Skin care and transitioning

[HappyMoni]

Nice topic to catch up Moni, there was a wealth of info shared here, thanks

For myself, I am also in the camp of years of neglect and sun worship (un protected) as a young person, I paid the price. Finished with my electro last year after staring in 2012 (I would need over 300 hours in the chair to be free). I just bought my fresh sun screen for this season (SPF 55), and take my skin care more seriously now. HRT made my skin dry up a lot more easily, and we live in a fairly moist climate here in W. WA.

Kim that was brutal, OMG

Hugs

Cynthia -

Thanks Cynthia,
   Update on laser on scars. I have noticed after the first laser section that the newer scars seem to have had the best result. Those are under my breasts. Older scars are about back to where they started in the healing process. I have two more sections scheduled. I think the newer scars will end up with significant improvement at least.

[Linde]

Thanks Cynthia,
   Update on laser on scars. I have noticed after the first laser section that the newer scars seem to have had the best result. Those are under my breasts. Older scars are about back to where they started in the healing process. I have two more sections scheduled. I think the newer scars will end up with significant improvement at least.

Since some of the scar tissue is removed by the laser, you might be able to improve the appearance of even the old scars with some dedicated scar massage!

[HappyMoni]

I went for my second laser treatment yesterday. Again, I treated my scars (GCS, BA, and others). I have seen good improvement on them. This time, they didn't look as bad after the treatment, not as red. I expect recovery to be quicker. Also, since I paid for a block of time instead of for a specific treatment, I had some dark marks treated on my face, shoulders, and back. It is a different laser. It didn't hurt but it stung a little for a few hours after. I have a dark area on my left check. She told me it was from sun damage from driving a car. I was like, "That makes sense!" Finally, I had the hair on my forearms lasered. This was the only thing that hurt. It is fine hair and not real dark, but I think if it was hurting, it must be doing something.
This is all through the office of the surgeon who did the repairs from my botched facial surgery. His name is Dr. Papel in Baltimore. Next week he will remove my trach shave scar and attempt to significantly improve its appearance. I really like him.
Moni
Oh, I meant to ask, and will next visit, about laser treatments for reducing pore size. I am curious if it is effective.

[Linde]

It is a different laser. It didn't hurt but it stung a little for a few hours after. I have a dark area on my left check. She told me it was from sun damage from driving a car. I was like, "That makes sense!" Finally, I had the hair on my forearms lasered. This was the only thing that hurt. It is fine hair and not real dark, but I think if it was hurting, it must be doing something.


Oh, I meant to ask, and will next visit, about laser treatments for reducing pore size. I am curious if it is effective.

Yeserday I had a little revision on the sun damage spot on my left check (there was a little bit left from the last time).  We must have had spot siblings residing on our checks!
But just for fun I had them laser my pubic hair.  I want to have surgery, I may as well be working on that.!  It was not really that bad, less dramatic than I thought it would be.

I also had my eyebrows microbladed.  I never had much of them (another part of me not really growing much hair, except on the top of my head).  I now have real eyebrows with , what they call, tails and everything needed for the seven yards!  I have to admit that this process was a little on the painful side.
What an old woman does not all in the name of beauty!

I do not have any large pores, because I never got that grown-ups skin (never had a pimple in my life).  How do those large pore look like?  The only way I could imagine to eliminate them would be a rather deep resurfacing of your skin!

[HappyMoni]

Linde,
   They are just larger pores, and not real attractive. I am seeing slow progress with the skin treatment, but it takes a long time. I am happy with the dark spot laser. I had two spots near my eye and they just rubbed away. The area looks younger with them gone. I may need a second treatment on other spots. Refresh me on micro blading. It makes you look like you have hair?
Moni
I would do electrolysis for GCS. It is more permanent.

[Linde]

Linde,
    Refresh me on micro blading. It makes you look like you have hair?
Moni
I would do electrolysis for GCS. It is more permanent.

They use a scalpel like knife that can transfer some tattoo ink into the skin.  The make little cuts into you skin, and transferring the ink int it.  This way it looks like real hair is laying there.  My brows were relatively short and very blondish colored, and I had no visible tail toward the sides.  This is now there, and my brows look pretty real!  My new avatar pic shows how the brows are now pretty visible and pronounced.  The match the color close to the hair/skin color, to make it look as naturally as possible.  I never ever have to think about doing anything with my eyebrows again!

[KimOct]

Moni - Keep us updated on the pore treatment.  I could use some myself.

[HappyMoni]

Last month I had my trach shave scar redone. My facial surgeon used outdated methods for this and I ended up with a very obvious scar on my throat. It was my forth FFS revision surgery. Dr. Papel in Baltimore told me he thought he could made a significant improvement. I was worried at first, but it is definitely flattening out.  I post about this because of my part in flattening the scar. After getting some very hard scars elsewhere, I decided I would vigorously massage this scar. At first it was painful but now not so bad. I am breaking up anything that wants to harden into a hard scar. I have to say it is really working for me. I plan to continue more treatment with laser on my GCS  and BA scars and plan to massage them as well. The BA scars are newer and respond best to the laser. Thanks for fixing another doctors screw ups, Dr. Papel.

[Linde]

  I post about this because of my part in flattening the scar. After getting some very hard scars elsewhere, I decided I would vigorously massage this scar. At first it was painful but now not so bad. I am breaking up anything that wants to harden into a hard scar. I have to say it is really working for me.

Good to hear that your scar massage is working.  It needs some dedication and work involved.  But I can promise you the only indication of a scar that will be left is a thin line that could even blend in with the skin folds.

I had carpal tunnel surgery in both hands, which each caused a 2 1/4 long scar.  Nobody believes me that I had this surgery, I have to really point out to them the remainders of the scars!  Keep on going with the massaging, break up any hard scar tissue, and you will be very satisfied with the end result!
Hugs
Linde

[HappyMoni]

Thanks Linde, I can't believe that none of my surgeons ever recommended doing this. It works! It is so flat compared to a week ago. I massage twice a day then cover with silicone and then SPF.

[Linde]

Thanks Linde, I can't believe that none of my surgeons ever recommended doing this. It works! It is so flat compared to a week ago. I massage twice a day then cover with silicone and then SPF.

We discovered it in our lab, and went around, teaching it.  But many surgeons are not really interested in the looks of the scars.

If you could get a couple more sessions in per day, would be even better.
But keep on going until you can't see the scar anymore, unless you look very close for it.  You can do the same thing for the scars on your boobs, it could work even better, because there should be enough tissue that you could roll it between your fingers.

Good luck, pretty soon you will be the local beauty queen!
Hugs
Linde

[HappyMoni]

Good luck, pretty soon you will be the local beauty queen!
Hugs
Linde

Ha ha, Senior division!

I just thought that this scar called out trach shave or maybe tracheotomy to someone who doesn't know that would be in the wrong place. Glad it is disappearing. It also was a reminder of all the trouble I have been through with this "surgeon" who did the FFS. I would recommend message to anyone. After all, if one has GCS, they preach dilation like crazy especially early on. If you don't, those scarring bonds set up and limit your width. I image it is a similar principle. My one lower GCS scar seems better after less than a week of message. Laser on top of that should make it much less noticeable. I go for laser next Tuesday. I think I might try it on a varicose vein or two. I'll report back. Thank you for the feedback Linde.

[Linde]

Ha ha, Senior division!

I just thought that this scar called out trach shave or maybe tracheotomy to someone who doesn't know that would be in the wrong place. Glad it is disappearing. It also was a reminder of all the trouble I have been through with this "surgeon" who did the FFS. I would recommend message to anyone. After all, if one has GCS, they preach dilation like crazy especially early on. If you don't, those scarring bonds set up and limit your width. I image it is a similar principle. My one lower GCS scar seems better after less than a week of message. Laser on top of that should make it much less noticeable. I go for laser next Tuesday. I think I might try it on a varicose vein or two. I'll report back. Thank you for the feedback Linde.

He, you are the psychologists for many here, once in a while the doc has to give you a few advises, too!
I really hope you can master the looks of your scars very well, I can't say much about the veins, we can strip them, and make new little scars that need massage!