Can Plastic Surgery Help Reduce or Remove Scars? Are There Scars That Cannot Be Removed?
It’s common, in the aftermath of serious bodily injury, for scars to form at or around the site of the wound. Scars form naturally during the healing process as tissues release the protein collagen, which builds up where tissue has been damaged to facilitate healing and strengthen the skin. Unfortunately, while a scar can be a beneficial part of the healing process, it can also be unsightly or a source of embarrassment or unwanted attention. The good news in such situations is that there are medical procedures to help reduce or even eliminate most vestiges of a scar.
Can All Scars Be Removed?
As a practical matter, no scar can be removed completely. Many scars, though, can be reduced sufficiently in size or appearance to become virtually unnoticeable. Certain types of scars, known as keloids or keloid scars, can be more difficult to treat and minimize. Keloid scars appear as thick, irregular masses of scar tissue that extend beyond the edges of the actual wound.
What Different Scar Treatments Are Available?
Topical
Some topical treatments may help in the healing and minimization of scar tissue. Gels, tape, and external compression have all been used successfully with certain types of scars to promote closure of a wound or to prevent the body from producing a different color pigment at or around the wound.
Injectable
Injectable forms of scar treatment include the following:
- Dermal fillers, which can smooth out a depression at the site of a scar; and
- Steroid shots, which can minimize the production of collagen and prevent dimpling or skin irregularities at the site of the wound.
Surgical
If topical and injectable treatments are ineffective, you may require some type of surgical procedure. Before performing any scar revision or repair surgery, your doctor will administer appropriate anesthesia—either a local anesthetic, intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia.
Often, the surgical procedure to revise or repair a scar is merely a surface treatment, rather than the actual removal of the scar. Such treatments include:
- Laser or light therapy, which promotes the growth of new, healthy skin at the site of the wound
- Dermabrasion, where a tool is used to mechanically polish your skin
- Bleaching agents to lighten any dark pigment at the site of the scar
- Chemical solutions that treat texture or color blemishes
In some situations, your dermatologist or plastic surgeon may recommend the surgical removal of a scar. When closing the site where a scar has been removed, the surgeon may:
- Pull a flap over the incision from adjacent skin,
- Graft skin from another part of your body over the wound, or
- Use a pharmaceutical tissue substitute to cover the wound.
