Scarring is a part of life, but it can leave people with low self-esteem and confidence issues. Because of this, doctors have created scar removal treatments to erase scars and give people their bodies back. These scar treatments will lessen the appearance of scarring on the body over a period of time, but cannot always be guaranteed to remove the scar completely.
There are many types of scars and scar treatments that go along with them; whether it’s from those stitches your sister gave you a few years back or a clumsy accident getting off of the metro, mild to severe scarring can occur and is often unpreventable. The number one cause of scarring is severe adult or adolescent acne, but scarring from acne is treated much differently than a scar that was the result of an invasive surgery or car accident.
The five most common scar treatments recommended by doctors include: laser scar removal, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, collagen injections, and fat transfer therapy. These treatments range in effectiveness, invasiveness, and cost. As the severity of the scar increases the price for treatment does as well.
It is recommended by doctors to see a scar specialist or dermatologist first in order to determine which treatment will be the most effective for you. Treatment options can vary patient by patient depending on the type of scars that you have, but generally speaking each scar type has a treatment that typically works best. Here are some of the rule of thumb treatment guidelines doctors use when prescribing care for scar patients:
· For Small/Faint Scars: prescription and over the counter gels will usually take care of the scarring in a matter of weeks.
· For Acne Scars: laser skin resurfacing can be effective as well as chemical peels and microdermabrasion for severe acne scar removal. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion both involve regeneration of the treated skin, microdermabrasion being the less invasive of the two.
· For Indented Scars: indented scars can be the result of a deep gash that was left alone to heal naturally and can be treated with injections of collagen or fat into the indentation left by the scar to make the skin appear fuller at the affected spot.
· For Raised/Red Scars: laser removal is costly, but in this case is the most effective scar treatment for this type of scarring. Raised and reddish scars can be the final product of an invasive surgery or stitches. Laser removal of scars uses high-energy light to diminish the appearance of scarring. In this case Pulsed Dye Lasers are most successful because of the color changing effect of them. These lasers will over time return the reddish pigment of the scar back to its original state.
· For Severe Scarring: unfortunately the recommended treatment for large severe scars is surgery, which can ultimately result in more, but smaller scarring.
Lastly it is always important to remember that scars should not define you. Celebrities like Kylie Kardashian have publically come out to say that they love their scars, and feel beautiful because of them. Scars don’t have to be forever, but don’t be afraid to love your scar and its imperfection.
Written By: Maren Burns