Scars are a natural mark left on the body after a wound or injury has healed that requires different treatments
What Is
Scar Treatment?
Scars are a natural mark left on the body after a wound or injury has healed. There are different types of scars, namely:
- Surface discolouration: Subtle scars that are often superficial and do not cause any discomfort or impair body function. Scars due to acne, minor injury or surgical incisions are the most common examples of this type of scar.
- Hypertrophic scars: These are clusters of thick scar tissue that develop at an injury or wound site. They are often raised or bumpy, red and uncomfortable. They may become wider with time and tend to be darker or lighter than your skin colour.
- Keloids: These scars are more extensive than hypertrophic scars and can be painful, itchy and may pucker. Keloids usually extend beyond the edges of an incision or wound and can occur anywhere in the body but usually form where there is very little fatty tissue under the skin like the face, neck, ear, shoulders or chest. Keloid treatment is generally performed surgically or with lasers.
- Contractures: These are scars that restrict your movement as they pull the skin and the underlying tissue during wound healing. This form of scar is usually found in case of burns. When contractures form over joints, they can restrict their movement, warranting treatment.
- Acne Scars: By far the most common scars that develop after acne has healed. They can be small or moderately larger in size, and their colour can range from faint spots to dark-brown scars on the face, chest, and arms. Treatment for acne scars often includes treating the root cause- acne.
Your doctor will determine the most suitable treatment based on your scar type. These can be:
- Topical therapies for simple, superficial scars
- Minimally-invasive procedures
- Surgical scar treatments
How it works
What are the Possible Causes of Scars?
Scars are the body’s natural repair mechanism and are essentially parenchymatous cells with collagen deposited in the wound area to allow healing and closure of the skin.
Scars can result from injury, trauma, infections, or burns that break the skin’s continuity and require healing. The deeper the injury, the greater the chances of scar formation.
How its works
How Does Scars Treatment Procedure Work?
Scar treatments are of three main types, depending upon the degree and type of your scar.
While some treatments can remove scars permanently, others are used to lighten or make your scars less visible when they are deeper and darker.
Here’s how some commonly used scar removal treatments work:
- Topical creams and ointments: Several scar removal gels, creams and ointments are readily available at your nearest pharmacy or drugstore. These topical solutions help minimise minor scars and marks.
- Injections: If you have an elevated or bumpy scar that rises above your skin, your dermatologist may give steroid injections to reduce its size. Dermal fillers or collagen injections may be administered in the case of deep scars.
- TCA CROSS: This advanced procedure involves the Chemical Reconstruction of Scars (CROSS) using Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA). During this procedure, trichloroacetic acid is applied to the scars, which causes a white frost on the skin almost immediately. This frost forms a scab in two to three days and falls off within the next one week. You will need repeat treatments, and results are usually visible after a few weeks
- Laser: The laser is a minimally-invasive and effective alternative for scars that may require surgical removal. A high-intensity light is used to reduce the size and colour of the scar to make it as less visible as possible. Different lasers are available, and your dermatologist will choose the most suitable one for your scar.
- Dermabrasion: This scar removal procedure uses a machine that mechanically peels the top layer of the skin and is an excellent option for raised scars.
- Scar Subcision: Sometimes, when a scar is formed, it finds itself stuck to deeper tissues and cannot reach the skin's surface. The collagen formed in a scar is not as neatly laid as normal collagen. In such cases, a procedure called scar subcision is performed that releases the scar from the deeper tissues. Depressed acne scars are the most common type of scars that require this procedure.
- Surgery: Surgery is the most invasive of scar treatments. Your plastic surgeon will evaluate your scar and determine if you need surgery to reduce or remove your scar. This is a treatment of choice for keloids and burns scars.
Use case
Who Needs Scars Treatment?
A majority of injuries and wounds heal with scars. However, some scars fade and disappear with time due to the skin’s constant renewal process.
But, if you have a scar affecting your facial or body aesthetics, making you conscious or affecting your self-confidence, you must see a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon about making it less visible.
In some people, scars tend to become itchy, tender, painful or tender and may require scar treatment. If you notice an abnormal growth near a scar, visit your dermatologist immediately.
People with keloid scars or a tendency to form one must see their doctor for scar treatment and learn how they can prevent scars in the future.
What to expect
Expectations / Results after a Scar Treatment
It is essential to have realistic expectations from your scar treatment procedures. You might need to undergo a few sessions of TCA CROSS, dermabrasion, or laser therapy to see some results. .
When it comes to scar treatment, you must have the patience to wait to see evident results. You must always clarify with your surgeon how long a particular treatment will take to reduce your scars and give you your results.
Book an Appointment
Scar Treatment
Before & After
Meet our team
Consult Our Doctor
After noting your medical history and performing a clinical evaluation, your doctor will determine whether you are a laser hair removal candidate.
Feel free to discuss all the options for getting rid of scars and enjoy your independence like never before! Have concerns about undergoing this treatment?
Our experienced dermatologists or laser specialist at Hortman Clinics will be extremely happy to help you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Different scar treatments work in varied ways. While topical products smoothen, hydrate and even out the area, lasers and surgery work at a deeper layer of the skin. The result of your scar treatment is subjective as it depends upon several factors like the type of scar, the treatment used, the experience and skill of the surgeon, the age of the scar and the area of the body where the scar is present.
Surgery is a good option for deeper scars and includes skin grafting, excision, dermabrasion, and laser surgery.
Though there are several treatment options for scar removal, the most suitable one for you depends on your scar type. For example, lighter and superficial scars can be treated using topical creams, whereas deeper, more severe scars like keloids require cryotherapy, laser resurfacing or surgery to get rid of them.
In a majority of cases, scars can be removed permanently. However, a lot depends upon the scar’s characteristics, including its severity.
Depending on the type of your scar, your dermatologist or plastic surgeon will prescribe the most-suitable scar treatment option. Some preparatory measures that you may need to take before arriving for a scar removal surgery, laser or other treatments are:
- Avoid sun exposure, tanning beds or sunlamps before your appointment.
- Stop taking any mineral, vitamin, nutritional supplements or medications that can delay your healing.
- You may need to stop anticoagulants for some scar treatment procedures.
- If you are undergoing a laser scar removal treatment, quit smoking at least two weeks before your appointment date.
- Those who are troubled by scars anywhere on the body .
- -Are physically healthy.
- Who have positive and realistic expectations from the procedure .
- Who do not have skin conditions and acne in the target area.
Testimonials
What Our Patients Say About Us
ND
NazhDel
for 10 years, every single day, i asked God to send me an angle to save my soul and he sent Dr. John Shamoun. Such a beautiful angle.
NG
Nikki Gracely
I know several girls that have had breast augmentations from Doc shamoun and he’s by far the best plastic surgeon around would highly recommend him! He’s very particular and confident with his work.
JR
Jillian Ryan
Dr. Shamoun is a great surgeon, very busy but takes him to care about people. Another surgeon referred me to him for a breast revision and Shamoun did a great job back in 2019! Thanks for having an impact in my life!
JC
Joanna Cannon
Did a beautiful breast augmentation for me in 2001 and it still looks great! They look so natural. They look so great that people wonder if they are implants but aren’t sure. Money well spent!
JS
Julia W Seidelin
There are doctors and there are artists, Dr Shamoun has managed to combine the two in the most perfect way possible.
LP
Lpatrycja
Dr. Karem won my confidence from the very beginning describing the treatment in detail. Profesional approach to the patient and medical knowledge represent the highest level. My expectations were absolutely met. Thank you very much for this wonderful time spent in the clinic.
