Some people are also more prone to developing certain types of scars compared to others. For example, some people are more prone to getting keloid scars from any injuries or surgeries, especially at the chest area.

Treating scars

When we talk about treatment for scars, we must first of all understand that scars are bound to be permanent, and cannot be removed completely.

However, what we can do is to lighten these scars with appropriate treatments so that they appear less obvious aesthetically.

Depending on the type of the scar and the desired results, the treatment methods can differ. I’ll go through the different treatments that I usually come across in our clinic with you here.

Fractional CO2 laser is the commonest treatment to treat any scars. During the treatment process, it creates micro injuries to the scars, invisible to the naked eye, and stimulates the skin to heal and rejuvenate, to create a new layer of skin over the scars.

There is a short downtime after the treatment, in the form of a swelling initially which then forms into a tiny scab on the skin that will be peeled off in a week.

Adding PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) can help to fasten the healing process of scar removal treatment. PRP is the procedure to extract healthy plasma from your own blood and inject into the treatment area to improve healing and recovery.

A newer technology using Pico Laser is also a popular treatment choice these days. The treatment concept is similar to Fractional CO2 laser, but it is more efficient and the downtime is lesser and more manageable.

 

Latest studies have also shown that calcium hydroxyapatite injection can also be effective in scar removal. At proper and accurate dilution, it helps to stimulate collagen production beneath the scar tissues.

In any treatment however, it is very, very important to always remember to only get them from a verified and licensed doctor to ensure your safety and prevent any risk of mishandling of treatment procedures which can cause unwanted effects.

Some other treatments like microdermabrasion and needling can also be used to treat scars. However, the depth that these treatments can reach cannot of target-specific, so the results may not be as effective as laser treatments.

If your scar causes a discoloration on your skin, and this discoloration broadens to affect the skin surrounding the scar, we can use a pigment laser to treat this discoloration, and lighten the dark spots of the scar and its surrounding skin.

If you have chicken pox scars, which are usually depressed, procedures like subcision can help to release the adhesion and improved the depression.

If the depressed scar area is big, more treatment sessions may be needed to get rid of the scars. The downtime after a laser treatment for a scar on the body is also longer than a scar on the face.

After a scar removal treatment

Once again, scar removal treatments aim to lighten the scars rather than removing it completely.

Scar removal requires multiple treatment sessions at a planned interval schedule. Rushing to lighten a scar within a short period of time is not advisable, because it may cause more harm than good to the skin.

Also, sun protection for the skin after the treatment is very important to aid in the recovery.

For keloid scars, if you find your scar itchy or you find yourself scratching your scar, it is a symptom of a growing keloid scar. Seek for treatment immediately, an injection is required to stop the progression of the scar growth.

Keloid scars should also always be treated as soon as possible to prevent it from extending to a bigger area.

Removing old scars vs. new scars

What are the differences between removing an old scar versus a new scar?

Old scars tend to have fibrous tissue, so more treatment sessions are needed to lighten old scars.

New scars, on the other hand, may come with discoloration due to active blood vessels, so combination treatments to treat the scars and the discoloration at the same time may be needed.

Topical scar cream that you can find in pharmacies are also not useful for old scars especially.

Taking care of a newly formed scar

When you have an injury or a wound, seek treatment as early as possible. Be it bandaging the wound, cleaning the injured area, or get suturing (stitching) to close the wound as quickly as possible.

Prevent the scars from getting infected by bacteria. Take or apply antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor who treated you.

Minimise your movements in tense areas and the scar areas so that the scars won’t open up.

And lastly, keep the scar area clean all the time.

That's all for today. We’ll be looking at some of the common types of scars and how to treat them next week, stay tuned!