Scar treatment procedures

No scar can be completely removed. They will always leave behind a trace, but a number of procedures can improve their appearance.

Surgery
Surgery will never completely remove a scar but can be used to alter its location or shape to make it less noticeable. Surgery is at times necessary to remove a scar on skin near a joint where it restricts movement, but it will leave another scar.

Laser surgery and resurfacing
The use of laser on scars is still on an experimental phase, as the safety or effectiveness has not yet been proven.

Steroid injection
A course of steroid injections into the scar may help flatten and soften the appearance of keloid or hypertrophic scars.


Z-Plasty
Z-plasty is a surgical technique used to relocate a scar so that it more closely matches to the natural creases of the skin, where it will be less noticeable. In this procedure, the old scar is removed and new incisions are made on each side, creating small triangular flaps of skin.

Skin grafting
Grafting involves the transfer of skin from a healthy part of the body to cover the injured area. All grafts leave some scarring at the donor and recipient sites. Make sure that your expectations from any surgery are realistic. You cannot expect that old scars will completely disappear; however, they will always turn flatter, paler and softer.

Home Remedies for Scars
* A mixture of sandalwood paste and black gram paste helps reduce the intensity of scars if started early.
* Rubbing your skin with ice cubes helps to tighten the skin.
* You can use cucumber and lemon juice on your scars.
* Vitamin E oil when applied on the scarred skin may do wonders for your skin.
* To prevent deepening of the scars, apply aloe vera gel, cod liver oil or vitamin E oil.
* Applying cocoa butter is also a good remedy in getting rid of the scars. This is also effective Home Remedy for Scars

Mole, cyst, wart and skin tag removal

If you have a skin lesion such as a mole, cyst, wart or skin tag and would like it removed, it is usually a very simple procedure. You may want to take this step now because you have noticed changes in shape or colour, or it may be unsightly, painful or restricting your movement. You might have just become fed up with it, and decided it’s time to deal with it.


Most lesions are removed using a scalpel under local anaesthetic, which means you will be awake, but the area will be completely numb. Other techniques include applying chemical treatments or freezing the skin. Sometimes a laser is used to destroy the lesion while skin tags may be simply snipped off with surgical scissors. Removing a skin lesion is usually a quick and straightforward procedure and is most often performed as an out-patient or day-case procedure. There is normally no need to stay in hospital overnight.

When you have a mole, cyst, wart or skin tag removed at Spire you will have the procedure performed by an experienced specialist in the safe and comfortable surroundings of a private hospital.

Thread vein treatment

Thread veins are very fine veins that are often visible on the cheeks, nose and legs. They are very common, and can be red, blue or purple in colour. If you have thread veins that you are very conscious of, and would like clearer skin, there are a number of options available to treat them.


Laser treatment is often used to treat thread veins on the face. The veins absorb the laser light and are destroyed. Sclerotherapy is usually used to treat thread veins on the body and legs. The veins are injected with a chemical using a very fine needle. This chemical makes the walls of the veins stick together and gradually disperse. Other treatments include high-intensity light treatment, and Veinwave™, a treatment that uses a fine heated needle. These treatments can be very effective, but as it takes time for the veins to break down, it may be a few weeks before the results are fully apparent. A course of treatment may be recommended to achieve the best results.

When you receive thread vein treatment at Spire you will have the procedure performed by an experienced specialist in the safe and comfortable surroundings of a private hospital. As with any cosmetic procedure, it is important that you review your expectations thoroughly before you decide to proceed. Your specialist will explain the results you can expect, and will discuss the associated risks and alternatives to the procedure before going ahead.