A Guide to Scar Removal Treatments

Are you harboring a scar in a noticeable place, and is it making you self-conscious? Do you find yourself feeling the need to cover up, maybe wearing long sleeves in the summer or extra concealer on your face? You shouldn’t have to be ashamed of anything when you leave your house, and you definitely shouldn’t have to cover anything up. An injury or a surgery shouldn’t have you worrying about hiding anything. Not to mention your scar may be painful, a situation that definitely calls for removal as soon as possible. You deserve to be scar-free, and today’s medical technology provides many options for making that happen. Scar removal used to be a painful, invasive, and expensive procedure, and in many cases, the scar was not bad enough to warrant such a process. But with the options available now, any scar can be made history.

What Kinds of Scar Removal are Available?

All the types of scar removal you hear about are done by your dermatologist. Your dermatologist will help you decide which option is the best for you and your scar. One of the most popular scar removal processes is laser scar removal. In this procedure, your dermatologist uses a high energy light to “remove or reshape areas of the skin that are affected by scar tissue.” There are even different types of procedures within this laser treatment category. Raised scars or reddened scars can be treated with a pulsed dye laser, and scars that are left by acne can be treated with laser skin resurfacing, during which a laser is used to “dissolve the molecular bonds of the damaged skin cells layer by layer until a smoother, more uniform skin appearance is achieved.”

Microdermabrasion is a more cosmetic, less medical option. Completely non-invasive, this procedure involves spraying microcrystals onto the skin to remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells, leaving behind the younger, healthier layer of skin. Furthermore, Microdermabrasion is a non-chemical, non-invasive procedure that uses a spray of microcrystals to remove the outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells and reveal younger, healthier-looking skin. Microdermabrasion also encourages the production of a new underlying layer of skin cells with higher levels of collagen and elastin, which further improves your skin’s appearance.

A chemical peel is one of the older options – well, to be completely correct, it’s definitely the oldest since it was performed in ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt. It involves applying an acid solution to your skin and peeling off the top, dead layer, to leave a fresh layer without deep wrinkles, uneven coloring, and, most importantly, scars.

Who Should Get Which Type of Removal Procedure?

Of course, as we mentioned, your dermatologist will help you figure out which process is best for you. Now, a lot of websites for scar removal list collagen injections as a removal option, but when you read up on it, it becomes clear that collagen injections are more what you probably thought they’re for: wrinkles. Collagen works to fill in deep lines. Now, that basic principle can apply to filling in an indented scar, but really seems to be more of a cosmetic, anti-aging procedure.

Laser scar removal, or laser skin resurfacing, is the most expansive, effective removal option. This will probably be the choice for you if your scar is deeper, more serious, and/or painful, since it is not just a cosmetic procedure. While this is a non-invasive procedure as much as any laperscopic procedure is, it is of course more invasive than a cosmetic option like microdermabrasion. Laser scar removal can treat anything from discoloration, wrinkles and sun damage to acne marks and other types of imperfections. In severe cases, of course, more than one procedure may be necessary, but the laser option is the best way to go for more serious scarring.

Microdermabrasion is the option for less serious scarring, and is geared toward anyone with some lighter scarring to anyone who has discoloring, wrinkles, and/or blemishes. It’s described as the procedure for those who don’t have the time or resources for the more invasive choices like laser scar removal, and so obviously this procedure is for someone who does not have as dire of a need for removal, such as someone who is not experiencing pain from his or her scar, as this process does not extend as far into the skin for removal.

The chemical peel, interestingly, actually has a specific type of candidate it works best for, which is a person with fair coloring and fair hair. This is because its results are the best and most effective with uneven coloring, or pigmentation, and the chemical peel will often leave behind the lighter color of skin. So, if your scar is noticeable because it is a different color, the chemical peel may very well be the best choice for you. It’s also key that the chemical peel candidate does not smoke.

What are the Benefits/ Risks of Each Choice?

The benefits of laser scar removal are most importantly effective scar removal, but also refreshed, younger looking skin; improved, softer texture; sun damage repair; and even an early treatment/prevention for skin cancer.
The risks include the rare case of infection, and, surprisingly, those who are prone to scarring after minor injury, as even a scar removal process can create new scarring on those who are prone. Those with darker skin can experience permanent darkened spots – some of these are substantial risks to consider.

The benefits of microdermabrasion include the fact that it is a “lunch hour” procedure, meaning it can be done in 30-60 minutes with no down time for recovery, and it is totally non-invasive. It removes light scarring and freshens skin, removing wrinkles and blemishes. It has virtually no risks or side effects, with the exception of the chance of some slight irritation.

The benefits of the chemical peel are similar to microdermabrasion, including removal of sun damage, wrinkles, blemishes, and most importantly, scarring. A chemical peel can usually handle scarring more serious than microdermabrasion, but less so than laser scar removal can. A great benefit is that there are varying levels of a chemical peel, light, medium, and deep, so as to treat your own personal issues as best as possible. The risks are rare, but include the slight chance of scarring, infection, swelling, and cold sore outbreaks – yikes! But following a doctor’s instructions for post-peel care can reduce those risks a lot. Remember, your dermatologist will guide you in the process of choosing which option is best for you.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.