Scars

Treatments we offer to reduce scars are:

Any injury, disease, surgery or other trauma to the skin can cause the formation of scar tissue.  Scars result when the skin repairs these wounds and are a natural part of the healing process.  The more the skin is damaged and the longer it takes to heal, the greater the chance of a noticeable scar.  A scar may appear red and thick at first, and then gradually fade.  Some scars do not fade, causing embarrassment and mental distress for people when they appear on visible body parts and the face.  Some scars may be improved by treatment, but a scar will never completely go away.

The way a scar forms is affected by an individual's age and the location on the body or face. Younger skin makes strong repairs and tends to over heal resulting in larger, thicker scars. Skin over a jawbone is tighter than skin on the cheek and will make a scar easier to see. If a scar is indented or raised, irregular shadows will be seen, giving the skin an uneven appearance.

What can and cannot be done for scars?

Because each patient and their scars are different, each will require a different approach.  Cosmetic techniques such as fractional resurfacing laser therapy, dermal fillers and skin care treatments such as mircrodermabrasion and chemical peels can help minimize a scar. The most important step in the treatment of scars is careful consultation between you and your dermatologist, finding out what bothers you most about a scar, and deciding upon the best treatment options available.  It is important to note, although scars tissue can improve with treatment, the skin will never reverse back to its original state.

What scar treatment options are available?

There are several treatment options to consider based on your skin type, age, and the severity of the scar.  Fractional skin resurfacing laser therapy works best for treating acne scars, pockmarks, some surgical scars, stretch marks, and minor irregularities of the skin's surface.  The non-invasive fractional laser produces tiny microthermal treatment zones, penetrating deep into the dermis and leaving the surrounding skin unaffected and intact.  This “fractional” treatment allows the skin to heal much faster using the body’s natural healing process to create new, healthy, tighter tissue.  A series of 4 to 5 treatments may be required for optimal results.

Dermal filler or fat injections work best on indented soft scars by filling in and elevating the depressed scar tissue.  Improvement is immediate, but is not permanent.   Your dermatologist will discuss the available "fillers" and help you decide which is best for your scar. Research is continuing to develop more long-standing substances to inject into scars.

A series of microdermabrasion treatments will help exfoliate the top layers of skin to give a more even texture to the surface of the skin. While it can offer improvement for certain scars, it cannot get rid of the scar entirely.

Chemical peels will remove the top layer of the skin in order to smooth depressed scars and give the skin a more even texture and color. It is most helpful for shallow superficial scars.  Light peels require no healing time while deeper peels can require up to two weeks to heal. The amount of scarring and color change determines the type of peel selected.

Prescription creams are best used to treat scars that are caused by surgical incisions, injuries to the skin, and can help alleviate itchy, sensitive scars.