Laser Scar Removal

Scars can be caused by scores of different factors such as chicken pox, ice picks, acne, injuries or surgeries. Although these conditions heal in their own time, they leave an ugly scar behind. The scar is actually the natural part of the skin's healing process, however, some of them can really hurt and cause inconvenience. Even after the wound heals completely, the large, raised scar gives the person a complex and makes him or her conscious of his or her appearance, especially if the scar is on the face, neck or hand. The best part about these scars is that they can be treated and erased. Laser technology has made it possible to erase scars and free you of those ugly, hideous scars. Laser scar removal is seen to reduce the appearance of scars by 50-80% and even prevents them from recurring in the future.

Laser Scar Removal Procedure

The laser scar removal procedure is a safe process and does not conduce to further open wounds. In this treatment beams of lasers are targeted on the scarred tissues of the skin, which get burnt of by the powerful laser beams. The new tissue formed is unlike the scarred tissue and the blemishes are reduced to a great extent. Laser scar removal heals quickly and the reduction of visibility of scars helps hoist the person's self confidence and self-esteem.

The entire procedure takes only 1-3 hours, however, this procedure has to be repeated several times before the objective is achieved. The amount of actual time taken for the procedure depends mainly on the type of scar being dealt with. The laser scar removal procedure can either be carried out in a surgeon's office, hospital or outpatient surgery center. Let us have a look at the steps of laser scar removal.

Determination of Scar Type
On consulting a surgeon regarding laser scar removal, the surgeon will first check for the type of scar indenting one's face or body. Moreover, he or she will also check for the depth of the scar. Large and deep scars will take longer to treat, with several rounds of the laser treatment being required. Minor scars will take hardly any time to erase. The dermatologist will check if the scar is a keloid scar (caused by injury), contracture scar (caused by burns), hypertrophic scars (caused by surgeries) and acne scars (severe acne causing ice picks).

Selection of Laser Treatment Type
There are four types of laser popularly used to treat scars. The carbon dioxide laser treatment, involving the use of ultra-pulsed beams on the scarred tissue works well for reducing scars. Then there's the YAG laser treatment, involving the use of short pulsed laser beams for treating acne scars. Intense pulsed light (IPL) is used to treat scars caused by sun damage, wherein intense pulsed light is used. In the pulsed dye laser treatment, a flash lamp is used to flash beams of specific wavelengths to vaporize scarred tissue. Read more on how does a laser work.

Anesthesia
For minor scars, anesthesia is often not given. The person will only feel a prickly sensation or slight burning sensation while the laser works into the scar. However, for larger scars, local anesthesia will be given. Even desensitizing ointments are available which will help numb the part in question.

Vaporizing the Skin
Once the anesthesia is given, the laser beam is targeted exactly at the scarred tissue and is moved along the scar's length. The initial layer of scarred tissue get vaporized, revealing a fresh layer of skin from beneath. When this underlying layer of skin heals, it will have a minimized version of the scar. Larger scars will have to be vaporized several times before the final reduced appearance outcome is achieved. The skin appears smoother, lighter with 50% of the scar erased out.

The laser treatment cost will depend on the number of hours undertaken for the laser treatment. Moreover, the more the repetitions required, the higher the cost goes. The laser scar removal cost also depends on the type of laser used and the facility where the treatment is being carried out. The price ranges from $500 to $5,000 or more. One important point to be noted is that not everybody is eligible for laser scar removal. Your dermatologist will guide you in this matter. It is also essential to know that laser scar removal procedures do not magically erase the scar completely. They can reduce its appearance but may not be able to erase large scars completely.

source: buzzle.com

Keloid Treatment

A keloid can be defined as an abnormal scar that occurs due to an excess growth of granular tissues. This kind of infection generally takes place on the earlobe and is called auricular keloids. It is very common after ear-piercing. In auricular keloid, a fibrous nodule that is made up of collagen, (which is generally used in repairing wound) is formed. In this case, there is an overgrowth of collagen on the earlobe, which produces a lump.

There are certain key symptoms of a keloid scar. This includes itchiness and pain on the scar, followed by a change in skin texture. These scars are usually darker than the normal skin. Sometimes they can also be pink or red in color.

Treatment of keloid
There are various treatments for keloids. However, none of these are considered to be absolutely effective. These treatments vary in their degrees of effectiveness. Some of these treatments are listed below.

Scar-reducing creams and gels
There are a number of creams and gels that reduces keloids. They are more like moisturizers. ScarAway serum belongs to the group of silicone products and can be used for this purpose. Creams that contain onion extracts are also very useful in treating keloid scars. Hexilak Mederma and Contractubex that are generally used for burns, acne, and piercing, among others, are very effective scar-reducing and is readily available in the market. The patient needs to apply a thick layer of the cream on the ear scar at least twice a day.

As far as homemade remedies are concerned, the liquid extracted from grapefruit seed can to a large extent cure the disease. However, it has to be applied regularly and is not a permanent solution to cure ear keloids.

Scar-reducing dressing
Dressings such as Dermatix and ScarAway have proved to be very useful for reducing scars. These dressings are available at the local drugstore. It is a silicone gel dressing that can be placed over the scar for a few weeks continuously. This helps in reducing the size and appearance of the keloid to a great extent. Once the dressing is done, the person may experience some itchiness. Later, he gets adjusted to it. The treatment is safe and painless. It helps in some are even helpful in alleviating the itching often associated with keloids.

Compression
Compression with the help of Silicone Scar Sheets has shown improved results in treating keloids. It can be applied to the scar for several months. A continuous compression for six to twelve months may reduce the size of the scar. The compression can be done by pressing against the scar gently with your fingertips. After a few months, a marked improvement is noticed in the size and appearance of the scar.

Steroid injections
Doctors often give you a steroid injection of corticosteroids. This reduces swelling and improves the overall appearance of the scar. If the scar size is large, two to three injections are given. Although the injections reduce the size of the scar, these are often uncomfortable and painful for the patient.

Surgical treatment

Those suffering from keloids can go for a surgery, but in 50% instances, there has been a recurrence of the scar after the surgery. And it has been observed that the scar that appears again is much larger than the original. Therefore, the operation has to be undertaken with utmost care. However, if the surgery is followed by intralesional injections and covered with a silicone scar sheet, there are less chances of the lump to reappear. Plastic surgery using techniques such as v-plasty or w-plasty, is definitely a more sophisticated way of removing the scar.

Laser treatment
Many people with keloids try out laser surgery as against conventional surgery. Lasers produce a superficial cure by smoothing the scar, thereby making it less visible. However, the bulk of the keloid does not get removed in this method. Doctors often combine laser therapy with steroid injections. The keloid is then covered by using silicone sheeting for better results. The treatment user laser is highly expensive.

Newer treatment
Some of the newer treatment of keloids has shown promising results. Some medicines that are used to treat cancer, such as alpha-interferon, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin are found to be very useful for treating auricular keloids. However, this area requires a lot more research in medical science.

source: buzzle.com