WHY DO SCARS FORM?

Formation of scar tissue if a normal response after trauma to the skin. Scar is a disruption of the collagen in the skin. Scars can be red, elevated or in worst cases can form a keloid.

Though skin has a great inbuilt mechanism for healing, providing additional supportive care during this period can help the healing process.

Scar treatment and Prevention

  • To keep the scar area moist cover it with Vitamin-C Scar therapy or Contractubex® gel by regular application over 3 weeks
  • Avoid sun exposure which can have damaging effects on the new scar tissue.
  • Silicone sheeting: This was in use for many years for scar treatment. It needs to be changed and reapplied every day after cleaning the area with soap.
  • In early phases of healing, scars appear red and swollen, this can be treated with ‘Intense pulsed light’ or a ‘Pulsed dye laser’.
  • Keloids are elevated scars which form usually around previous surgical incision site. They are managed by a step wise approach. First they are made flat with steroid injections and later the redness and the blood vessels are treated by using a Pulsed light laser or a Pulsed dye laser. In the last steps a ‘resurfacing’ could be done by using a ‘resurfacing laser’.

Minimizing older or fully healed scars

Few months after your scar treatment, there will be flat line lighter in color than the surrounding normal skin. In dark skinned patients or when the skin is tan this area would be more contrasting. Applying a sunscreen helps in decreasing the contrast between the normal and scarred tissue also ‘resurfacing lasers’ help in blending the lighter color to the surrounding skin to make it more noticeable.

There is no single approach to scar management, our doctors decide the treatment plan based on a sound clinical judgement, following the patient’s progress, and intervening as soon as possible to allow for the best result.

ASSOCIATED COSTS

Click here for the cost for treatment of scars.