Concealing a facial scar can be challenging; despite layers of makeup, it may remain visible, causing ongoing discomfort. The presence of an unsightly facial scar can indeed be distressing. However, several treatment options for facial scar revision can gradually lighten and eliminate the scar. Let’s explore these options in detail:
A Brief Overview Of Scars
A scar is a patch of tissue that replaces the skin that has undergone any form of injury. Scarring is the natural healing process our skin goes through after a trauma. This could result from surgery, burns, acne, chicken pox, etc. The appearance of scars varies depending on the causes lying behind them. Scars caused by acne and chicken pox may be pitted or sunken. The ones left by an injury or surgery are lumpy in texture and different in color than the healthy skin around them. Stretch marks are also considered to be scars. Following are different types of scars that you can get:
- Keloid Scars: Scars that result from an overly aggressive healing process extend beyond the actual wound.
- Contracture Scars: Caused by burns, these scars tighten skin and affect natural movement. They can also end up damaging our muscles and nerves.
- Hypertrophic Scars: These scars are very similar to keloids. They are red and raised in nature.
- Acne Scars: Severe acne can leave you ugly scars, which can again be of many types, including deep pits, angular scars, wavelike scars, etc.
Also, Read – Vanish Your Breast Reduction Scars! These 15 Methods Will Never Ever Fail
Facial Scar Revision Treatment Options
You have several options to lighten the appearance of scars, including topical, minimally invasive, and surgical treatments. All these make scars less obvious and reduce changes that were caused in the skin texture. The possible extent of revision depends on how sunken or raised your scar is and what kind of treatment you choose. Here are different facial scar revision treatment options that you could choose from: (1) (2) (3)
1. Over-The-Counter Treatments
Many over-the-counter (OTC) scar revision treatments are available in local drugstores, which promise to reduce the appearance of facial scars drastically. Products like topical creams, gels, silicone gel sheets, etc., help lighten scars and make them appear homogeneous to the surrounding skin. Topical scar removal treatments with vitamin A help improve the aesthetic properties of scars since Retinoic Acid works as a resurfacing agent. There are also products with vitamin E oils and onion extract, which speed up healing and make the scars thinner, softer, and less painful.
The OTC treatments are all about keeping the wound moist by preventing water evaporation from the skin. This promotes the healing process, prevents the formation of scabs, minimizes scarring, and lets the skin grow back evenly.
2. Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is very effective in treating scars. Based on the severity of your scar, skin laser technology can either lessen it significantly or erase it over time. When applied to the skin, the laser beam helps remove the affected outer layer and promote new tissue growth. The procedure takes about 1-2 hours (each session) and is suitable for all kinds of scars. Typically, CO2 laser is used for thicker and deeper scars, while YAG laser is used for shallow scars.
Laser therapy can be of three different types i.e. ‘Fractionated’ (tiny beams of light penetrating into the skin deeply), ‘Non-Ablative’ (infra-red lasers that leaves the surface untouched), ‘Ablative’ (high-powered laser beam to work on both surface and inner layers). The best one is chosen based on the nature of the scar.
3. Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are specific acid solutions that help exfoliate and peel off the damaged outer layers of the skin. The body produces fresh tissue to repair the controlled wounds caused by peels, which smoothens out the scars and enhances skin texture. Different acid solutions used for chemical peels are alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), beta hydroxy acid (BHA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), phenol, and so on. Superficial scars can be treated with a gentle acid, such as glycolic acid peel, which does not penetrate beyond the epidermal layer of the skin. Medium peels work on the outermost and middle layers; deeper scars need a deep tissue-like phenol peel.
4. Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion operates in a manner akin to chemical peels, but it employs no chemicals. Instead, tiny sterile crystals with irregular shapes are utilized, exerting abrasion on the skin. These crystals effectively remove imperfections from the outermost layer of the skin, contributing to a notably smoother texture. The process facilitates the rejuvenation of the entire top layer of the skin, leading to a more uniform skin tone. Microdermabrasion offers a non-chemical approach to improving skin texture and appearance, particularly effective for scars at least eight weeks old.
5. Dermal Soft-Tissue Fillers
When a scar is significantly depressed (atrophic scar), dermal fillers are injected under that depression to lift it and create a more even skin tone. These soft-tissue fillers are hyaluronic acid or other collagen-stimulating chemical injections commercially known as ‘Juvederm,’ ‘Radiesse,’ ‘Restylane,’ ‘Sculptra,’ etc. They give immediate results, which last only a few months, and need repeated filling to repair the scar contour. However, being a cosmetic procedure, filler injections come with certain potential risks.
6. Scar Revision Surgery
Most of the above treatments are temporary, requiring repeated clinic visits for more sittings. But if you are looking for a permanent option, scar revision surgery is what you should go for. During the surgery, your scar is cut out and replaced with a healthy skin graft taken from any other body part. It will take you a couple of weeks to recover from the surgery, but once you do, then it is a permanent ‘goodbye’ to the scar.
Also Read – What Is A Facelift? Your Guide To The Age-Reversing Cosmetic Surgery
Summary
Facial scars can be distressing, but various scar revision treatments offer solutions. Scars result from trauma like surgery, burns, or acne, and their appearance varies. Treatment options include over-the-counter remedies, laser therapy, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and dermal fillers. Scar revision surgery provides a permanent solution, cutting out the scar and replacing it with a healthy skin graft. Each method aims to reduce scar visibility, offering diverse options based on scar type and severity. Over-the-counter treatments, laser therapy, and chemical peels promote healing and skin regeneration, while surgery provides a permanent solution for those seeking lasting results.
