair skin and don't mind being pale. The only reason I will be tanning is because I want some natural protection from the sun on my honeymoon. I got burned pretty badly last time I was in Hawaii, even with SPF 45 waterproof!

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posted by Ana Karenina

A lot has happened since I last read your response, Bebe- it set off a whole discussion between me and my honey. There have been times when I've been surrounded by mirrors and people with darker complexions (this happened at the last mac counter I visited) and thought: "gosh, are my skin imperfections more obvious because of my skin's almost translucent quality? (haha, not in those words, I'm sure) Could my skin look as flawless as everyone else's if I were darker?" I do, like most women, sometimes wish for things I don't have. But in the end, I admit that I like my fair skin. It's what I'm used to; it's me. But when I brought it up to my honey, he mentioned that he loves me white. I asked what he meant and he said that he just loves my fair skin and that he doesn't want me to tan. I didn't want to read more into his words than he meant, but something made me question him. Maybe it was my own neurotic apprehension and abhorrence of human/skin-tone prejudice. I mean, if he meant that he just loves my skin, why emphasize the "fairness" of it? I knew it was farfetched, I mean, I'm supposed to know at least this much about the man I'm going to marry, but something in me panicked and I had to probe. I just had to make sure. In the end, we talked and talked... And I'm all the more assured of the lovable, unprejudiced nature of his heart

Anyway, I'm going to go for 3 more sessions of mic before the wedding, so hopefully I'll have a clearer back by then.

And in case you get sunburned: take some potatoes (the cheapest kind work just as well) and a peeler- lay them over your suburned skin for 20 minutes and you'll see the redness was soaked up by the potato peels!

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posted by wynelle

Marchbride- your dermatologist wasn't kidding you. Darker skin tones have a higher occurence of developing "keloids" at scar sites. That's when the scar area "overgrows" and gets thicker. I have seen extreme cases where a small straight scar becomes over an inch wide and bulging out the top from this formation.

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posted by bebe0315

Yikes Ana - I didn't even think about the 'skin-tone prejudice' angle. I hope I didn't come off that way in my post about liking my fair skin! I just meant that I actually like the dramatic look of fair skin and dark hair and eyes (I gotta post a different pic in my bio, that just doesn't look like the everyday me!) just like I like the dramatic contrast of dark skin and light hair and eyes. Wow - I hope I didn't come off that way to anyone.

I didn't know about the potato thing! I am going to have to give that a try next time I get sunburned. Man my FH could have used that trick last August. We went to Mexico for a surprise b-day party that my sister planned for her husband. My FH, being Greek and having a natural year-round tan, thinks that he can go out without sunscreen. I tried to tell him... but NOOOO he wouldn't listen! He turned lobster red on our first day in Mexico! He was already peeling 4 days later, in big sheets, it was so gross. We loaded up on aloe vera and Solarcaine the second we got back into town. He also saw that I didn't burn at all the whole time we were there, even with my fair skin, because I used sunscreen, so hopefully he learned his lesson and will listen to me next time!

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posted by Shaks18

I havent heard of the potato thing but i've heard of putting plain yogurt on the burned area. Its supposed to soothe and take the pain away.

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posted by Shaks18

Maybe we should have a forum on home remedies.