Scar Revision

Scars are sometimes an unavoidable result of a wound or surgery. They can result from a number of skin injuries, such as deep cuts, abrasions, burns, skin blemishes, stretch marks, animal bites, infections, wounds, keloids, or surgical procedures. Regardless of the cause, however, they can cause cosmetic concerns for the patient. Fortunately, through scar therapy and scar revision surgery at the Bel Red Center for Aesthetic Surgery in Bellevue, your appearance can be enhanced.

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  Before/After
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  Before/After

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Scar Reconstructive Treatment Options

Depending on the location, size, shape, color and degree of scarring, you have several Bellevue scar therapy treatment options, including scar revision surgery. Some scars are improved through minimally invasive treatments, while others need scar revision surgery. You may only need one type of treatment or you may need a combination of scar reconstructive procedures to achieve the most significant improvement.

• Topical Treatments. Topical treatments are used to treat existing scars, including scar discoloration. Gels, serums and creams are effective at diminishing the look and appearance of scars. Topical treatments are also used to improve the healing of other scar reconstructive procedures.
• Minimally Invasive Scar Reconstructive Procedures. Both injectable and surface treatments are used for cosmetic improvement of scars. Injectable treatments most often are used to fill in concave or recessed scars, while surface treatments help to decrease uneven skin pigmentation or reduce surface irregularities. Dermabrasion, laser therapy, light therapy, chemical peel solutions and skin bleaching activities are all types of surface treatments. For example, dermabrasion or laser resurfacing may help make an elevated scar less prominent.

• Subcision for Acne Scars.  Depressed scars with adherence to deeper layers of the underlying tissue may be released with subcision by releasing the connections between the surface and underlying tissues.  This is particularly useful for deeper, depressed acne scars which usually do not respond to augmentation with dermal fillers alone.  At our cosmetic surgery center in the Seattle area we use special needle micro-instruments for this purpose while for longer scars our SMART-lipo Triplex 1440nm fiber can be useful in releasing the scar.  A similar technique may be used for cellulite. Filler substances such as fat, Artefill or shorter duration fillers (Radiesse, Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Voluma) may then be very effective in filling and plumping the newly created space thus achieving a desirable flat surface.

• Scar Revision Surgery. For deeper scars, a surgical incision is required to remove a scar. When tissue extends beneath the skin’s surface or in locations of substantial degree of movements, layered closure is recommended. Complex flap closure, skin grafts, pharmaceutical tissue substitutes and tissue expanders are other scar revision surgical procedures that are used in some cases. Designed to make a scar as invisible as possible, surgical scar reconstructive procedures may take a longer recovery time than other minimally invasive scar reconstructive procedures.

These are just a few of the different types of scar therapy available at the Bel Red Center for Aesthetic Surgery in Bellevue, Washington. Because scar revision is a complex, individualized process, scar reconstructive procedures should only be done by an experienced and certified cosmetic surgeon. By receiving the right combination of scar management and treatment methods from a qualified cosmetic surgeon, you can see an aesthetically pleasing look in the appearance of your scars.