Was under a lot of stress since about Feb. and my skin care and taking care of myself kind of took a backseat, even though I'm sure I needed it more then. I kept using Retin-A and the CP's though.

Well, yesterday my big stressor came to an end... ahhh. I have started up supplements and using the products more aggressively to work on my facial scarring and a keloid on my arm, once and for all.

I thought since I'm using Retin-A that it should be enough exfoliation, but it's a rather weak version, and it's apparently not enough abrasion. I think that has been the missing link in my skin renewal all along, so I'm upping the exfoliating within reason to get the process working.

Yesterday I used 40% lactic acid and rotated every few hours with Super Cop. At the end of the day, I used St. Ives scrub and Super Cop.

I laid off the acid today, as it was almost to my skin's breaking limit with exfoliation. But is it ever soft and smooth!

I'm sleeping well at night and going to start an exercise routine.

Just wanted to check in and say "hi" to old-timers and new alike! Hope everyone's skin is making progress.

The products I'm using are Super Cop, Emu, Lactic Acid, scrub & washcloth as needed, Retin-A.

I'm taking a multi, C, MSM, Flax, DHEA (25 mg. for a couple weeks to help my body recover from stress), some fish oil, and just trying to eat a little better.

Hi Summerwave... ...I am so happy to see you again my darling!

Yes, I am still here... ... Still working on my face, still trying to sell my house & still determmined to finish off the renewing process once & for all.

I have NOW backed off of the stronger Hydroxys & I'm using Retin-A...just the opposite of you. I have made tremendous progress, but have uncovered way more damage buried under my skin than I ever dreamed possible. I can't even count the # of pcs of scar tissue that I have literally yanked out of my pores... ...MANY are just plain old grown-in!...

I have recently posted a pic of myself in the progress section under the RED LED Thread. Overall, I don't look bad, but I still can NOT go competely bare faced, which would be nice... As you already know, there is nothing easy about this, but for me it has been worth going through the sometimes grueling process & dealing with the agony of it all!

I have a house showing on Thur, so I am busy "Steaming Away"... ...Glad you are back for awhile!

Hi Stoney! So nice to "see" you again too! I wondered if you sold your house yet. Good luck on Thurs!

I will mosey on over and take a look at yer pretty mug in that thread soon.

Unfortunately, the last progress pics I posted, since then, my skin seemed to regress, and so I don't look as good now as I did in those last pics.

But, my skin looked good today, probably in at least some part due to micro swelling from the peels.

Hey Summerwave...Me Again!

You can see that I get very easily distracted when it comes to cleaning my house... ...Gardening is my escape , but cleaning???

I was thinking, you have been gone about 9 months...There's not another little Summerwave, is there?... ...Don't mind me, My mind never stops racing!

No, hehe. It was work - related stress, not motherhood.

I'm thinking about making my own V-8 juice from our garden goodies today.

Monday I used my 40% lactic acid peel several times over the day, alternating with Super Cop. Example - peel in a.m., SC at noon, peel mid afternoon, SC evening, etc.

My skin has been peeling all week now, and using a scrub gently or washcloth to help remove the layers of skin. I had a couple shiny, crusty layers of dead skin in one area, and those are almost completely gone now, with nicer skin underneath.

I have been using Super Cop and Emu day and night since Monday.

This is an experiment, I believe I will continue each week or two and see what happens. It's much more aggressive than I have previously been with the products. But right now I am able to be at home and peeling and don't have to worry about too many people seeing it

Also, I have started eating a little better, and I did make that vegetable juice. I made a big pot of "soup" on the stove, with tomatoes, half a green pepper, water, onion, garlic, basil, seasoned salt, dried parsley, sauerkraut, swiss chard, carrots, a can of beets with juice, celery, hot sauce, olive oil, black pepper ... After it cooked and cooled, I liquified it in my blender and have been drinking from it each day. It seems like my skin glows with health.

I haven't started exercising yet (bad girl!) but I have been getting a lot more sleep. I still drink coffee.

I'm taking flax, msm, dhea, fish oil, and having wine, dark chocolate, green tea most days.

I will continue to document how things go. Besides the scabs on my face that I'm waiting to fall off, I think my face has more of a glow and looks/feels firmer.

Hey Summerwave,

Good Luck with your experimental peels. No matter what, it is still all about "Break Down/ Build Up".

I ROLLED a week or 2 ago which brought out alot more buried damage. I have been applying Retin-A every night along with various strength CPs. When I 1st started using Retin-A back in Feb, I experienced a wicked bout of OLD blemishes resurfacing... ...After I cleared them up by removing the damage from the pores, I backed off Retin-A to every 3rd night to avoid the strong action.

After ROLLING a week or 2 ago, another round of OLD blemishes surfaced once again. I am still working on healing them properly & have been using Retin-A every single night & will continue to do so. It is helping to push the little white buried scars & oil closer to the surface so they can be removed.

I don't think using Retin-A every 3rd night was enough to allow it to work. I am still going through the unveiling process of the oldest buried damage yet. It is definitely a matter of "reverse purging"...I am back to my teens. For me, the damage has to come out for the skin to fully renew.

Also, your soup sounds wonderful...Enjoy!...

Hi Stoney,

if you hate strong Dynamite-Peel methods, try enzymatic debridement of necrotic tissue like self made papain paste, the latter removes only non-vial cell, won't attack healthy skin tissue,plus has anti-inflammatory action.And treat your skin with super cop afterwards, you can use it along with mild manual exfoliation, such as blunt knife.

Frankly speaking, i have never ever used this before, but someone i trust recommended it to me few years ago. why don't you give it a try it might help you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: amirpana,

Thanks for the tips Amirpana ,

I actually used 40% Lactic & 15% SA throughout most of my renewal period along with my 1.5 & 2.5mm ROLLERS. I have backed off since I am now using Retin-A. The papain paste sounds great for a mild dermabrasion technique. I'm not so sure it would be strong enough though to dislodge the demons.

After aggressively working on my face this past week with Retin-A & Super COP & 2X I managed to hopefully remove the last remaining culprits under these spots at least... ... they physically had to be yanked out of the pore. It is hard to explain, but BP caused hundreds of pcs of scar tissue to form under my skin in the pores. Most were buried & unnoticeable. Over time they have pushed & come closer to the surface to the point where I can see them, then remove them with my tweezers.

I backed off everythting last night using just P&R & a little Emu. I will rest my skin again today as the spots are getting closer to being fully healed.

I am NOT kidding, when I say this has been a nightmare for me... ... Perhaps I should have tried Dynamite in the beginning or better yet NEVER used BP which caused my serious problem.

Hoping to see a better face by the end of the week...

yes Stoney,

hydroxy acids are not very strong, when used on their own, but much stronger if mixed beta alpha in acetone and alcohol solution at lower concentrations, similar to wart remover .

I read you say 2.5 mm roller thats meant for hypertrophic scars not flat or indented scars.That would tear off the skin. You must have been bleeding badly

Don't worry Amirpana, I did not tear off my face with my 2.5mm... ... If anything, while it may have pinched a bit more, it was not that much different than the 1.5mm. Both drew tiny little pin pricks of blood but nothing bloody like those who go the meat tenderizer route... ... Inflammation & deeper product penetration was all that I was after.

NOW I use the .5mm which actually has the same end result. I can NOT seem to end the action of uncovering buried damage. It makes sense that your "high power explosives" would deeply penetrate, but I am not sure how you managed to remove your scars without damaging your good skin? Maybe I have gone about this all wrong , but I know for certain that I have opened up "Pandora's box" regarding buried damage & now I am trying to close it...It's been tough!

I like your NEW image btw, At 1st blush I thought you were a Rock Star , then you looked like Mad Max, but finally realized it was probably more the Demolition Man!... ...Sweet Dreams!

Summerwave,

How is the Peeling going? Unfortunately the only way to conquer scar removal is to get aggressive which makes for some "not so pretty days"!... ...

I have found though that it takes about 2 - 3 weeks afterwards for things to improve. I have backed off a little & am allowing my skin to rebound. I am back to alternating Retin-A & LacSal in the PM , but still use Exfol in the morn. I mixup the CP strengths & try to rest my skin using only P&R/ Emu Oil once or twice a week.

I have won so many battles, but the war is still not over. I will just keep at it!... ...it is bound to end someday!

Hi Summerwave, I can't believe we are on the 2nd half of Aug already.

Hope you are seeing progress with your more aggressive routine...

I am still at it & can NOT believe the monumental, almost unfathomable amt. of damage that I have uncovered that was buried under my skin. Today I have a spot towards the back of my jawline that rose like a volcanoe... ... This is not from an old blemish but just a inconspicuous scarred bump that was buried under the skin. I've had this kind push up before & it just kind of erodes away in a couple of days. I hope so anyway!

I am currently ROLLING the area between my eyes & forehead once a week to help fill in my squint lines. They seem to be more noticeable in the summer & as everything else on my face is refining & smoothing out I guess that helps to make them stand out more.

Somehow I am doing it (completely remodeling my skin), but can't help but feel I will never see those perfect overall results. Once I get ALL of the buried damage out, I believe I will have a near flawless face...it just seems unending!

Hey Stoney, I haven't checked in here in a while. Thought I'd wait to post any update until I had real progress. It's good to hear how you're doing. It's paying off, sounds like to me How would you rate your success at removing the bumps underneath at this point?

I know, it's hard to believe summer is basically gone (school starting for the kids). "Wave" "Summer" goodbye, I guess

Anyway, my skin HAS improved. I wanted to wait to say anything til I was sure it was true improvement, and not just swelling from peels and whatnot.

I have been doing a 40% peel once every week. Sometimes I apply it more than one x per day until I think my skin is about to its limit. You have to be careful because when your skin gets irritated and itches while the peel is on, when you scratch it, you will tear your skin and get a scab. Can you tell it's happened to me?

I use a manual exfoliant at least 1 x every day.

OK, then for the CP's, I apply Super Cop cream pretty much 2 x day. I skip Retin A every other night.

I still take the supplements, but dropped DHEA after the 2 weeks. I'll probably go for another 2 weeks with it soon.

The scars ARE more shallow. I could tell a noticeable difference in two scars on my cheek, especially.

I have scars of all types. Some little pits, some are actual "lines" and these are self inflicted where I "scraped" with a needle (stupid) a good while back.

Well, I've been at all this aggressive treatment for just over a month. Things had improved, but I felt like it was stalled over the last week.

So, the other night after cleansing, I took a lancet (from a blood sugar testing kit) and pricked at some scars. Of course, I had a bloody mess, and then scabs. Good thing I don't have to leave the house if I don't want to. (Scar revision ain't pretty as you know). I think it's like Dr. P says, sometimes the scar tissue is still tethered down and when you give some little pricks to it, it comes up.

This for me, has only worked at the END of a month of aggressive treatment. (Example: one month of 40% peel, Super cop, etc. THEN prick at individual scars)

I will report when the scabbing and swelling completely goes down, and see if the scars are more improved.

On another positive note, the keloid on my right bicep from a surgery (over one year ago) is finally healing. I've been very aggressive with it over this same month-long period that I've worked on my face. With the keloid, it is as if the skin thinks it should be growing on top of my arm instead of on it, and then it puts down callousy layers of skin on top. Hard to explain. But first, I've had to peel through those layers until it's irritated, apply super cop cream. It's been a hard, sometimes painful process, but just in the last few days, I dare say it is getting flatter. This is big news, because my goal is to able to wear sleeveless stuff BEFORE next spring.

Summerwave ...I'm not ready to wave it away yet, but the "best of the best" is still yet to come.

Glad to hear you are making headway with your aggressive routine. It's really the ONLY way to get the scars to move & NO, it is not fun NOR always very pretty.

I have found my skin to be a least 10X worse than what I thought, with much of the damage totally buried & not visibly noticeable until it pushed up over time. I have removed hundreds of scar fragments from my pores & would say that I am curently at about a 90% renewal rate.

The level & am dealing with at the moment is very old & was buried very, very, very deep. If I pull my skin on my cheeks real taut, I can still see some tiny little bumps buried underneath but "at rest" they look almost as good as someone who never had a breakout. My chin which harbored layers of old breakouts & damage is just about fully renewed. The wrinkly part under the corners of the mouth was from yrs of buried damage & is slowly rebuilding now that all of the layered damage is out.

I am not exaggerating when I say my life long accumulated BP damage was monumental.... ... While it has not been easy removing the scars, all of my efforts have been worth it. Like you, I hope to have a completely clear & flawless (bump-free) face someday...

Sounds like your going to town on your keloid scar on your arm is paying off. There is still plenty of time for sleevless tops to show off your progress... ... Even though I don't wear all that much sleevless, I pulled out the bikini top a couple of times this summer to avoid the farmers tan. SB Suntannig Lotion really does work to keep you from burning allowing a healthy , overall golden glow... ....oh, the end of summer!

Hope your progress continues!...

Also Summerwave, I thought I would mention that I am using an advanced OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) on my skin these days. I like it very much. You may want to try.

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

I make my own blend of:

25% Castor Oil/ 75% Sunflower Seed/ A touch of Tea Tree Oil to help disinfect.

Then after massaging the oil into my skin I leave it on adding my microdermabrasion cyrstals & massage for another minute or 2. Then follow by steaming off with a hot cloth several times.

Your skin afterwards amazingly comes to life with a healthy, rosy glow.

Also, you may want to try the back to basic Stridex 2% SA Pads at least once a day to help keep those pores open & clear...follow by Exfol.

Just some suggestions that I have found to be very beneficial....

I just came across this UV photo showing sub-surface skin damage in a 37 year old woman:

http://www.skincarephysicians....kinnet/images/37.jpg

The UV photos tell the story very well.

It is often difficult to convince people that buried skin damage is a severe problem.

Hey Everyone,

Sorry it's been so long since I last checked in. I'm so busy lately, but maybe things will slow down a bit soon.

Anyway, I stopped working as hard on my skin for a while there, just got lazy or it went on the back burner. I kept using the products, just stopped using them so aggressively. Anyway, I did another needle session this week with good results.

This is what I do. I use lancets that diabetics use to check blood sugar. I wipe the area of my skin with alcohol, let dry. Then I use the lancet. I try not to prick too deep, but there is always at least tiny droplets of blood. After a while, I go back over with alcohol and let air dry. Then I apply CP.

I also still use lactic acid 40% about every two weeks. I also exfoliate with a washcloth to remove all the dead skin. Sometimes I use more acid more often on the worst areas of scars. I use Super CP. I use emu. About 1 or 2 x week, I use Retin-A.

Started doing a little facial exercise over the last week or two.

I still have to wear makeup to make my skin tone look even, but there is still a lot of damage under there. But I can tell my skin is a lot smoother where I used to have scars on my upper and mid cheeks. The needling has helped with that.

I try not to be overly aggressive with the needling. As long as I get a hole in the skin, I figure it's doing the job. I no longer try to dig down in and pull stuff up.

I intend to work more on the lower half of my face more, since that's where the worst scarring is now.

What I do is the above alcohol/lancet method, but smile to pull my skin into the lines/scars where they are easily seen. I needle in those areas. Again, I don't overdo it because I don't think it's necessary to have big scabs that are impossible to hide in makeup. Instead, I get tiny pinpricks that are much easier to hide.

I'm seeing improvements. The scars on my upper cheeks are nearly invisible, as I said.

I gave up working on the keloid on my arm for a while now. Just gave it a rest. It still looks fine, at least its not growing back. It looks wrinkly/callousy and is pretty flat. I'm going to start on it again. I still want to wear sleeveless stuff.

OK, hope this helps someone. Bye, for now.