Scar revision performed

Cosmetic surgery is accessed predominantly in areas where body and image-consciousness are big, which makes sense. Those who live in societies or who compete for a living in places like Hollywood and New York, for example, reportedly feel more pressure to look a certain way. These individuals, both men and women, turn to the use of cosmetic surgical procedures to be more beautiful (though it can be argued that this is measured most reliably in the eye of the beholder).

The tendency to pay cosmetic surgeons to perform various procedures on the lips or hips can also be observed in South Florida, where plastic surgery is quite popular in areas like Miami. Again, the reason is obvious, with plenty of skin on display and a preponderance of industries promoting a pleasing physical facade. Because of the pressure on observable beauty in Miami and other beach areas, South Florida hosts a thriving plastic surgery industry: tummy tucks, breast augmentation, facelifts and more are performed regularly. The same can be said of LA, NYC and many places abroad.

While the above observations may come as no surprise to readers, the following information may find a new audience, perhaps enlightening a few who have been planning to undergo surgical procedures in on the West Coast or in Florida: Scar revision, performed by plastic surgeons and doctors is common. Why? The truth is that many cosmetic surgery procedures-even when performed by highly experienced surgeons-can leave scars. Fortunately for patients, the options for reducing or eliminating these scars comprise a full menu, wherein each technique is preferable to a certain situation or area of the body/surgical procedure.
Techniques utilized by surgeons to eliminate or reduce the appearance of scars, no matter how long a patient has borne them include:

1. Injectable treatments used to fill scars, requiring repeated, regular applications for complete erasure
2. Surface treatment types such as dermabrasion, laser therapy (also termed light therapy) chemical peels, and skin bleaching
3. Topical gels, tapes, external compression
4. Complete scar removal while the patient is under general anesthesia, followed by careful wound closure: At times this requires a skin graft; timing is critical, with the best results realized two to three full months after a scar has matured

Low risk (except in the case of the fourth option using general anaesthesia) and highly effective, scar revision treatments have proven successful in making the most of cosmetic surgeries while providing patients with viable solutions when they are faced with unsightly scars. Patients preparing for any type of cosmetic surgery will do well to inquire about scar revision options post-op to reduce or eliminate scarring. Those who have not undergone cosmetic surgical procedures but who for other reasons suffer with scarring--as a result of disease, deformity or dermal conditions--can also benefit.The best course of action is to investigate options and schedule an appointment to speak with one or more cosmetic surgeons about possible procedures and realistic expectations for results. Well established facilities provide online resources and procedure descriptions, and many clinics offer financing options for those whose scar revision therapy might not be covered by healthcare insurance.

Forms of acne scars

What lasts longer than acne is acne scars. The mark that it leaves is more dreadful than the presence of acne itself. Acne scars are physical evidence of the presence of acne. Acne scars represent the areas of damage and repair. When an area is damaged, white blood cells and platelets work together to heal the spot. Genetics plays its part in the susceptibility of individuals to the degree of scarring and to the type of scar left. Some scars disappear through time, while others remain the same. Deep scars are common to people who have deeply damaged follicles.

Scars are best prevented by controlling acne pop-outs. The prevention of inflammation makes scars less likely to appear thus it is best not to squeeze them. People with healthy lifestyle need not bother since their body can eventually heal them in time. Too much sun exposure will also make scars stay longer and smoking will make the skin more vulnerable to scarring since this habit decreases the amount of collagen reserves which increases free radical formation and toxin formation.

Acne scars come in 2 forms. There are "pseudo-scars" and "true scars".

Pseudo-scars include macules and hyperpigmentation. Macules are the result of the acne's healing process which is identified with a flat skin and reddish spot. This usually lasts for 6 months and does not result to permanent scarring. Hyperpigmentation is skin darkening after the healing process of the acne. This usually lasts for 18 months and is common among Asians, Latinos and African-Americans.

True scars are the result of either tissue formation or tissue loss beyond normal. Keloids or hypertropic scars represent true scars as a result of tissue formation. They are believed to be passed on genetically. They usually occur when the skin produces too much collagen, resulting to lumps in the skin, more frequently near the jaw. This kind of scar is permanent and is usually removed only through laser treatment.

True scars or the tissue loss type come in a variety forms they are:

a) Ice-pick acne scars: are usually tiny but occur deep and are associated with jagged sides.

b) Soft acne scars have sloping edges and are usually small, round and soft.

c) Fibrotic acne scars are depressed and are usually the larger versions of ice-pick scars.

d) Atrophic macules, which are seen in Caucasians, appear as purplish wrinkled skin at first then changes to an ivory color through time.

e) Follicular macular

atrophy is similar to whiteheads but they are not developed. They commonly occur on the back or chest.

Acne scars poses a permanent threat to the beauty of the skin, but they are treatable. Macules and hyperpigmentation are treated with bleaching agents to lighten the color of the scar and resemble the natural color of the skin. Retinol, Retin-A and Renova are resurfacing drugs that can improve the appearance of acne. A choice of microdermabrasion and dermatologic surgery is also acceptable. It is very difficult to restore acne-injured skin to its original state but treatments aim to minimize its appearance. Consulting dermatologists should be done to receive the best advice for treating acne scars.

Silicone scar bandage

During scar management, the silicone sheeting is thought to stimulate repair of the dysfunctional top layer of skin covering hypertrophic and keloid scars, as well as decreasing the over-adhesive content found in their matrix. The way the silicon sheets balance the complex cellular physiology to promote the proper healing of the problem scar may be indirect and mysterious, but the evidence of its effectiveness and results are clear.

The silicon sheet is a silicon gel membrane, which is made from new type medical high polymer materials. It is a kind of thin, soft and transparent sheet, the adhesive side is applied to the scar, on the other side is a silicone side without adhesion, thus it is unnecessary to apply the other dressing to affix it. It acts on scar through the obvious oxygen tension, pressure and hydrolysis with characteristics of being easy to use, clean, comfortable and offers excellent moisture penetrability, air permeability, pressure sensitivity and acts as a protective screen from bacteria.

Given these properties, the silicon sheet is an excellent treatment for the healing of new wounds which have closed. In the first few months of the wound closure, it is hard to determine the nature of the scars - as to whether it is a keloid or a hypertropic scar. As different types of scar formation are treated differently, it is recommended that a neutral treatment be used until a scar has been identified as belonging to either category. For this purpose, the silicon sheet is very helpful.

With this in mind, an effective scar management program should be based on the modalities of wound support, hydration, and hastened maturity, all factors gleaned from scientific evidence published over the past 25 years. Tension on a scar in one axis will result in a stretched scar, probably initiated by neutrophils and their neutral proteases. Tension on a scar from many directions or intermittently will result in a hypertrophic scar, possibly initiated by lymphocytes but definitely related to a prolongation of the inflammatory process, with increased fibroblast activity and overabundant |extracellular matrix secretion. The common initiating factor is the tension on the scar, and the critical element needed to counteract this tension is scar support. Clinical experience has shown us that the most reliable way to support a scar is by using microporous tape or silicone tape at the early stages of formation. Hydration is a second beneficial influence on scar control and is the basis of the use of silicone sheeting and gel.

Best treatments for acne scars

After healing, an acne lesion can leave a red mark or a hyperpigmentation on the skin. This is just a post-inflammatory change and not actually a scar. The redness happens as the skin goes through healing, which usually takes 6-12 months. If no acne sprouts in that particular area, it can heal normally. If it is still present after a year or more, it may be considered a permanent scar.

Acne Scars that are caused by tissue formation are actually the result of a buildup of collagen in the skin. These are most commonly called keloids. Keloids tend to be genetic while scars that are caused by tissue loss are the most common type of acne scars.

Tretinoin can help heal scars. It speeds up the healing and remodeling of the skin. It also assists in the healing of hyperpigmentations. Aplha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) and Beta-Hydroxy Acid (BHA) also helps the remodeling process of the skin. As long as it is appropriately formulated and have the right concentration with the right pH, it will be very effective. Also, a person should seek treatment for scars either to remove or lighten them. Or maybe the person can include it in the overall procedure of skin rejuvenation.

It is very important for both the patient and the dermatologist to discuss the procedures as to the treatment of acne scars. Choosing a skin rejuvenation process is based partly on the result that the patient wants to accomplish. These are just some of the procedures that dermatologists use to treat acne scars:

1. Chemical peel can treat small to large acne scars and can also be effective when it comes to removing blackheads and whiteheads. Repeated peeling is recommended to improve some extensive or deep scars.

2. Laser or resurfacing of scars is a relatively new technology but can only be effective in some patients. It can be used to treat scars that are complex in nature.

3. Dermabrasion can reach deeper skin layers than a chemical peel.

4. Excision surgery can remove the affected entirely.

5. Soft-tissue augmentation can treat scars that are caused by tissue loss. It involves injections of collagen under the scars which raises them to bring it to the surface.

6. Intralesional steroid injection for keloids on the other hand is a procedure where direct injection is done into the keloid acne scars. It can be mixed with surgery to reduce scar size. This can only be done by a dermatologic surgeon.

It is a good thing that acne scars can be effectively treated nowadays. Now, you can say goodbye to a life with acne.

Laser skin resurfacing

Laser skin resurfacing is one of the most popular cosmetic procedures and can help rejuvenate the skin. The use of laser skin resurfacing removes damaged outer layers of skin and stimulate collagen production in the underlying layer.

Actually, laser skin resurfacing is a method to reduce the appearance of imperfections on the surface of the skin. During laser resurfacing procedure, the laser will be used to dissolve the molecular bonds are broken. This also can be called as laser skin rejuvenation because of anti-aging benefits. The procedure does not have limitations, but individuals with severe injuries may need to use the technique additional scar revision to achieve the best results.

Types of laser skin resurfacing is generally divided into two kinds, namely the use of CO2 laser and erbium laser. CO2 laser is a laser treatment with the highest intensity available at this time. How it works is to limit CO2 collagen beneath the dermis by heat. CO2 laser can also remove wrinkles, scars, warts and birthmarks, and even has been applied to treat skin cancer in the early stages.

Erbium laser can remove a layer of skin thinner than a more powerful, the less appropriate when using a CO2 laser. Erbium laser is often a better choice for patients with dark skin because there is less risk of permanent changes in skin pigmentation.

Scar revision surgery

It is amazing sometimes to what extent advertising "muddies the waters" of plastic surgery. In the treatment of scars, this makes informing the prospective patient a hurdle at times. It's almost like a debriefing in my office. So let's go through some of what is known about scars and the circumstances under which they might be improved.

Scars of the skin are points at which the differences between previously wounded and unwounded skin become apparent. While they do in general improve with time, they are never converted into "normal skin." Scar tissue never attains the strength or color of normal skin. The differences between the two tissues therefore can be frequently seen. The treatment of scars is more likely to make these differences less obvious under several conditions.

The scar is wide. If the scar tissue is wide that often means that separation occurred between the two edges of the healing wound over the time over which the wound healed. A carefully planned operation called SCAR REVISION may offer some benefit here. The scar tissue is removed and the two edges of the wound are mobilized surgically and brought together to be closed in layers. This usually reduces the separation and the wound has another chance to heal. Dependent upon the quality of this healing, the scar may be improved.

The wound from which the scar formed is recent. In the first year or so after a wound is formed, healing has the best chance of improving the scar itself by a process called Re-modeling. Wound healing occurs in an optimal manner if the wound is appropriately handled in the first place, has little infection, and is kept from direct sunlight. Once the wound closes, scar tissue goes through stages. Some believe that the application of silicone sheeting (now available over-the-counter at drug stores) may help early scars to heal with less tissue distortion. This should be assisted by a physician in all but the simplest wounds as putting it on open or infected wounds can make things worse.

The scar is colored - In some individuals pigmented scars can be improved. This is a little more difficult unless the scar is wide or was poorly handled when the wound was first formed.