The TCA CROSS Method of Treating Acne Scars: New Hope for Deep Ice-pick Type Scarring

Due to the difficulty in treating icepick-type acne scars, there seems to be a great deal of interest in the TCA Cross procedure but relatively few sources of solid information online.

This article is based on the original research that first describes the method, "Focal Treatment of Acne Scars With Trichloroacetic Acid: Chemical Reconstruction of Skin Scars Method" by Lee, Jung Bock, et al.2002.

Researchers and doctors had known for some time that lower concentrations of trichlororacetic acid (TCA) was an excellent mild to medium chemical peel due to its ability to stimulate collagen growth; however, higher concentrations of TCA leads to scarring and skin discoloration.

Out of desire to use TCA at higher concentrations to treat deeper scars the focal TCA Cross method was born (focal means a small area). This method involves using a sharp wooden application to apply 65 to 100% TCA to the base of a scar. After about ten minutes, the scar forms a white crust signaling that the procedure is complete for that scar. Intuitively, it seems odd to apply acid to the bottom of a scar, but the purpose of the TCA is to damage and, thereby, stimulating collagen growth, effectively pushing the scar up from underneath.

In this original study, the researchers found that 100% was more effective than 65% TCA, as 30 of the 32 patients in the 100% group had "good" or "excellent" results based on the assessment of two physicians who didn't know which patients were in each group. Some patients had 5 or 6 treatments spaced 1 to 3 months apart. All the patient in the 100% group who had 5 or 6 treatments showed "excellent" results.

The authors claim to have had success using the TCA Cross technique on other types of scars like boxcar and rolling; however, all the research I've read only recommends this method for icepick scars.

Icepick scars seem to be the most difficult to treat because they're resistant to any sort of resurfacing technique like the older chemical peels and dermabrasion and the newer laser resurfacing. As opposed to rolling and many boxcar scars that can be improved, resurfacing procedures just can't penetrate deep enough to improve the appearance of icepick scars. In order to improve icepick scars, punch excision or TCA Cross will probably be necessary.

Punch excision is good technique; however, it involves more discomfort and can't be used to treat adjacent scars because the healing process causes the skin to tighten. The authors of the study claimed that no anesthesia was needed during the TCA Cross procedure and list no warnings about simultaneously treating multiple scars that are close together.

Unfortunately, based on reading multiple forum posts by real scar sufferers, it seems like few dermatologist are familiar with TCA Cross, so you'll probably have to search around. However, time search is time very well spent. Success depends on finding the right dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon who specializes in acne scars. For example, if I were seeking acne scar treatment, I would expect to be on a waiting list for several months and to travel out of state to a major city for a procedure.By: Erik Pearson

Natural Acne Relief - 5 Essential Tips

Even though acne is not that harmful to your health, you should try your best to eliminate this problem as it may cause serious damage, both physical and emotional, later on. What do you have to do if you have a breakout that hurts like hell even with just a soft touch, or if this problem causes a burning sensation to your skin? There are a lot of things most people have lying around the house that can act as natural acne relief when unexpected cystic acne breaks out in your skin.

Here are tips for natural acne relief:

1.Use only non-abrasive and gentle cleansers on your face. If you suffer from regular breakouts, do not use exfoliating or invigorating scrubs as it may worsen the problem. Wash at least twice a day to keep the face clean and to unclog the pores. Warm water is recommended when washing the face.

2.Stay away from French fries, fried peanuts or anything that is fried and oily. Too much oil taken and produced by your glands can cause pimples.

3.To get rid of excess oil, use mild skin cleanser at least thrice a day. Do not use skin cleanser that has oil as ingredient as it may add up to the oil that your sebaceous glands produce.

4.Watch your diet and drink at least five to seven glasses of water per day to flush out the toxins.

5.Research what herbs and plants can help you relieve this problem and dry out your acne. For example herbal remedies like garlic, aloe vera, mint, cucumber, and lemon work very well.

By Susan Deberry

Top 5 Homemade Acne Masks

While many people are suffering from acne only a few of us have the knowledge to make our own acne treatment that helps us reduce our acne problems. With this short guide you will find out how to make homemade acne mask from few simple ingredients that are present at almost every home. For easier start we have selected top five acne mask recipes which you can use for your endless struggle with acne.

Acne Mask #1: Salt Mask
This one of the easiest homemade acne masks that you can make. To make it you need sea salt or cooking salt and some water. You put the salt in the water for 20 minutes then apply the mask to acne spots and leave it on for 10-30 minutes. Salt cleans the skin and dries acne spots which makes it perfect treatment for acne scars. If you have the option then go to swim in the sea and you do not even have to make the mask, you just swim in it and enjoy the natural acne treatment.

Acne Mask #2: Baking Soda
Another easy homemade acne mask which makes miracles for some of us when it comes to acne treatment. To make this mask all you need is water and baking soda. First clean acne spots with preferred cleanser (skin cleanser that you use normally will do the task), then mix the water and baking soda and apply the mixture on acne spots. Leave the mixture on for a while, do some household chores, read a book, go on internet, talk to your friends, watch television or do whatever makes you happy and then rinse the mask off your face. When soda mask will be removed you can feel how soft and clean is your skin. This treatment does not work the same for everyone, while some see drastic improvement in their acne treatment, others do not see any results. It depends on a person and skin type but if you find this mask suitable and efficient repeat the treatment several times a week for few weeks and you can say good bye to acne.

Acne Mask #3: Yogurt Mask
If two masks mentioned above were easy to make here is the third simple homemade acne mask that everyone can make. It consists of Yogurt and Honey and does not need a lot of preparation.

Take one teaspoon of honey and heat it up a little so it becomes softer (if you have dry skin ad additional teaspoon of honey for better effect). Then mix the honey with one tablespoon of natural yogurt which is medium fat (do not use low or non-fat yogurt). Mix the ingredients at room temperature for a while. When it is prepared apply it to acne spots that you wish to treat. Leave it on 10-20 minutes and then was it off with washcloth. If this acne mask helps you, try to use it several times a week and get rid of acne fast.

Acne Mask #4: Oatmeal and Onion Mask
This is a bit more complicated homemade acne mask than the masks I mentioned previously but its efficiency is very promising. You might dislike the smell of onion but you have the results in mind while setting aside the pleasure. Peel one medium sized onion and shred it until you get a puree. Cook ½ cup of plain (non-sweet) Oatmeal, when cooked set it aside to cool down and add the onion puree. When the mixture is cold apply it to your face and leave it on for 5-15 minutes. If the mask is not thick enough to stay on your face then you might add some honey to make it more sustainable. Then slowly rinse it off and wash your face. If you did not use the whole mask for treatment you can store it in refrigerator for 5-7 days before it gets old.

Acne Mask #5: Egg White Mask
This is the last but not least simple homemade acne mask. It is called the Egg white mask because you have to remove the yolk from the egg whites. No other preparation is needed. When yolk is separated you can put it away and take only egg whites. Then whip the white part until you have a dense paste. For people with oily skin it is advisable to apply some lemon juice and mix it with a paste to achieve a better effect. Clean your face and gently apply the mask. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and wash it off with warm water or washcloth. After using this mask your skin will be tightened and red spots will be cleared.

Well what are you waiting? Decide which mask do you prefer and start treating your acne now. If one homemade acne mask does not help you, there is always a chance to try another one. Probably it will take some time before you find the one that suits you most and helps you get rid of acne but you have a lot of masks to choose from.By Luka Malgaj 

20 Acne Home Remedies Divided by Skin Type - Natural Acne Remedies In a Cosmetic World

"Acne Home Remedies For Fair Skin"

Mixing Baking Soda W/ Water: The most generic, though effective of acne home remedies. The baking soda uses an all-natural alcohol free method of drying up the excess sebum under the skin. Mix a cup of baking soda with a little water until it becomes a paste, apply to the infected spot (not the whole face). Leave on for 15 minutes and gently wipe off. Feel fabulous.

Get Smelly, Mush Up Some Acne Home Remedies w/ Garlic: Ready to wreak? The very effective method is a powerhouse in acne treatment. Peel back a clove of garlic, chop it up till its a mush, then apply to whole face for 20 minutes. Remember to wash it off, unless you like the smell of garlic.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Water Solution: Ouch! This one might leave a little sting if your not careful. If your skin is sensitive be sure to dilute the vinegar with water appropriately. This is one of my favorite acne home remedies because it's so strong and gets to work pretty darn fast. Apple cider vinegar is a strong astringent packed with skin protecting vitamins. To use, mix with water and apply with a cotton swab. Don't rinse.

The Orange Peel Facial: Time to smell daringly citric! It's the most fruity of our acne home remedies. Peel the orange, flatten it with a tenderizing utensil or other blunt object (surprisingly, even a hammer works) and apply the peel to your acne area. (You can even go as far as taping it on your face). Leave on for 20 minutes and remove. Be careful not to snatch the tape off too fast. Ouch!

Combining Aspirin and Water: Headache pills for the face? I've never tried this one myself but I'm hearing it's very powerful so I wouldn't over-do it. To use, crush an aspirin and add a little water until it becomes a paste. Apply the paste to a single pimple spot only and let it sit overnight. Rinse at wake.

Tomato Juices Work Wonders: Tomato juice anyone? For this home remedy take a tomato and place it in the blender or chop and squeeze. If you decide to use a blender for your acne home remedies, make sure you clean it thoroughly beforehand. This way, you wouldn't have any leftover residues from last weeks chocolate shake sitting on your face. Apply the juices for an hour then rinse off. But be warned, frequent use of tomato juice will dry out your skin. Try other acne home remedies from time to time.

Green Tea Ice Cube: Got spare green tea lying around? If you do, then you got one acne's greatest home remedies. Freeze green tea into an ice cube and apply to a specific spot. Use until swelling decreases or it melts away.

The Lemony Rose Water Supreme Combo: Combining these 2 deadly acne killers will definitely thwart the competition (no pun intended). To use, mix a half cup of rosewater with a quarter of lemon juice and apply to infected area. The rosewater will repair damaged skin and the astringent will suck up excess sebum. The ideal acne fighting tag-team.

Break an Egg, Clear a Face: Egg whites are the perfect facial cleansers and make pretty strong acne home remedies. To keep the acne away, break an egg, separate the white from the yolk, apply to whole face and feel your skin tighten. Wash away in an hour and feel refreshed! Or just really eggy.

Green Tea Ice Cube: For this method, you get to eat the majority of the strawberry, and the best part is strawberries are really good for you! Eat the berry part, save the crown part and apply to infected area. After 20 minutes rinse and relax. Like my orange peel strategy, you can feel free to use tape.

Potato Slice Plain and Simple: Potato slices work wonders. Slice one, hold it on your face for as long as you want and enjoy. You can leave it on all day if you wish. Cant have too many potato's. Simple acne home remedies personified!

The Surefire Clay Mask: Well I saved the best of my acne home remedies for last and for a good reason. I have heard umpteen absolutely uplifting stories about these things and I'm fully convinced that these masks are the best solution to getting rid of acne overnight. If you need clay, visit Mountains Rose Herbs and do a search for "clay" - It cost $4.95 a pound, (a good bargain cheaper than most acne products you can buy over the counter). To apply, take one TSP of clay and mix it with water until it becomes a paste. Then apply to infected spot and leave on as long as you want. Use for overnight is best.

"Acne Home Remedies For Dryer Skins"

Stir up some avocado and honey: My best choice for a homemade moisturizing mix. Mash up some avocado, add some honey to make a paste, and apply to infected area. Do not overdo the honey. To much honey will lead to clogged pores. Apply to face and wash off in 20 minutes. Avoid rubbing in.

Olive Oil Absorption: As with all skin moisturizing agents be careful of applying too much and doing more harm than good. Take a table-spoon, dilute with a very little bit of water, and apply to infected area. Let sit for 20 minutes and pat dry. Simple acne home remedies at it's finest.

Astringent Honey Powerhouse Combination: Honey tends to work miracles as a natural skin rejuvenator. Combine that with any astringent and you got an acne fighter. Use any astringent I've recommended in this post and you should be fine. Just remember to wash your dosage. Apply for 15 minutes and enjoy.

"Acne Home Remedies For Oily Skins"

Lemon Juice Suction: This one is for those fiery, tough chicks. Lemon Juice is the most potent of all Acne Home Remedies and especially effective on oily skins. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze out its juices and apply it to face using a cotton swab. Be wary, as burning and bleaching of the skin may occur if you over-do it.

The Solution More Powerful than Lemon Juice Alone: This one is for the daredevils. This will result in a super sucker solution that's almost a surefire way to get rid of that pimple. But as with all acne home remedies, with great risk comes great reward. Be careful of burning and bleaching of the skin. Same as before chop lemon in half, squeeze juices and add salt to the mixture. Apply to face and enjoy. As with most acne home remedies, remember to rinse after 10 minutes.

Just a Little Bit of Baby Powder: On the contrary many argue that baby powder outright destroys your skin. Which it can if your not careful. So unless your absolutely sure you can apply the necessary amount, don't bother. Add a very small amount of baby powder with a little water to make a slightly moist paste and apply to spots. Do not rub in or your risk blocking your pores and making the problem worse.

Toothpaste for the face: A classic example on everyone's acne home remedies list. It's simple and dangerously effective. All you have to do is dab a quarter size amount of toothpaste and let the astringent properties eat through your pimple. Tips for this one? Only one, stay away from gel toothpastes.

A Simple Wipe-Off Might Do The Trick: This is the only entry I wont consider to be an acne home remedy but, its so effective and inexpensive, I decided it would make a perfect addition to this list. C&C Oil wipes do a spectacular job of ridding your face of those nasty excess oil reserves I talked about earlier, and I constantly get reviews from readers who can vouch for them. If you have oily skin I urge you to pick some of these things up ASAP. They just might be what you need to manage your pimple production, on demand.-By Steven E Love