Scar Revision

Keloid scars extend beyond the area of injury and are often a result of extra collagen under the skin. Keloid scars may appear firm, pink, or dark red, with protruding edges. These scars are usually large and may be sore and itchy. Keloid scars can form anywhere on the body but are most common on areas with fatty tissue, like the face, shoulders, neck, and ears.

Some scar revision treatments:

• Steroid Injections are directly injected into the Keloid scar tissue to reduce inflammation, redness, and the size of the scar.
• Cryotherapy or ‘Cold Therapy’ freezes the scar and has a recovery rate of 76%. It is often used in conjunction with steroid injections.
• Pressure Therapy employs the use of a clip or splint to apply pressure on the Keloid scar for 4-6 months to flatten it and prevent the scar from resurfacing.
• Surgical Procedures are used to treat Keloid scars that are unresponsive to other treatments. Skin grafting takes a healthy piece of skin from the donor site to fill the Keloid scar.
• Laser Surgery, like pulsed-dye laser sessions delivered over 4-8 weeks, helps to flatten, and fade Keloid scars in tandem with cortisone injections.

Hypertrophic scars often resemble Keloid scars but stay within the wound’s boundary. They tend to be raised and red and usually go away on their own. However, if they persist, you can opt for a scar revision treatment. Fortunately, Hypertrophic scars are easier to treat.

Recommended scar revision treatments:

• Steroids like corticosteroid solution may be injected into the hypertrophic scar and steroid ointments like corticosteroid cream may be directly applied to the Hypertrophic scar to reduce the scar tissue.
• Surgery may be used to improve the effectiveness of treatment. It can cut out the Hypertrophic scar or redefine the lines of tension.

Contracture scars result from injury to a large part of the skin, usually from a severe burn. These scars tend to be deep and cause the skin to tighten and pucker. This may hamper the surrounding muscle and joint movement.

Scar revision treatments for Contracture scars:

• Surgical Procedures like skin grafting and flap surgery will replace the affected contracture scar with healthy skin tissue from another part of the body.
• Tissue Expansion is used along with Flap surgery. It increases the normal tissue area for reconstruction purposes.

People suffering from serious acne breakouts may be left with skin indentations or acne scars. These scars are permanent and may be icepick, rolling, or boxcar scars.

Recommended scar revision treatments:

• Dermabrasion uses exfoliation using a handheld rotary device to remove the outer layer of the skin, reducing the appearance of acne scars on the skin.
• Chemical Peels use chemical solutions that are applied to the skin. They help remove old skin, revealing fresh, even-looking skin with a significantly reduced appearance of scars.