scar removal

[lauryn]

LUSTRA ® (hydroquinone USP 4%) is an exceptional product with special ingredients that work in four ways to restore and maintain beautiful skin:

(1) LUSTRA's active ingredient, a prescription level (4%) of hydroquinone, improves skin color by inhibiting the production of excessive skin pigment that can lead to uneven color or dark spots.

(2) Alpha hydroxy acid (glycolic acid) enhances exfoliation, which increases cell turnover and sheds the overpigmented cells more quickly and helps reduce the visible signs of skin aging.

(3) The antioxidant system (Vitamins C and E) defends the skin against environmentally induced free radicals and builds a reservoir to help maintain cellular integrity.

(4) Moisturizers help improve the overall appearance of the skin — tone, clarity and suppleness.

[lauryn]

What drug(s) may interact with hydroquinone? (Back to top)
•benzoyl peroxide
Check with your prescriber if you are using other medications which are applied to the skin.

Non-medicated cosmetics, sunscreens, and moisturizing lotions may be worn over the hydroquinone preparation. However, wait several minutes after application of hydroquinone before applying them.

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What side effects may I notice from using hydroquinone? (Back to top)
Side effects that you should report to your doctor immediately:
•severe burning, itching, crusting, or swelling of the treated areas
•unusual skin discoloration

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor if they continue or are bothersome):
•mild itching or stinging
•reddening of the skin

[lauryn]

this is from another forum


Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) acne scarring Reviews
« Thread started on: Dec 20th, 2004, 02:54am » <br>
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I wanted to start a new thread on my upcoming Intense Pulse Light treatment in January with Chris Inglefield. www.cjinglefield-plasticsurg.com/ipl.htm

An earlier thread where we discussed IPL is: asgic.proboards26.com/index.cgi?board=AcneGeneral&action=display&thread=1092146074

I will be having at least 6 IPL treatments; mainly for the red marks caused by acne scarring and general uneven skin pigmentation caused by old acne. I also have some freckles that I believe can be eradicated by IPL though I'm not really bothered by the freckles - it's mainly the uneven skin tone and red marks (nothing major - but enough to bother me) as considering I've paid so much for Isolagen, I wanted to complete what I started and have fresh looking skin for once in my whole life!

Glycolic Peels from Natura Bisse have really helped in the facial redness and uneven skin tone in the past couple of years for which I was really grateful (thanks to dear Rianne's recommendations!); though I also wanted to try IPL because I think I read somewhere it can help with any underlying acne. I'm still researching that.

I will post my updates regularly here, starting second week of January.

Watch this space

Oh and for those interested, my IPL treatments will be costing £300 per session <ouch> and the treatments will be once a month. Can I afford it - not really, but if not now when? I'm just going to have to do a lot of overtime in the next few months to pay off the Isolagen, Blepharoplasty and IPL treatments; plus there's always more that happens, ie the supplements and other facial products that we need to take care of our skin.

I believe the prices for IPL range from £75 to £300 and I have absolutely no idea why the range is so different. Maybe I'll ask the plastic surgeon the question and post it here!

Remember prior to this year I hadn't really done anything to my skin apart from 2 years ago starting the Natura Bisse glycolic peels that Rianne recommended which were so successful and really helped my skintone (my whole family commented on it). I guess turning 40 this year has had a huge part to play in all this and from hereon it will be regular maintenance, like working out in the gym. We'll get out what efforts we put in.

Best

Some links for Intense Pulsed Light:
www.consultingroom.com/Aesthetics/Treatment/Treatment_Details.asp?Treatment=77
www.aestheticbeautycentre.co.uk/photorejuvenationqa.htm
www.skinandhealth.com/details/rejuv_treatment
www.drkorpeck.com/ipl_laser.html (before and after photos)
www.varicosity.com/gallery_ipl.htm (before and after photos)

Cool gel was placed on the side of my face, plaster things stuck on my eyes and then the laser treatment started. Begezus!! Ouch! My skin is sensitive, full stop! Yes, it feels like a rubber band being flicked at your skin (and hey that hurts right!) and it also feels hot and burning when the laser strikes your skin and the light makes me jump and flinch! Certain areas of the face hurt more which she agreed with and prepared me ie the area by the nose and cheek is a very sensitive area and the area by the cheek and ears is less sensitive. The upper lip area is very sensitive and the lower chin less sensitive etc.

It was ok, though I did cry (ooooohhhh!) or rather the sensations stung so much, my eyes automatically welled up with water and shed tears. I couldn't stop it.

She said it would feel hot afterwards but it didn't. The sensations were a breeze compared to my Isolagen injections where my face was hot and red for hours afterwards. I looked at the mirror and my face seemed normal - like nothing had taken place at all.

She put aloe vera on my face after each section was done and then said we were done. Next session in 3-4 weeks' time.

Reporting in: It's a week now since I had my first IPL session (or is it two weeks?) - I think it's two weeks .... and I'm not sure if this is related though it's a big coincidence if it is ... the whiteheads/blackheads on my nose (caused by oily skin) seems to be just falling off when I wash my face and I'm left with nice soft skin ... wow! If there are any odd whiteheads on the face that I can't see, when I wash my face and/or put moisturiser on, they fall off too at the slightest touch.

Even using Epidermx dermabrasion for weeks couldn't get rid of my blackheads before ... and the only thing that ever seemed to remove them would be to use the special blackhead remover (can't remember the name) ie those pore strips for the nose. And when I did use those I'd get spots after on my nose - ergh!

I'm pleased I hope it lasts and I am excited about any more positive changes that happen along the way. I will keep you posted!

Best
Just Me

[pinto123]

lauryn,

just wondering if you had your series of IPL treatments and what your review of them is...in terms of results/expectations etc? are you pleased?

i'm about to start some myself...they're a lot less expensive in canada...about 150 dollars which is like 60-70 GBP.

[lauryn]

no i havent. i haven't got the money for it

[kimj]

I recently bought a cream called "scar zone". It seems like the cheaper version of mederma. Mederma is pretty expensive but scar zone is only $12. I just started using it and I hope it works. Anyone have any experience with it?

[Guest]

Scar Zone is useless. If you look at the two active ingredients, they are just listed as "sunscreen". For the money you paid you could buy several bottles of sunscreen. Try Mederma instead.

[dontfencemein]

I knew of one gal i went to college with who got severe acne. I mean severe- almost like boils. She said that she was waiting to get her skin resurfaced (by a derm.). I suppose she ment laser? She said that it would take off the first couple layers of skin and that she would have to do it a couple times. Poor gal- she didn't even pick at hers! Maybe someone else has some info on "resurfacing".?