LAM FACIAL PLASTICS

Hi Dr. Lam, you've seen my before/after pictures so I'm sure you know who I am (rhino, lip reduction, chin/jaw/cheek implants)

I have 3-4 ice pick scars total on my cheeks that don't really bother me, but improvement would be nice.

Is Indian skin suitable for tca cross? I don't mind hyperpigmentation because the areas that would be pigmented would be smaller than freckles (3 small ice picks).

http://s987.beta.photobucket.com/user/s ... sort=3&o=0

that's my skin tone

given your skin tone being lighter, it does look safe to me. the bigger risk is not temporary hyperpigmentation but permanent hypopigmentation, which is not that likely given the fact that you are fairer skinned indian. but you must be prepared for that risk. if it occurs then you may need to tattoo it back to a darker shade.
s.

Honestly, having a slightly different shade of color on such tiny areas wouldn't bother me much...Makeup could easily hide colors, but not holes.

I use makeup all the time.

ok, cool. just make sure you go to someone experienced. someone who has never done this can definitely risk making these worse, a lot worse.
s.

what do you mean by tattoo it back?

anyways...i could care less about the pigment of 3 tiny dots on my face.

what i mean is that if the color is lighter then a tattoo could be used to make that area a bit darker to match your surrounding skin in a worst case scenario.
s.

What's a realistic expectation in terms of % improvement for ice pick scars that have a small diameter with TCA Cross?

i never quote percentages because of perception of what a percent is when it comes to acne scars. i interpret things to be 70% and the patient thinks 30% and vice versa. also, CROSS results can be somewhat variable. when working on smaller areas, you have to be excruciatingly precise and also more conservative meaning sometimes i see great results and sometimes in certain areas less than i wish for.

I went to a derm who does this and he tried referring me to a a psych for bdd when I told him that I use makeup(since when is makeup monopolized by women??)...I told him that I know my scars are very minor, but nonetheless would want to improve them (not imagining that they're bad) and he refused.

Have you ever done this? I found this to be very unprofessional on his part.

have i ever sent anyone for BDD (body dysmorphic disorder) to a psych? yes. the reason is that when someone does have BDD (which may not be you) the patient is never happy with the surgeon's results, which can lead to a disastrous relationship. BDD in short summary is an over negative obsession on a flaw that is not reasonable in such a way that it affects social interactions. what flaw is considered unreasonable? i heard a lecture from a surgeon who said some psychs think everything is unreasonable but it requires a plastic surgeon working on an area of specialty to define that. in your case, wearing makeup to cover a defect is not necessarily a criterion for BDD. it would have to be a larger clinical picture.