Monthly Archives: March 2017

How to Lessen and Remove Burn Scars

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Getting Rid of Burn Scars

Scars form thanks to a natural reaction of the body during the healing process after trauma or an accident. One type of trauma that can cause scars is burns on the body. Shallow burns tend to result in light scars while deep burns can cause darker scars. Here are some of the steps patients can take to lessen and remove burn scars from the body:

Moisturizer Works Wonders

Get some moisturizer and massage the scar to increase the amount of circulation to the scar area. By increasing the amount of circulation, patients are also increasing the chances of collagen being distributed evenly throughout the skin at the area of the scar. Plus, increased circulation helps burn scars fade and flatten when performed on a regular basis.

Chemical Peel

Patients can also schedule a chemical peel to get rid of any damaged skin that is located on the outer layers of the skin. The chemical peel eats away at the damaged skin in order to reveal new healthy skin underneath the damaged or dead skin. The type of chemical peel depends on the severity of the burn and/or the scarring.

Eat Healthy

Protecting the skin from the sun is very important each time patients step outside. The UV rays from the sun can make the scars on the body become darker which, in turn, can make them more visible than ever to others. Using SPF 25 (or higher) sunscreen is necessary to protect the skin and prevent the sun from slowing down the healing process.

Food for the Body and Soul

Eating a healthy diet plays a big part in generating collagen for the skin. A well balanced diet also gives the skin the necessary nourishment it needs to heal and grow. Some of the foods patients should look for include those high in zinc and vitamin C such as peanuts, citrus fruits and some vegetables.

Patients unsure about how to implement the steps listed above should consult with a board-certified doctor. A medical professional can lead patients in the right direction and offer them advice and support when it comes to dealing with scars caused by burns on the body.

-MA

Effective Ways to Say Good-Bye to Scars

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Get Rid of Scars

Do you have an unsightly scar you want to get rid of? Are you about to have a procedure and are concerned about how the scar will look afterwards? Scars not only look unappealing but they can also be painful, itchy and restrict natural motion. Thankfully, there are numerous scar treatments to remove or reduce the appearance of scars. However, there are several types of scars including hypertrophic, keloid, acne and atrophic and each may respond better to certain treatments. While some scars may be treated with topical ointments or natural remedies, other scars may need a little more help. The type of treatment will be based on the location of the scar, cause of the scar, its appearance and the type of scar. Let’s look at some effective treatments to say “good-bye” to scars:

Injections

Cortisone injections are one of the quickest and easiest ways to treat a raised or thick scar like a keloid or hypertrophic scar. Either injection can help reduce the production of collagen which causes scars to thicken. Over time, the scar will lighten and flatten out. Injections to treat scars can also calm itchiness, pain and redness associated with these types of scars. Depending on the scar, a series of injections may be needed to attain the desired outcome.

Pulsed Dye Laser

Although the redness in most scars will reduce as time passes, pulsed dye lasers (PDL) can remove the redness from the scar and the surrounding skin. Pulsed dye lasers help to blend the scar with the color of the surrounding skin while also flattening a raised scar. In addition, pulsed dye laser treatments can be performed in combination with injections. However, multiple treatments may be required to obtain the best results.

Non-ablative Laser

This type of laser treatment involves making microscopic injuries to the skin which allows new collagen to form in the area. Over time, non-ablative laser treatments can help raised scars become softer and flatter. This treatment can also be used to help fill-in acne scars and indented scars. Non-ablative laser treatments are safe to use on all skin types but multiple treatments will be needed and should be scheduled about a month apart. Patients can expect their skin to look a little puffy and red and it may take 5 days or more for the skin to return to its normal appearance.

Ablative Laser Treatments

Ablative laser treatments are generally used on dense scars. This method of scar removal usually involves fewer treatments than others but the healing time is lengthier. Healing from ablative laser treatments can take 7 to 14 days because small areas on the top layer of skin are removed during this treatment. Due to the nature of the treatment, this procedure carries greater risks and downtime than other laser treatments. Ablative laser treatments can also be combined with injections for the most optimal outcome.

Micro-needling

Micro-needing works to treat acne and atrophic (sunken) scars. It can also treat raised scars in conjunction with injections or topical treatments. Micro-needing treatments consist of using a small handheld device to distribute numerous fine needles into the skin to stimulate collagen formation. The doctor sets the depth of penetration per the thickness or flatness of the scar. Patients can expect pinpoint bleeding, redness and swelling which should heal within 2 to 3 days. This treatment can be repeated monthly until the desired improvement is made.

Radiofrequency Micro-needling

This treatment is like micro-needling except the device uses micro-needles to distribute heat at various depths. Small areas of coagulated collagen are formed and then progressively replaced with new collagen to fill-in the scars and improve their appearance. This treatment requires multiple sessions and the number of treatments depends on how severe the scars are being treated. Recovery time varies depending on the depth and strength of the radiofrequency treatment. However, patients can expect 2 to 5 days of redness with swelling and bruising.

-SP

Are Scar-less Wounds Possible In The Future?

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No Scar Incision

Have you ever stopped to think about how miraculous the human body really is? Each component in the body works in different ways to heal itself, sustain functionality and maintain its own lifecycle. The skin can heal the most horrific wounds leaving only scar tissue after it heals. Although it is effective mechanism, scar tissue is not visually appealing. Luckily, the possibility of scar-less wounds is making headlines thanks to to a recent study by The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The University conducted a study using mice and human skin samples to do what was previously believed to be impossible. The team of scientists is confident that they discovered a means that allows skin to regenerate using fat cells. “Essentially, we can manipulate wound healing so that it leads to skin regeneration rather than scarring,” stated George Cotsarelis, MD, the Milton Bixler Hartzell Professor of Dermatology at Penn and chief investigator of the project.

Adipocytes are fat cells which are normally found in the skin but are lost when wounds heal as scars. Consequently, the most common cells found in the tissue during wound healing are myofibroblasts which are thought to only create scar tissue. Researchers also know that scar tissue does not have any hair follicles which gives it an atypical appearance from healthy skin. The research team used these distinctive features as the foundation for their thesis to manipulate the myofibroblasts into fat cells that won’t cause scarring. “Typically, myofibroblasts were thought to be incapable of becoming a different type of cell,” Cotsarelis stated. He went on to add that “our work shows we have the ability to influence these cells and that they can be efficiently converted into adipocytes.”

During the study, the researchers found that they must influence the tissue to regenerate within a specific time period after the wound occurs. Otherwise, they lose the opportunity and a scar will form. To determine the window of opportunity, researchers had to discover where the signals were coming from. Eventually, they determined that Bone Morphogenetic Protein can instruct the myofibroblasts to convert into fat. They also found that the key is to regenerate hair follicles first and then the fat will regenerate in response to the signals from those follicles. In other words, the study showed that fat and hair develop separately but cannot develop independently. The hair follicles form first but the fat will not form without the new hairs. Converting the surrounding myofibroblasts by regenerating the hair follicles is crucial to creating fat cells. Once the new fat cells are formed, they are identical to the pre-existing fat cells. This discovery has opened the door to the possibility of scar-less wounds. Adipocyte loss, or fat loss, is a natural result of aging which results in saggy skin, gauntness and wrinkles. The loss of adipocytes is also a known side effect of certain medical conditions and treatments including HIV treatments.

The study is still in its earliest stages and was merely used to demonstrate proof of the concept. The experiment has not reached the point of successful hair follicle growth from a wound on a living human. Until then, doctors and patients can still use various types of scar treatments including injectable fillers, laser treatments and dermabrasion.

-SP

Scar Treatment Options

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Types of Scar Treatments

Almost everyone has had a scar on their body at one time or another. Scar tissue appears on areas of the body that have been injured and protects the injured section. While it does protect the injured area, many patients consider scar tissue to be less than pleasing to the eye. Some scars heal naturally with few issues in fading and becoming less noticeable. Two of the most common types of scars include:

  • Hypertrophic scars which are scars that are larger than normal that tend to have a lumpy appearance.
  • Keloid scars are scars that become raised and spread beyond the wound due to the overgrowth of collagen.

While some scars fade and are hard to notice on the skin, other scars are not able to be completely removed after they form on the body. However, there are various forms of treatment for all types of scars to make them less noticeable in appearance. Depending on the extent of the scarring, the method of treatment might take weeks, or even months, to make a difference in the appearance of the scar. The following are some of the more common methods used for treating scars:

  • Applying pressure to a scar or placing silicone sheets over it can often improve the appearance of the scar. These treatment options tend to flatten any raised scars and also make them paler.
  • Surgery can be performed on some scars to remove them. It should be noted that the surgery might leave a new scar. However, the new scar might look better in appearance than the older scar.
  • Laser surgery can remove the raised surfaces of keloid or hypertrophic scars.
  • Skin grafts can cover scars created by burns.
  • A doctor may choose to inject corticosteroids, which is a cortisone-like medicine, into the area of a raised scar. The medicine serves to reduce inflammation as well as limit the synthesis of collagen that may have been the cause of the raised scarring in the first place.

Before deciding to undergo any kind of treatment for scars on the body, patients should consult with a doctor. Some scars can be easily treated while others might be considered permanent because they are too hard to remove. Meeting with a board-certified doctor will help a person determine the proper scar treatment to undergo in order to achieve the desired results.