NY /Photoderm/ & Just some things I question and have learned

[Guest guest]

Lee,

I am so glad you asked those questions. I have wondered many of those same

things!

My skin has also become VERY dry since being treated for rosacea, and I

think some of the topicals even caused me to get seb derm. I am pretty sure

I didn't have seb derm before but I do now. Anyway, I found one routine that

is helping the dryness for me: Vita Oil on wet face, then Eucerin Cream

" Original " a couple minutes later, while my face is still a little wet from

the water/oil. My face had become leathery feeling, and this really seems to

help, and no break outs.

R.

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[Guest guest]

Hello Dear Friends,

I am in Florida, but have family and friends in NY and friends in CA.

I've been considering photoderm for some time. I am interested in

photoderm/ laser/ good derms especially in these three states.(I could

give anyone in West Central FL arundown on what dems/drs I've seen, if

you'd like) We know about Dr. Bitter, Sr. in CA and Dr. Jay in NY. Group

members have also posted about Dr. Kauvar at the Laser and Skin Surgery

center of NY and laser specialists I believe to be at NYU.

I recently met a dermatologist who joined the practice of a derm I'd

been seeing here in FL. He said that this dr was an expert in the field

of lasers and all advances and had just come from years of laser study

from Harvard University. I was so excited that he was coming to FL!!

I met with him and was very disappointed. I could not believe that I

knew more from this board on PD than he did! This is so scary b/c we

want/ need someone to put our faith in to take care of our faces!

Anyway, he told me than the PD would not help burning and would only

help visible capillaries and was expensive. (I wondered if I looked

particularly poor that day! I am, but...) I spoke about the deeper

vessels, venous shunts and showed printouts, but he said it wasn't true.

I gave up since he was obviously not the dr for me if I had to convince

him of what he was a supposed expert in.

OK. So in New York, we've got:

Dr. Jay

Dr. Kauvar

NYU

?

Anyone else? Those are/ seem to be our best bets?

Questions I have. Did all those who had photoderm/ any laser have to

sign that paper about scars, etc.? I agree that is scary. It should at

least say that the dr is required to repair whatever goes awry and not

give up until you look at least as good as when you walked in- at their

expense. Ha Ha, you're thinking, right? I must say that nothing makes

sense to me anymore. (Ex. I go to derm to clear up my face. If my derm

wants a biopsy, shouldn't he or a plastic surgeon at least repair the

area they screwed up with a nasty biopy scar? I don't get it.)

I am very confused about the differences between PD, VL/ V-beam?, Diode

laser, Pulse Dye., etc? I'm lost as to which is best for us and if it

just depends a lot of the time which unit the dr you see has and wht

state your face is in?

Things I wonder and after so many posts, I should know by now, but-

Are the Epilight Hair Removal and PD vessel zapper just two different

treatments done by one machine? Can PD treatment ever accidentally or on

purpose remove hair from follicles as melts vssels or is that just not

posible b/c they are two completely different treatments?

Are Vasculite, V-beam,pulse-dye, diode laser all capable of same/dif

things in varying severities ? Why do some drs still feel

photosensitivity and very sensitive skin needs more mild lasering than

PD? Those with some capillary breakage and flushing/ those with bad

burning pain, throbbing- is photoderm seemingly still the best option

for most of us? I know there are different opinions and there is what

drs have said/ what we found to be true and untrue and what we have

lived and believe true for our individual cases. I've seen at least

three people say that they had may PD tx's and are much improved. I've

seen at least two people say they had PD many tx's with no improvement.

Many people are keeping us posted as their tx's progress. Anyone find

out that PD or other laser was contraindicated for them b/c of another

illness, meds, etc.? Any additional positive or negative effects after

all treatments were completed?

For me, I pretty much think Metrogel/cream and Noritate make my nose

growth worse. On the rest of my face it just doesn't seem to do

anything. I still don't know if I should force myelf to use R

topicals.(I believe I've tried them all.) My face has gone from

normal/oily on nose and cheeks to extremely dry sincethis began 2yrs

ago. Eucerin Light Restorative Lotion 2x a day has been the only thing

to help the dry, scaly and flaking down many layers , sore skin. It

blocks my pores, however, and gives me new troubles with pitting. I've

used it for a year now, but know I must find smething else. Products

with oils, zinc, alcohols, etc. seem to cause painful drying and bumps.

A group member just told me about Aveeno Moisturing Cream in a jar, so I

will send out a search party for it at Walgreen's and Eckerd's. I'm

still relying on Paxil and Atarax to help with pain. It's so not enough

though. I went off of Elail, but may try it again too. At least it

helped me sleep a few hours, I think. Two weeks ago I went to a

neurologist. My derm sent me to evaluate for nerve damage. The

neurologist lightly touched my cheeks and asked if they felt the same.

....i said yes. After a history (including that I have rosacea) and

reading my test results and normal MRI reading, he said, " It is quite

possible that you have something noone else has. I don't know if we will

ever find your primary problem that is causing your secondary problem-

an overactive sympathetic nervous system. It may be dermatological and

immunological " He wrote a script for low-dose Clonidine (he said not the

patch?) and told me to monitor my typically low bp (I'm also on low dose

Inderal for symptomatic mitral vp). I haven't been able to try it yet

b/c I have other tests for porphyria still and possible wisdom teeth

extractions coming up. The Neurontin seemedto make my swelling worse,

soI went off of it. I don't knowif I'll try it again in future. I'm

still using Nasalcrom and sometimes neosporin for my dry nose. (Which

doses of atarax probably make dryer and more painful. )

Sorry I always go on and on. I just keep praying that if we all tell

eachother everything that we'll hit upon clues and solve this!!!!!!!

Hope you all have a good day.

I'm working on e-mail. Please forgive me for how long it takes

sometimes. I'm reading everything and appreciate all your wonderful

notes!

Love and prayers,

Lee in West Central Florida

.... " From the moment we're born until the fading light, and all the

seasons that turn in between, it's the love that you give in the hour

you live that's the measure of the life you lead- We're Here To Love!.. "

R.M.