Scars

WHAT ARE SCARS?

They will often start off as red or purple in colour, fading over time to become lighter in tone than the surrounding skin. Scars can develop in a range of ways, depending on what caused the skin to become scarred. The different types of scarring includes:

Fine line scars – a raised line on the skin that flattens over time;

Keloid scars – a raised scar that continues to grow;

Hypertrophic scars – thickened tissue that raises from the skin’s surface;

Atrophic scars – depressions in the skin that appear sunken, or pitted; and

Contracted scars – where the surface is tight and rippled in texture. They can also restrict movement, especially if located on a joint. 

WHAT CAUSES SCARS?

The main cause of a scar is due to the process of repair after the skin and tissues have become torn or damaged. Scar tissue is mostly made up of collagen which is why it looks and feels different to your normal skin. When hypertrophic or keloid scars form it is due to an overgrowth of collagen which causes it to become raised. Whereas, atrophic scarring occurs when not enough collagen is produced at the injured site. Typical examples of atrophic scars result from chicken pox and acne. These scars as well as ‘rolling scars’ (another example of acne scarring) can also experience a loss of tissue mass beneath the skin. Burns are the most likely cause of contracted scarring when the skin has shrunk and becomes taut.  

HOW CAN THIS BE TREATED?

As Dr. Grace Kelly Aesthetic Skin clinic provides non-surgical solutions for common concerns we would use non-invasive methods of skin rejuvenation to reduce the appearance of minor scarring such as acne scars, pok marks and stretch marks. Treatments such as IPL skin rejuvenation, laser skin resurfacing, microneedling (SkinPen) and chemical peels can restore healthy skin cells and encourage the production of collagen to replenish the complexion’s smooth texture. Dermal fillers can be used in areas where sunken scarring appears, adding volume to the underlying tissues to create a more even surface.