- Question:
- I have about a dozen scars on my shins due to chemical burns (from Nair Hair removal cream) and electrical burns due to bad electrolysis. All of the scars are small (about pea sized) and shallow rather than raised, and are very discolored–brownish purple while I am very fair skinned. I’ve tried silicone sheets to reduce the scarring, but it hasn’t worked at all. I REALLY want to get rid of the discoloration, and would love to get rid of the shallowness, also, but it’s the discoloration that bothers me more. What type of surgery (dermabrasion?) could help with with these scars, and what’s a rough estimate of the cost? I hope you can help me. I can’t go another summer in pants every day, but I can’t bear to wear shorts with all of these ugly scars. Thanks for any help you can give me. Maddy
- Answer:
- Dear Maddy, The pigmentation can be readily removed with lasers although that will do little for the textural skin changes. You may wish to have the larger ones surgically removed to leave a fine scar that is level. The former should not cost too much – I charge $20 per spot per treatment with about 3 or 4 treatments required to lighten the pigmentation. The surgery costs about $200 per scar.
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- Question:
- I am a young female with a hair growth problem on my chest area and on my breasts. I would like to get rid of the hair, and get rid of the discoloration on the skin in this area. I know this may require two different procedures to correct. I have already done electrolosis but it caused more dark spots in the area and the hair grew back. I would like to know what procedures I should consider to possibly correct this problem if it can be corrected at all.
- Answer:
- I would get laser hair removal if I were you. The only way this wouldn’t work would be if the hair were very light or very fine. As long as the hair is darker than your skin one it will work. In addition, it should improve your pigmentation problems. The main drawback of laser treatments are that you need multiple treatments and they can get expensive. Make sure that you go to a reputable doctor and not some salon to have this done.
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- Question:
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- I am a 23 years old african american male with a problem with razorbumps. What can I do? Should I continue use of topical treatments or should I go ahead with the laser hair removal treatment? If so, What are the various costs for such a procedure? I do not want the chance of any reoccurence so I guess the laser treatment is the best option to go with.What do you think? I have been currently been using benzamycin, but the problem still reoccurs.
- Answer:
- I would go with laser treatment. It is the easiest and fastest. BUT make sure the folks you go to are very experienced with african american skin, or seek out someone with a 1064 laser, as these are less likely to cause problems. Nothing is forever, so you may need occasional maintenance treatments to keep it away, but it works wonderfully for what you have. Find a doctor who does laser at www.aslms.org. Costs vary widely, but I recommend you go to a physician with a good reputation, even if he/she is not the one actually doing the procedure. You may pay a little more for it, but you are much less likely to have problems than if you go to a laser hair removal salon that says they have a doctor but one is never there!
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