Facial Scar Removal

A scar is a patch of skin that usually appears after an injury or cut. Scars are basically the result of tissue damage. They appear on the skin, whenever the deep dermis layer of the skin is damaged. When a part of the skin or the skin tissues are damaged, our body tries to heal the area. But in the process, normal skin tissues are replaced by the fibrous tissues, which leads to the development of scars. Acne scars are the most common type of scars that appear on the face. Majority of facial scars can be healed with appropriate treatment. However, a few can be permanent. Nevertheless, their visibility can be reduced with proper facial scar removal treatment.

Types of Scar

Generally, scars can be of three types, hypertrophic scars, atrophic scars and keloid scars. A hypertrophic scar is usually thick and it results when the body overproduces collagen. The atrophic scars on the other hand, cause the skin to look pitted. Keloid scars can look like hypertrophic scars, but they continue to grow in size. Apart from these three types, one can get ice pick scars, which are usually left behind by pimples and acne. These scars look like tiny deep pits on the skin. Other two types of common acne scars are, box car scars that resemble the scars caused by chicken pox and rolling scars, which give the skin a wave like or rolling hillside appearance.

Facial Scar Removal Treatment

The treatment for facial scars depends on the particular type, as what works for one type of scar may not work for the other. For small and minor scars left behind by acne or surgical procedures, dermabrasion can be used. This procedure involves the removal of the top layer of the skin, in order to make the scarred area smoother. The procedure often uses specialized instruments like, metal brush or diamond surfaced spinning blade for achieving this purpose. Another similar procedure for facial scar removal is microdermabrasion. Compared to dermabrasion, microdermabrasion is a milder approach for removing facial scars. It removes only the superficial skin layer, known as epidermis for acne scar removal.

Apart from these, some other options for scar removal are, surgery, laser surgery and resurfacing, steroid injections, chemical peel and skin grafting. Facial scar removal surgery may not completely remove a scar, but can make it significantly less noticeable. Laser skin resurfacing uses laser beams to remove the top layer of the skin of the scar. The heat generated in the process helps to tighten the inner skin layer. As a result, the scarred area looks much smoother than before.

Steroid injections are usually used for keloid and hypertrophic scar treatment. These injections can flatten these types of scars and make them less noticeable. Chemical peels on the other hand, use strong chemicals to exfoliate the layers of the skin from the scarred area. Afterwards, when the skin regenerates, the scarred area looks much smoother. On the other hand, skin grafting involves the transfer of skin from other parts of the body to the scarred area, in order to reduce the appearance of the scar. These are the usual treatment options for removing facial scars. In addition to these, you can find several facial scar removal creams in the market, and many of them can prove quite effective for reducing the appearance of minor scars. Find out more about keloid scar removal.

Facial Scar Removal Home Remedies

Many times, facial scars can also be removed with the help of some home remedies, especially if they are minor or less in number. Following are some of the effective scar removal home remedies for you:

* Try lemon juice to remove acne scars. Lemon juice has natural bleaching properties, for which it can reduce the visibility of the scars. The citric acid found in this fruit can promote the shedding of old and dead skin cell to reveal a soft and smooth skin.
* Apply aloe vera gel on the scarred area, and also on fresh wounds and acne, to prevent the development of scar.
* Make a paste of sandalwood powder and rose water. Apply this paste on the scars and leave overnight. The next day, wash it off with clean water.
* Tomato juice is very rich in vitamin A, and it can help to repair damaged skin. Application of tomato juice regularly on the scars can significantly reduce their visibility.
* Oils like, lavender oil, almond oil, olive oil and rosehip oil can also be used for facial scar removal.
* Make a paste by mixing fuller's earth or multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice. Apply this paste on your face or the affected area of the skin. Leave it for about 15 to 20 minutes, after which wash it off with clean water.
* Massage honey on the scarred area several times a day. Besides removing scars, it would make your skin radiant.
* Make a paste of sandalwood and black gram powder and apply this on the scarred area. Keep it overnight and then wash it off the next day.

For small and minor scars, these simple home remedies can prove quite effective, if applied regularly. As far as the various facial scar removal products and treatments are concerned, you should better talk to a dermatologist to find out which one would be appropriate for you. A dermatologist can properly evaluate the scars and determine their types, on the basis of which he or she would recommend a particular scar removal treatment option. Depending on the particular type of treatment recommended by the dermatologist and the severity of the scars, facial scar removal cost can vary significantly. Therefore, it is very important to have a discussion with your dermatologist to know the various aspects of scar removal procedures, including, their cost.

source: buzzle.com