Tag Archives: Scar Surgery

Scar Treatment Options – What You Need to Know

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The appearance of scars on the body is quite common after an accident. Some of the scars might fade on their own while others might be permanent additions to the appearance of a person. While the appearance of a scar is normally not a reason for a person to be concerned, there are many people that want to lessen the appearance of them.

Here are some of the most effective, and popular, scar treatment options to reduce or eliminate the appearance of scars:

Scar Treatment Techniques to Try at Home

Scar Reduction at HomeThe use of home remedies for scars can help to reduce the appearance of the scars located on the body. In general, home remedies are ideal for treating new scars or scars that are relatively minor in their appearance. If a scar on the body is older, or considered to be extensive in its appearance, it is best to visit a doctor to discuss medical cosmetic treatment options instead of home remedies.

  • It is important to start treating a scar as soon as possible to achieve the best results in reducing its appearance. Patients should keep the scar clean by washing it daily with water and a mild soap. Petroleum jelly can be applied to the wound to keep it moist and stop scabs from forming. A wound can be covered with a bandage or, if the wound is larger, a silicone gel sheet.
  • Once the wound has healed, a regular regimen of exfoliation can help to remove any dead skin cells so the wound can enjoy a faster recovery time. Patients can exfoliate the area that surrounds the scar and then apply natural oil or moisturizer after the exfoliation is completed.
  • A gentle massage with oils on the area around the scar can help to reduce the amount of collagen that builds up in the targeted area and flatten the scar. Patients are advised to massage the skin three or four times each day for 5 minutes at a time. One of the most popular natural oils for treating scars is coconut oil. Studies have shown that coconut oil can encourage the healing of skin tissue.
  • Aloe Vera gel has been shown to improve wound healing in patients. While Aloe Vera gel might not improve the appearance of scars, it can hydrate the skin to reduce the amount of tightness in the scar.
  • Sunscreen will not get rid of scars but it can help them to fade and also reduce the amount of skin discoloration.
  • OTC medicated gels and creams are able to improve the level of wound healing as well as reduce the appearance of scars.

Scar Reduction – Medical and Cosmetic Treatments

Cosmetic Scar Reduction Medical TreatmentOlder scars that tend to be more visible might only respond to medical or cosmetic treatments of the scars. Here are some examples of the most effective medical and cosmetic scar treatments:

  • Dermal fillers can be injected into the area where the scar is located. The fillers work to plump us the area where the skin is indented to make the scar less noticeable to others.
  • Chemical peels are placed on the skin to remove its top layers and reduce scars that range from moderate to severe.
  • Botox injections reduce the visibility of the scar and smooth out the skin.
  • Cryotherapy is when a doctor uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the scars in order to flatten and reduce their overall growth
  • Corticosteroid shots work to flatten out scars that are raised as well as reduce the size of the scar.
  • Microneedling is when a small pen or roller is used to poke small holes in the top layer of the skin where the scar is located. The small pen or roller contains hundreds of tiny needles. The punctures from the holes encourage the production of collagen in the body to reduce the appearance of scars.
  • Laser therapy is when a focused beam of light is used to treat scars that are classified as severe. The laser light removes the outer layer of the skin or it stimulates the production of new skin cells to replace the damaged skin cells.
  • People that have a scar that is very tight can have scar reduction surgery to lessen the scar and also reduce any restrictions in the movement of the body where the scar is located.

Choosing how to Treat Scars

Patients should be aware that different types of scars can require different treatment options. It is important to consult with an experienced doctor about the best treatment option for a scar. Scars from a sports accident or mishap at home will need to be addressed differently than a scar that is the result of a burn.

The final result of any type of scar treatment varies depending on the age, depth and type of scar. While the scar treatment might not be able to completely reduce or eliminate the appearance of the scar, there should be some improvement in the overall appearance of the area of the skin where the scar is located.

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Discover Scar Surgery Options for Patients

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The appearance of a scar on the skin can cause a person to have less confidence in their appearance as well as worry about how to remove the scar or at least revise its overall appearance. Some of the medical options available to surgeons include removing excess scar tissue or reconstructing the skin that surrounds the scar as well as other soft tissues that are located near the scar. Here are some of the most popular surgical methods used by doctors across the country to address the appearance of a scar on the skin.

Scar Revision Techniques

Techniques for scar revisionScar revision surgery is performed to minimize the look of a scar as well as help the scar better blend-in with the skin that surrounds it. Scars can be the result of a surgical procedure and they can also appear after an injury or accident occurs to a person. Once an injury or wound appears on the skin, the soft tissues that surround the wound or injury can change shape or become uneven, sunken or raised in appearance as the wound heals.

If the scar is the result of a surgical incision, the sutures or stitches used to close the incision can alter the look of the scar. Stitches need to be removed before the top layer of the skin heals around them or the entry point of the stitches might become a permanent feature on the body. This is often referred to as a “railroad scar”.

If a scar forms after an injury occurs, it might heal in an uneven manner which can cause the skin on the side of the scar to be higher in appearance as opposed to the skin on the other side of the scar. If this type of scar occurs, it is often referred to as a “trapdoor scar”.

The decision about the extent of the revision surgery, as well as the scar revision technique used, depends on the size and location of the scar as well as the type of scar that is being treated. The surgeon can reposition the scar so it is in an area that is less visible on the body, reduce the size of the scar or smooth the contour of the skin and other soft tissues to correct the look of scars that are dimpled or sunken in appearance.

When it comes to repositioning a scar on the face that was caused by the closing of an incision, the surgeon can remove and reposition the scar so that it heals along a natural fold in the skin. The surgeon can also “break up” the appearance of the scar so it is not as noticeable to others. If the scar is a large scar from burns, the surgeon can realign the scar tissue so that it follows the natural body contours.

Patients that do not want to have surgical scar revision can have fat placed in a sunken scar area to fill-in the sunken portion of the scar. The fat is typically removed from the body of the patient so there is little chance of an infection occurring after the fat is placed in the targeted area.

Scar Removal Techniques

There are times when the surgeon feels that the best option for treating a keloid or large hypertrophic scar is to remove it. There are times when keloids go beyond the margin found in the original wound. In these cases, keloids will require removal so the surgeon will be able to reconstruct the surrounding tissue and skin and also restore some of the underlying structure of the damaged area. A large hypertrophic scar can also be removed which gives the surgeon the ability to create a new scar that is thinner and much less noticeable in appearance.

Scars from a burn frequently cover a large area of the skin. The surgeon can use a technique known as skin expansion to replace the scar from the burn with normal skin. During the skin expansion process, the surgeon will implant a small balloon beneath the healthy skin of the patient (located next to the scar). In the weeks before the surgery, the balloon is filled slowly with saline water when the patient visits the office of the doctor. The purpose of filling the balloon with saline water is to expand the healthy portion of the skin. During the scar removal surgery, the surgeon will be able to use the expanded skin to replace the skin that has been burned. The new skin will then heal naturally on the body of the patient.

Scar Surgery – What to Expect after the Procedure

Once the surgery is over, the surgeon will place a bandage over the wound and the stitches (if applicable). There will be a follow-up appointment about a week after the procedure so the doctor can evaluate the healing process and remove any necessary stitches.

Over the next few months, the skin will heal and the new scar (that is smaller in appearance) will start to flatten and fade so it matches the surrounding skin. It can take up to a year for the healing process to finish.

If it looks like a keloid or a hypertrophic scar is starting to form after the surgery, the doctor can administer a corticosteroid injection to lessen its appearance. It might take several injections into the new scar tissue to prevent any recurrence of the keloid or hypertrophic scar.

Patients that have any questions about scar revision surgery or scar removal surgery should schedule a consultation appointment with a board-certified, experienced surgeon to examine the scar tissue and determine the best option to address the appearance of the scar. Whether it be for a mole, a hair transplant scar, or another type of surgery, consult with an experienced surgeon in person for the most accurate assessment.

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