Hi, I needled my depressed scar about a month ago and it was looking good until about a week ago when it now looks different and not especially for the better. It looks as though the depressed part may have gotten larger and the sloping sides not as steep but it is not really an improvement to me - rather a change that makes it look more obvious. I had been using super cop and retin-a - I switched back to trireduction and lacsal a couple of nights ago but am now wondering if perhaps I should just stop everything. I am not sure if perhaps this is hyperpigmented more from the needling or if the depression is actually larger. What do you think?

Erika

Just slow all treatments. As you remove old damaged skin, it takes time to rebuild the new skin.

Also take supplements that help sken repair. 1 gram each day of vitamin C, MSM, glucosamine, and borage oil or flaxseed oil.

Thanks, Dr. Pickart. By slowing down, should I revert back to using the trireduction cream vs the super cp serum? Should I use only every other day vs every day? Also, I do drink a lot of orange juice. Is that sufficient for the vitamin C? My multivitamin only has 90 mg. Do I find the other products in a health food store or on-line? I have not come across MSM. How much of each do you recommend taking? Thanks so much.

Erika

Linus Pauling thought we should take in 5 grams of vitamin C daily based on the intake of other primates. And he was one of the most brilliant chemists and biochemists in history. His "Nature of the Chemical Bond" created modern chemistry. He won a Nobel prize for his work in Biochemistry and another for his actions to stop nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

The real problem with your skin seems to be slow regeneration.

The biochemist Roger Willams (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_J._Williams) created the modern use of supplements with his book Biochemical Individuality: The Basis for the Genetotrophic Concept. He said that some people, to stay healthy, required up to a 1,000 times the usual need for a biochemical.

Vitamin C is critical for building up collagen.

Buy supplements from the lowest cost and from a reputable source. Avoid sellers of "miracle" type vitamins.

I use Swansons Vitamins because of the cost but there are other good sources.