Post Surgical Scars Treatment

Post-Surgical Scars

A post-surgical scar is a mark left on the skin after a surgical procedure mostly happens due to the body’s natural healing process. While they natural, many people opt for treatment to fade scar appearance. When the skin is cut during surgery, the body generates new tissue to close the wound, which may naturally cause to scarring. The look of surgical scar depends on multiple factors, including the surgical procedure, incision location, the patient’s healing process, and their skin type. While scars may initially appear red, swollen, or raised, they typically become less noticeable and flatten over time, especially with the help of dermatological treatment.

Features of a Scar:

At Integrated Skin Institute, our providers use innovative treatments to minimize the appearance of post-surgical scars, promoting faster healing.. Whether your scars are fresh or have been there for some time, we offer individualized treatment plans to help you feel confident again.

There are multiple components and characteristics to  a post-surgical scar:

• Thickness/elevation as seen in hypertrophic/keloid scars
• Depression as seen in atrophic scars
• Texture irregularities
• Color changes (white, red, pigmentary)
• Width and Length of a scar 
• Distortion of adjacent facial skin structures (i.e.- eyelid, lip, nostril margin) 

Our personalized treatment protocols are designed to address one or more of the above issues to help improve your scar appearance.

Types of Treatments

• Topical: Silicone gel sheets are a non-invasive treatment option used to reduce the appearance of post-surgery scars. They may work work by hydrating the skin and creating a barrier that helps soften, flatten, and lighten the scar over time. 

• For red/inflammatory scars, first and foremost, the best treatment to minimize redness is a vascular laser/device (intense pulse light, PDL laser, KTP laser)

• For hypertrophic scars, the goal is to flatten the scar treatment involves initially intralesional injections with steroids +/ fluorouracil and may involve multiple sessions. Adjunctive resurfacing lasers (CO2, erbium) are also beneficial.

• For irregularly textured, uneven scars, energy-based modalities may help, ranging from the following:
  • Fractional resurfacing lasers (CO2, erbium) – safe for all lighter (Fitzpatrick I-III) skin types; ablates the skin surface and uses heat to stimulate new collagen development
  • Radiofrequency with Microneedling (RFMN) – safe for all skin types; help break up/soften scar and stimulate collagen production
  • Microneedling – safe for all skin types; uses a needling device to stimulate the formation of new collagen and improve the texture of all acne scar types

• For depressed scars, the goal is to elevate the scar, typically by increasing volume
  • • Injectable Filler(s)
      • 1. Injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) filler – temporary filler, lasts 6 to 12 months; can be dissolved
      • 2. Polymethylmethacrylate (Belafill, PMMA) – semi- permanent filler; cannot be dissolved
      • 3. Biostimulatory filler – Hyperdilute Calcium Hydroxylapatite (Radiesse) or poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra); stimulate collagen production
      • 4. Autologous Stem-Cell Rich Fat Grafting

• Lastly, for all scars, they can be surgically excised. While this leads to another scar, the goal is to shrink a conspicuous, wide scar with less visible & improved linear scar that can further be refined with laser resurfacing

Post-reconstruction (i.e.- after Mohs repair, facial plastic surgery)

• Most facial surgeons will wait six months to a year from the initial development of the scar prior to intervention as scars gradually improve
• However, some post-surgical scar contractures can lead to distortion of sensitive cosmetic subunits (nose, eyelids) that can be unsightly for patients
• At Integrated Skin Institute, we specialize in improving scars after facial surgery (i.e.- skin cancer reconstruction, facelift, eyelid lift, lip lift)
• These techniques include:
  • Injectables
    • Dermal Fillers to elevate depressed or atrophic scars
    • 5’Fluorouracil/Steroids to flatten elevated scars
  • Laser Scar Revision 
    • Fractional CO₂ or Erbium:YAG Lasers for texture irregularities, atrophic scars, and discoloration.
    • Vascular Lasers to reduce redness
  • Surgical Scar Revision
    • i.e.- Elliptical Excision, Z Plasty, Serial Excisions

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To book a cosmetic or laser appointment please contact our friendly staff.

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