Doctor, have any of your products been used to cure or at least minimize the spots associated with DSAP? I've tried Fraxel, other laser treatments, IPL, microdermabrasion, Effudex...

My arms are better, but my legs are a spotty mess. I happened to get some of your new copper cream a little while ago, and I THINK that the spots are lightning a bit, but as it is not inexpensive, I wondered whether you think I should keep trying it, or try something else?

This is one of the problems that SRCPs and hydroxy acids work very well on. DSAP or
Disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis, or DSAP, is an inherited skin condition causing dry patches mainly on the arms and legs.

DSAP is a special type of inherited "sun spot" and is sometimes confused with solar keratoses, but solar keratoses are more likely to arise on the face and hands.

The tendency to DSAP is inherited as an autosomal dominant characteristic, which means on average half of the children of an affected parent will also have the tendency. However a certain amount of accumulated sun exposure and perhaps other factors such as immune suppression are needed to bring this tendency out.

Use our general scar reduction methods.

We think almost any skin blemish (scars and pitted scars, keratosis, skin tags, moles, age spots, sun damage, stretch marks, warts, hyperpigmentation, white scars, discoloration) can be reduced or removed with a combination of hydroxy acids, skin abrasion, and Skin Remodeling Copper Peptides (SRCPs). The hydroxy acids and abrasive methods slowly loosen and dissolve the blemish tissue and the SRCPs help the rebuilding of new skin.

Caution: This advice applies only to normal skin blemishes. Any skin blemish that appears dark, irregular, or bleeds should be promptly checked by a dermatologist.

Scar reduction is a balancing act of scar removal and rebuilding skin. Too rapid removal of scar tissue and you get a hole in your skin and too little scar removal and there is no progress. In the past, dermatologists often observed that strong hydroxy acids, and other methods like the use of liquid nitrogen on blemishes, would remove the skin blemishes but subsequent skin irritations limited the use of this method.

Skin may look worse for a time during scar reduction. Some deep scars such as from acne are covered over with a layer of good skin but as the buried scar tissue is pushed to the surface, it becomes noticeable. Often, one has to first get the skin into a healthier condition and then focus on removing the scars. More SRCPs makes skin healthier, more hydroxy acids remove tissue. The method is slow but usually works and has no downside.

We find that repeated use of moderate strength hydroxy acid, followed by the use of SRCPs, usually removes skin blemishes without excess skin irritation. The SRCPs are usually rubbed into the scar area in the morning and the Hydroxy acid product rubbed in at night. Stronger hydroxy acids and our stronger SRCPs work faster but irritation can sometimes be a problem with the stronger products.

Sometimes, people also use retinoic acid (Retin-A or Renova) along with the hydroxy acids to speed scar removal.

The products should be used every day. Some people with severe scars have had good results by applying the products four times daily a hydroxy acid at 8 am, a SRCP at noon, a hydroxy acid at 5 PM, and a SRCP before bedtime.

You should see an improvement in a month but some old scars such a stretch marks and keloid scars may take 6 to 8 months to slowly remove. Slower is better in scar reduction.

1. If you are under 30, have acne in the scar area, or have rosacea, then use Super CP Serum in the morning and LacSal Serum at night. Start the products lightly - 1 drops of each daily then slowly increase the amount used.

2. If acne is not a problem, then use TriReduction P&R with retinol in the morning and LacSal cream at night.

3. If you are not getting enough effect, the try Super Cop or Super Cop 2X Extra Strength Extra which are our strongest SRCP but can cause itching. If it itches, you can wash it off with warm water. Skin slowly adapts to the Super Cops but this can take some time.

Usually Super CP Serum is applied lightly in the AM ( 3-4 drops to the entire face) and concentrated specifically on your areas of concern. And Super Cop Cream (or Super Cop 2X) can be used as a spot treatment once a day very lightly. You can even work it into the skin with a flat toothpick.

4. Some clients report good results after applying Super CP Serum, letting it dry for a short times, them apply LacSal Cream over the Super CP Serum.

5. If you still are not getting a good enough effect, then replace our hydroxys with a 30% glycolic acid or lactic acid products. There are links to sellers of these at www.scar-reduction.com or www.skinbiology.com/resellers.html. For difficult lesions, like age spots, the salicylic acids ( about 12% salicylic acid ) used for wart and callus removal often work well - drugstores have these.

6. Microdermabrasion cloths or abrasive pads that are used to remove calluses often work well on reducing scar tissue.

7. Skin color usually reverts to its pre-damage color.

8. Blemish reduction can be further accelerated by skin abrasion with exfoliating washclothes (mircodermabrasion cloths), pumice stones, or microdermabrasion kits. Flat toothpicks can loosen pitted scar tissue. Subcision with needles is often also used to break up hard scar tissue in depressed scars such as after cystic acne.

9. Using Retinoic acid (Renova or Retin-A) with SRCPs often produces faster scar reduction. Use 0.25% to 0.50% retinoic acid creams which are strong.

10. Daily supplements of 1 gram vitamin C, 1 gram MSM, and 1 gram each of flaxseed oil and either borage oil or primrose oil also help skin rebuilding.

11. Stress inhibits skin repair and the rate of scar reduction but increasing blood cortisol. Taking 75 to 100 mgs daily of DHEA during periods of high stress may help block the cortisol effect and stimulate skin repair.

12. Regular aerobic exercise floods more blood into the skin and speeds skin repair and scar reduction.