LAM FACIAL PLASTICS

I'm writing to you because you seem professional, kowledgeable, kind and honest. It's been three months since I had (ablative) CO2 laser treatment on my cheeks with a machine from Irradia, to try and improve acne scars. I did it at a beauty salon, thought it wasn't a big deal or procedure, or didn't want it to be. I used only a local anesthetic and experienced no pain afterwards. It never bled and the redness was pretty much gone after seven days, pinkness completely gone after ten days. I noticed after taking a photo about two weeks ago that it has changed the contour of my face and there has been a loss of elasticity. It might have been worth it if the treatment had done anything at all to improve my scars, but it didn't. I know now that nothing can be done to improve my acne scars. I'm not sure the change in facial shape is simply due to the skin thinning where the laser hit(which I can feel) and this changing the proportions, or something else. My cheeks look like they droop along the jawline, like they're swollen. The natural plumpness and symmetry from before is gone.

I deeply regret getting this treatment, I should have put the money into therapy to help me accept my acne scarring. I only wanted to improve acne scarring which along with acne has given me so much anxiety for ten years(i'm 22). Not change the contours of my face, which were pretty. After seeing the photo of myself and trying to pinpoint the change, I noticed a hollowness between the jaw bone and the cheek bone on both sides, I can place my thumbs there now, but the skin is still squishy and soft. I think I noticed this before I read about possible fat loss on the internet, but I'm not sure. Two out of three family members say they notice no change to my face at all, even after showing them photos. My brother calls me insane. Small comfort, though I still see what I see. One family member told me my face is squarer.

Anyway, after reading on the internet about fat loss, the prospect of it, or more of it, is causing me unspeakable anxiety and distress. A lot of people say fat loss didn't start until six months to a year after the treatment. How do I know if this is what I have to look forward to? I feel like my life is on hold. Is there any way of preventing fat loss? My face has caused me so much anxiety in my life and I just want to move on. Also,reading online it seems like quite a few people have experienced a similar change in the appearance of their jawline, like the cheeks are permanently swollen...any ideas as to what could have caused this? Thank you so much in advance.

hi,
sorry to hear of your situation. i would say if your family members do not see it, that you should lower your anxiety level because that almost will cause fat loss due to stress and weight loss. sometimes we get a self-fulfilling prophecy when we try to avoid what we do not want. i would say focus your life on anything but what you went through and hopefully all will be right. there is not a magical answer to fix things now but i like what Victor Frankl said, "When all freedoms are taken from you, you have one freedom left, your attitude." That can be very freeing, trust me.
best,
sml

Thank you so much for your kind words. This has been a lesson in caution and self-acceptance for me. No more lasers or plastic surgery unless I'm in an accident. I'm doing my best not to worry about the future of my face and skin, to stay positive and have been avoiding looking in the mirror as much as possible, or i only look briefly. Not looking in the mirror helps tremendously. It's a bad habit in general, I could have spared myself so much pain in my life if I'd never started looking in the mirror. Tonight I was stupid enough to start reading posts online about laser damage, looking to find reasons not to worry. Of course the opposite happened and some posts made my heart stop from fear of the same thing happening to me.

I have two other questions: is it ok to be on birth control right now? In the beginning of this year I was on a pill called diane which in Europe goes by the name of Diane (an androgen-suppressor with the active substances being "Cyproteron and Etinylestradiol) that a dermatologist had prescribed me for acne. They healed my acne and after six months I stopped taking them and my acne didn't come back, my skin was oily again but no acne. Then I had the laser treatment. About three weks after the laser treatment I broke out again, I tried to "see it through" and be patient with the acne, but I couldn't even bring myself to going outside. So I started on Diane again about two months after the treatment. I saw a plastic surgeon about it a while ago who didn't say anything about me being on birth control. Are you of the same opinion? Could the lack of androgen/oil inhibit the healing proccess? Also, some people say that their skin has developed a waxy texture a while after the treatment, in your opinion is it likely that this could/would show up several months after the treatment?

Thank you so much for your time.

I see no reason that oral contraceptives would pose a problem. However, I always defer to one's own physician for a definitive answer.
best wishes as always,
s.