Question regard deep pitted scars

[healingtoday]

Hi Sarah,

I would like to get your opinion regarding deep pitted boxcar scars.  I endured some facial scars after an injury.  They are not acne scars but do look like them since I've gone to a few plastic surgeons and initially they thought they were acne scars.  The scars are pitted and missing tissue from the trauma.

I have been needling with a derma roller and recently been single needling for approximately two years now.  I have seen improvement in shallower scars and in the overall texture  However, I have not seen too much change in my larger deeper scars.  However, it does seem that they have changed shape as in the borders but they are still noticeable.

In your opinion, do you think its possible to get these scars to level and flush with the rest of the skin surface?  Or, would my only option for deeper scars be excision in order to minimize the scarring?

Thanks,

Healing Today

[SarahVaughter]

You may still get results from the single needling if you continue.

   

  If the deep scars are pitted because they are anchored to the underlying tissue, you could add the suction method:

   

  https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/Subcision-suction-method-for-acne-scars /a>

   

  Or saline injections:

   

  https://http://forums.owndoc.com/dermarolling-microneedling/Saline-injections-for-acne-scars /a>

   

You can also try applying A-Ret gel into the needled scar immediately after   needling. Do a test patch on one scar to see what will happen.

   

  If the injury was very deep, there may be no other way than using some injectable fillers. Unfortunately most of them last only temporarily and the long lasting ones can end up with nodules or other problems. You can perhaps consult a plastic surgeon about it.

[FINLEY]

Dear Healing Today, Sarah's advice has been VERY HELPFUL to me, for one.  I have used the saline method, as well as derma rolling, derma stamping and single needling, for several shallow depressed scars and one very deeply pitted "box car"  scar with remarkable success.  When I first started the deepest scar was probably 3-4 mm deep.  After my tenth saline injection treatment (which, as an RN, I perform on myself) the scar is now only about 1 mm deep, and much less embarrassing.  

If interested, you might wish to read a previous post I wrote in which I describe my process- I am very "fussy" about my procedure because these scars were caused by a skin infection I acquired in a hospital in which I was training as a nurse in the late 1960's.  Also, Sarah is absolutely correct in cautioning that ALL AIR be expelled from syringes before the saline is injected.  You can best accomplish this by gently tapping the vertically held syringe on a metal object which will "loosen" any bubbles from the walls of the syringe.  (With the old glass syringes, air was more easily expelled; air bubbles tend to cling to plastic syringes more stubbornly.)

Good luck, which ever course you choose to take.

Sincerely, Finley

[healingtoday]

Thank you Finley and Sarah!  This gives me hope for the deeper scars.  I have been interested in the saline method and Finley your post gives me more incentive to try it.  There's a doc about 6 hours away he performs it so I may need to pay him a visit.  I don't think im ready to do the saline on my own, just yet.

Finley, were your scars bound down?  Did you have to perform a subcision before shooting in the saline?  I was wondering since I suspect my scars are bound down.

Thanks!

Healing today

[FINLEY]

Yes, definitely "bound down."  One of the scars was particularly uncomfortable because it was just below my eye; I always felt a slight tug at the corner of my eye- very annoying.  That feeling has gone now that I have been performing the needle subcisions and saline injections.  Using the long needles I purchase from Sarah, I do a vertical form of subcision.  I am guessing that a physician would do a lateral subcision which would probably be much more effective, hence providing quicker results.  

In the past, I have had a series of 8 microderabrasions  (waste of money) and 2 very expensive laser treatments (very small improvement); nothing has given me the results I have gotten with derma rolling and subsicion.

Good luck, and, as always, thank you Sarah, for providing safe, and tested, products, and sound advice!