DERMATOLOGY LASER CENTERS OF
NEW YORK & CALIFORNIA
LASER SCAR REMOVAL
What are the types of scars that
can be treated with lasers?
·Keloid scars: These scars protrude from the skin and extend beyond the
original injury site. Over time, a keloid scar may affect mobility.
Possible treatments include surgical scar removal, or injections with
steroids. Smaller keloids can be removed using cryotherapy (freezing
therapy using liquid nitrogen). You can also prevent keloid formation by
using pressure treatment or gel pads with silicone.
·Contracture scars: If your skin has been burned, you may have a
contracture scar. These scars cause tightening of skin that can impair
your ability to move. Additionally, this type of scar may go deeper to
affect muscles and nerves.
·Hypertrophic scars: Raised and red scars that are similar to keloids, but
do not extend beyond the boundaries of the injury site. Possible
treatments can include injections.
·Acne scars: If you’ve had severe acne, you probably have the scars to
prove it. There are many types of acne scars, ranging from deep pits,
angular or wavelike in appearance. Possible treatments will depend on the
types of scars you have.
Until laser therapy, there have been few treatments
that effectively diminish the appearance and accompanying symptoms of
scars. Not only does laser treatment significantly reduce the height and
redness of scars, it actually improves the pliability of the scar and
alleviates painful symptoms.
The laser's energy stimulates the
skin under the scar and causes the fibroblasts in the skin to begin to
divide again. It also stimulates the production of collagen. This thickens
the skin under the scar until it closely resembles the surrounding normal
skin.
If you have any questions about scar laser treatments or you would like to
make an appointment, please feel free to contact Board Certified
Dermatologist, Board Certified Dermatopathologist, Babar K. Rao, MD, FAAD
at his Manhattan, New York or Fresno, California offices.
