Do’s and Dont’s of Reducing Scars

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Scars are made up of the protein collagen which is found in the second layer of your skin. When the integrity of the skin is compromised through injury beyond a superficial this layer must repair itself. It is in the body’s only healing process that scarring takes place.

The key to preventing scars is to break up the collagen that collects in the dermal tissue during the healing process. When the collagen does not bond to your skin’s top layer scar formation is reduced.
It is possible to lighten and revision an old scar, your best approach is to limit scars before they form.

DON’T

DON’T Use Hydrogen Peroxide: While the solution cleans, it also destroys new skin cells that immediately begin to grow in the wound. This slows down the healing process and increased the risk of scars forming.

DON’T Treat with Vitamin E. Recent studies show that it, like hydrogen peroxide, vitamin E impairs healing. One-third of people will also develop an allergic reaction to vitamin E.

DON’T Expose To Sun: Ultraviolet rays slow the healing process and can discolor the scar. The sun stimulates the cells that produce pigment, and when your skin is sensitive and healing, it’s prone to discoloration. Cover the wounded skin with a minimum SPF blocker of higher than 15.

DO

DO Cover A Cut: Should a cut “breathe,” or does it require a Band-Aid over it? When you don’t cover a cut, it dries out and scabs over. Scabbing is not a good thing; it only presents a barrier to healing. Treating cuts with Neosporin (or another antibiotic cream) and covering with a band-aid for a week in aids the healing and prevents infections and minor skin wounds. Do this until new skin begins to grow.

DO Place Pressure On Cut:Use special pads that serve to flatten scars. These scars don’t allow the collagen to pop up above the skin when a wound is healing. Some examples of these pads are: Curad Scar Therapy Cosmetic Pads, ReJuveness Pure Silicone Sheeting, Scar Fx and Sypres Scar Sheets.

DO Massage The Wound: Once new skin has grown, massage the mark. Massaging helps break down the dense bonds of collagen. If they are not allowed to take hold, the appearance of the scar will be much less noticeable, or may not form at all. Massage – with lotion – in a circular motion for 15 to 30 seconds a few times a day.

Understanding Burn Scars

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Man's severe burn scar revised

Quality of Life and Scarring
Scars are an inevitable part of most peoples’ lives. There is nearly a person on earth who does not have some type of scarring. Severe scarring though affects individual’s quality of life and often decreases their self image. Self image is so much a part of person’s happiness and success that medical science has gone a long way to reduce the adverse effects of scarring no matter how the scar occurred.

Uniqueness of Burn Scars
Burn scars are often very traumatic, disfiguring and they are the hardest to treat through revision. When a person has significant scarring from burns there is often associated trauma that takes priority prior to addressing the issue of scarring. Life saving measures, infections and other complications take persistent over issues that will arise from burn scars.

Pain management is very vital because the pain from burn is one of the most excruciating types of pain one can bear. Where healthy skin and burned skin intersect pain can be a life time issue. Psychological issues such as severe depression are a compounding factor for people disfigured from burns. Scar tissue does not maintain the suppleness or laxity of healthy skin. As scars mature the fibrotic tissue composing it shrink and becomes more rigid. The location of such scars near joints of the hands, feet, limbs and neck can adversely affect the mobility of the joints.

Another issue with burn scarring is the need for skin grafting and the associated healing and scarring with those procedures. In addition burn scars because of the severity often are comprised of a combination of types of scars. This includes:

• Hypertrophic scarring
• Hypotrophic scarring
• Hyper-pigmentation scarring
• Keloid scarring

The Treatment
Traumatic burn scars necessarily are to be treated in absolute sterile clinical conditions, usually in specialty “burn centers”. Pain management is one of the important reasons as well as reducing the risk of infection to a minimum. Topical numbing creams do not penetrate burn scar tissue sufficiently and medical needling must be done under general anesthetic in most cases. Treatment for burns is a long process that can easily reach up to one year and intervals of specialized care are scheduled through a close monitoring process. It is during these interval medical treatments that the patient and doctor can discuss the possibility or revisioning scars.

Scar Revision Primer

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The skin is the largest organ of the body covering it in its’ entirety. Serving as the body’s protective barrier it also makes the skin the most vulnerable part of the body. There is probably no human on earth whose skin does not have a mark or scarring from some incident of disorder. The process of healing from injury or surgery leaves scarring on the skin. This can be from the tiniest of insect bites or blemish to a life saving surgery.
Breast Scars Revision

The amount of scarring may be determined by the size, depth, and location of the wound; the age of the person; heredity; and skin characteristics including color (pigmentation). No scar can be removed completely. The degree of improvement will depend on variables such as the direction and size of the scar, the age of the person, skin type and color, and hereditary factors that may precondition the extent of the healing process.

Scars can be a lasting a giveaway of cosmetic surgery. Thus, one of the concerns for many patients when they consider elective surgery is the possibility of scarring. Scar revision can help to mitigate the appearance of a scar through several options. A doctor can offer a topical to help a scar to fade and, in some cases, minimally invasive procedures or even perform revision surgery to help obscure a scar.

While there is no procedure that allows for complete removal of a scar, there are several types of procedures that improve the appearance of your scar. Scar revision surgery treatment methods include injections, skin grafting, Z-plasty, laser and lightening techniques that can drastically diminish the appearance of your scar.

There are several things to consider before undergoing a procedure to help improve the appearance of a scar. If the scar is a problem, you don’t smoke and you are otherwise healthy, scar revision may be an option. Also, a doctor can help you determine if you have any acne or other problems that may impact an attempt to improve the scar. Patients need to have realistic expectations. While scar revision can help minimize the aesthetics of the scar, it usually cannot remove the scar completely.

Scarring from Cosmetic Surgery

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Facial Surgery Scars

All surgeries leave some level of scarring and in general peopled don not like seeing scars on their bodies. Facial scars are often the most emotionally devastating. Than why do thousands of mean and women each year elect to undergo face lifts and other cosmetic procedures to keep a youthful appearance? What about the scarring. There are various ways in which surgeons hide and mitigate scarring. Mitigation of scarring in the surgery is critical for the success of the patient.

Surgical scar from cosmetic procedure are often hidden aroun the hairline.

The nature of facial cosmetic surgery demands thorought research by a patient. Interviewing several surgeons who are experts in the particular procedure you need is important. Also understanding how they will mitigate the appearance of the surgical scars bears a thorough understanding by the patient. Reviewing untouched before and after photos of each doctor under ones consideration should be part of the process of finding a surgeon. There also surgeons who specialize in facial scar revision which reduces the appearance of the scar.

Basic Scar Science

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Why do scars have different colors?


New scars would always turn out to be red or purple in color as a result of damaged blood vessels and inflammation. These are hyperpigmented scars. Older scars are white in color. Resulting from the inflammation and damage to the blood vessels and cells loss of pigmentproducing,cells occur. The scar becomes hypopigmented (pale), because of the loss of skin pigment. The skin has a great capacity to regenerate itself. The scars are a sign of the skin attempting to heal itself. Normally when the skin is quickly repaired, the new skin may have a different appearance. This persistent in the formation of the scars that don’t fade away.

How long does it normally take for scars to fade to their final color?

Generally, major scars from either surgery or injury take about six to twelve months to fade to
their final color.

How good is scar revisioning?

Do some people have a predisposition to develop more prominent scars?

It believed that genetic factors play a role in the scarring process. Scarring may be more disfiguring for some people. There has been new treatment developed that can help scars fade
away.

What causes scars?

Scars are a permanent mark that indicates the skin’s attempt to heal itself. When the skin is damaged the top layer occurs, cells to quickly multiply to form new cells to fill in the gap. When the wound is deeper into the underlying skin tissue, the cells that form collagen are stimulated and they fill in the gap by producing abundant fibrous connective tissue. If the density of this new tissue is relatively extensive it is usually replaced by normal skin layer over time. A result of a persistent scar remains, when the mass of new tissue is relatively extensive it is associated to cell damage and the fibrous tissue remains.

An Overview of Burn Scars

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Burn Reconstruction

Burns caused by heat, chemicals and fires can result in the most traumatic types of scaring. The severity of burns is classified as first, second and third degree burn. This designation is based on the dept of damage to the outer and deeper layers of the epidermis (skin) and dermis (inner skin) tissue.

Burns can leave patients with severe physical disfigurements.
The emotional trauma can often exceed the physical trauma as self image is an integral part of an individual’s self esteem. Scar revision surgery for all types of scars is often elected to positively affect the patient’s emotional well being.

Burn treatments usually involve skin grafting and cosmetic reconstruction, and may be performed in an emergency facility or later on. These treatments also focus on restoring function to the burned skin to reduce the risk of complications such as loss of mobility or a loss of one of the senses.
Acute Burn Care

Any type of burn on the skin requires immediate medical attention to stabilize the patient, clean the wound and reduce the risk of complications such as infection, scarring, breathing problems and limited bone and joint mobility. Initial burn care focuses on assessing and treating the initial burn symptoms, prevents infections and other potential further risks. Additional treatment may be required at a later time for skin reconstruction. It is also important for patients to remain hydrated after a burn, so fluids may be administered intravenously to prevent dehydration.

Comprehensive burn care that includes an evaluation of:
• the burn and any related conditions
• thorough wound care
• proper dressing
• pain mitigation through medications
• emergency surgery as may be required.
Burn Scars

Most burns will usually leave a scar,The appearance of the scar depends on the size, location and severity of the burn. Scars usually become less noticeable over time, however when they scar is obvious patients seek reconstructive treatment to improve their appearance of scars that are physically unattractive or disfiguring. Reconstructive procedures are most often performed after the burn has fully healed, which may be nine months to a year after the original injury.

Scar reconstruction is usually performed through an outpatient surgical procedure that may involve skin and tissue grafts, skin flaps or injectable fillers to restore a more natural appearance, while also correcting any functional problems caused by the scar and improving the patient’s self-confidence as well.

Contractures

A contracture is a complication of burn scarring that involves a tightening and thickening of the burn scar that in turn restricts movement of the affected area. It is important for patients to take precautions to prevent contractures from occurring, by exercising, wearing a splint and continuing to promote everyday activities that require movement.

Treatment for contracture scars often involves surgery to release the contracture and restore normal movement to the skin. A skin flap or graft may be used to restore the appearance of the skin in the treated area, while also improving movement and flexibility that may have been affected by the contracture. Physical therapy will often be needed after surgery to stretch the joints and restore movement and function.

Scar Revision Insurance Coverage

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The unpredictability of scars is a part of the human experience. Many scars are unobtrusive and we often forget about them. It is not uncommon especially among machismo male culture to embellish the history of a scar as a rite of passage. Unfortunately for many people a scar can be a debilitating phenomenon emotionally and physically. It is for these reasons that some insurance programs will cover scar revision for patients.

The formation of a scar depends as much upon the way your body heals. Likewise your individual healing process combined with the surgeon’s skill affects the success of a scar revision surgery outcome.

The factors that affect scarring are:
• the size and severity of the wound,
• its shape and direction
• the original color and thickness of your skin
• the blood supply to the injured area.

The merits as to the need for plastic surgery are a highly personal decision, and are different for each person.

Types of Scars
• Stretch Mark Removal
• Keloid scars
• Hypertrophic scars
• Contractures

Common Scar Revision Surgeries
• Z-plasty
• Flap surgery
• Skin grafting

Medical Insurance May Cover Cost of Scar Revision

Scar revision cost may include:
• Surgeon’s fee
• Hospital or surgical facility costs
• Anesthesia fees
• Prescriptions for medication
• Post-surgery garments
• Medical tests

Though many health insurance plans will not cover scar revision surgery for cosmetics alone. If the surgery if for complications related to the injury and the scar can be revised through the procedure it can be covered. Some policies also include coverage for scarring that is limiting body functionality. You must carefully review your health insurance policy.

It is impossible to remove a scar completely. However, plastic surgery can often do much to lessen the severity of a scar, making it less noticeable by applying or injecting steroids or through scar revision, a commonly used surgical procedure. Many people assume that as elective surgery it has to be an out of pocket expense. This is not necessarily true. Check with your medical insurance provider to see if this is the case; don’t assume. Many people improve their self image and quality of life through scar revision surgery.

Scar Revision from Breast Augmentation

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All surgeries are going to leave a scar. The leading cosmetic surgeons who specialize in breast augmentation are good at reducing the visibility of the scar. The very best surgeons make sure only very close scrutiny reveal the signature of their work. The techniques for revising scars very and are applied as the surgeon deems best for the patient and their particular case. Often women undergo more than one breast implant surgery. If a woman has suffered from a poor elective procedure the top cosmetic doctors can redo the surgery and also revise the scarring in the same procedure.

Do breast implants last a lifetime? Women considering breast augmentation ask this question frequently. Breast implants are not made with an expiration date, so you should be able to enjoy the results for many years. However, unexpected issues occur for a certain number of patients. If you think you’re experiencing a problem with your breast implants, call us to schedule a consultation and Dr. Hess will see you as soon as possible.

Reasons for Revision Breast Augmentation
Problems that occur after breast implant surgery. Most often they are corrected with a brief revision surgery. Of course, Some of the reasons women seek revision of breast augmentation are :

  • Breast implant rippling
  • Volume adjustment of saline implants
  • Scar revision procedure
  • Change in implant size preferences
  • Switch from saline to silicone implants
  • Areola size reduction
  • Noticeable breast asymmetry
  • Symmastia
  • Nipple ptosis or sagging
  • Breast implant displacement
  • Breast implant rupture
  • Nipple malposition
  • Scar tissue surrounding implant
  • High riding implants

    • Facts about Common Types of Scars

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    Scarring is part of living

    Accidents, surgery, skin disease, burns, acne, and infection are things that are common to the human experience. All of these often leave some type of scarring on a person to varying degrees. It is unlikely that and person living to the edge of five years is without some type of scarring. The skin is the largest organ system of the body and provides us with amazing protection that allows humans an advantage over other mammals on the planet. However it is greatly associated with our personal self image and sometimes scarring has adverse emotional effects.

    Below are common types of scars that occur:

    Flat, Pale Scars – are the most common type of scar.
    They occur as a result of the body’s innate healing process. Initially, they may be red or dark and raised. After the wound heals they often become paler and flatter over time. The final appearance being in a flat, pale scar that can be nearly unoticeble. This process can take up to two years and there will always be some visible evidence of the original wound.

    Hypertrophic Scars – Red or Dark and Raised
    Hypertrophic scars are more common in the young and people with darker skin. Some people have an inherited tendency to this type of scarring. It is not possible to completely prevent hypertrophic scars. It is important to record this tendency as part of one’s medical history. Some scar therapies are available that may speed up the process of change from a hypertrophic scar to a flatter, paler one.

    The body produces new collagen fibers at a rate which balances the breakdown of old collagen. Hypertrophic scars do this in abundance. These scars are red and thick and may be itchy or painful. They do not extend beyond the boundary of the original wound but may continue to thicken for up to 6 months. Sometimes they improve over the next one to two years. Some people complain because these types of scars can cause distress due to their appearance or the intensity of the itching. Depending on their location on the body they can restrict movement.

    Keloid Scars – Red or Dark and Raised
    As in hypertrophic scars, keloids are the result of an imbalance in the production of collagen in a healing wound. Unlike hypertrophic scars, keloids grow beyond the boundary of the original wound and can continue to grow indefinitely. They can also be itchy or painful and in a number of instance not improve in appearance over time.

    Keloid scars can result from any type of injury to the skin, including scratches, injections, insect bites and tattoos. Anybody can get a keloid scar and they can occur anywhere on the body. However, the young and people with darker skin are more prone to this type of scarring and they are more common on certain parts of the body e.g. ears, chest, shoulders and back.

    As with hypertrophic scarring, people who have developed one keloid scar are likely to be prone to this condition in the future and should alert their doctor or surgeon if they are likely to need injections or to have any form of surgery.

    Sunken Scars – are recessed into the skin.

    They may be due to the skin being attached to deeper structures (such as muscles) or to loss of underlying fat. They are usually the result of an injury.

    Acne & Chicken Pox Scars
    A common cause of sunken scarring is acne or chicken pox which can result in a pitted appearance. However, it is important to note that acne scarring is not always sunken in appearance and can even become keloid.

    Stretched Scars
    Stretched scars occur when the skin around a healing wound is put under tension during the healing process. This type of scarring may follow injury or surgery. Initially, the scar may appear normal but can widen and thin over a period of weeks or months. This can occur where the skin is close to a joint and is stretched during movement or may be due to poor healing due to general ill health or malnutrition.

    Stretch Marks
    Stretch marks develop when the skin is stretched rapidly, for example during pregnancy or the adolescent growth spurt. Initially, stretch marks appear red but become paler over a number of years.

    Healing Veterans Wounds

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    Scars for Freedom

    We cannot even begin to repay the price veterans pay in service to our nation. Veterans are on of the most effected groups from scarring. Fortunately there are organizations and projects out there who demonstrate and honor our veterans with action. Take a moment to watch the video below and spread the word on helping our veterans who return home. Many of the scars of war remain invisible and are often the most difficult to heal. The least we can do is help heal some of the scares. Thank a veteran today and share this video.