Scarring is a sign of healing, but it’s also a reminder of damage. How you feel about your scars is deeply personal; if they’re keeping you from the clothing, places, or people you love, consider getting laser scar reduction. At Southlake Plastic Surgery & Med Spa, we perform laser scar removal near Fort Worth.
Laser scar removal is an innovative treatment for minimizing the appearance of scars. For decades now, it has been the leading method for reducing scars and other skin concerns. As a plastic surgery practice, we specialize in taking the utmost care to restore your appearance.
Aesthetics is our bread and butter, so we’re prepared for any cosmetic goals you may have once your scars have been treated. From scar reduction to CoolSculpting to arm lifts, we have the resources to support your needs. If your scars are detrimental to your self-confidence, we are here to help.
Understanding Scars
We all have scars. Some are from childhood scrapes, more are from years of acne, and others are from serious surgery; there are endless causes for scars. Someone, somewhere, probably creates a new one every day. So what are they? Where do they come from?
What Are Scars?
They are proof of our body’s miraculous self-repair powers. Scars are fibrous tissue grown as a healing response to a deep wound. Fibrous tissue is made mainly from collagen—a protein that supports the structure of your skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
How Do Scars Form?
Most people know that injuries can cause scars, but how? For a scar to form, a wound must extend into the dermis, the middle layer of your skin. The dermis makes up the vast majority of your skin and contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands, nerves, and connective tissues.
Because an injury to this area puts you at risk of losing blood and contracting an infection, your body wants to protect and heal it as quickly as possible. The wound response process is a complex and carefully balanced system. Here’s a high-level explanation of how it works:
1. Blood Flow & Inflammation
With blood loss and infection on the table, your body springs into action. It triggers inflammation to widen your vessels and increase blood flow.
This clears out debris and delivers white blood cells that fight off infection. To provide immediate protection, a thin crust made of dried blood and other proteins forms above the wound. This is commonly called a scab.
2. Tissue Growth
Just below the scab, your body works overtime to heal. In the days following your injury, collagen-rich tissue starts forming to rebuild the damaged area. Over time, that web of collagen contracts to pull the wound back together.
3. New Vessels & Skin
At this point, blood vessels are able to populate and deliver much-needed resources to the area. New skin cells begin to fill in the missing layers of skin, causing the scab to fall off.
4. Remodeled Collagen
Finally relieved of emergent-level actions, the body replaces the initial collagen matrix with a more organized, structured type of collagen. It will form the scar you can see. At first, it will be red and raised due to continued healing efforts which manifest in inflammation and increased blood flow.
5. Continued Healing
The healing process can continue for years based on the depth of your injury. Generally, your scar will become lighter and flatter as it completes its healing. Scars that never fade or worsen can be a result of an infection, abnormality, wound size or location, genetics, skin type, and more.
What Types of Scars Are There?
There are a few different types of scars that result from different types of injuries. Knowing which type of scarring you have helps us select the best treatment for you.
Atrophic
Atrophic scars are the sunken or pitted scarring that often results from acne.
Keloid
Keloid scars are thick and rounded. They are an irregularity resulting from excess collagen produced after your wound has healed.
Hypertrophic
Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars, but they stay within the boundaries of the original wound.
Contractures
Contractures are rare and occur when a large area of skin has been removed, often as a result of a burn. As a contracture forms, the edges of the skin are pulled together, creating a region of tightness in the skin. This can lead to lessened mobility.
The Toll of Scars on Appearance & Self-esteem
Scarring might be no big deal to some, but to others, it can disrupt their lives. Acne scars are one of the most common complaints we hear. These stubborn spots are a mottled reminder of the pain and embarrassment caused by pimples. They also show up in photos and prevent the easy application of makeup.
Other scars from life events and surgery are often visible in warm-weather clothing. These scars can be a painful reminder of trauma. No matter what your scars are from, we understand the emotional toll they can take.
Treatment Options for Scars at Southlake
You have a variety of treatment options for reducing your scars, each with their set of benefits. Based on your unique needs and preferences, we can recommend the best scar treatment for you. Overall, laser resurfacing is the most quick and effective option.
Topical Creams
Southlake Plastic Surgery & Med Spa sells multiple lines of medical-grade skin care products. Included in those are several options for scar reduction. For example, ClearScar Therapy is a gel used to improve the wound healing process.
Microneedling by SkinPen®
Microneedling is a nonsurgical treatment that can reduce the appearance of many skin concerns, including scars. It creates microwounds across the targeted area which trigger the body’s natural healing process to increase the production of new collagen and elastin. We perform microneedling by SkinPen® which is FDA cleared to effectively treat acne scars.
Dermal Filler
We use filler to restore natural volume to the face. In some cases, scarring leaves pockets or sunken areas in the skin. Filler can help fill those pockets and lessen the appearance of atrophic acne scars.
Laser Scar Removal
Laser scar reduction can be performed using a variety of technologies, each tuned to a unique issue. Southlake Plastic Surgery is well-equipped to provide whichever laser service will suit your needs best.
Understanding Laser Scar Removal
Laser scar removal is a misleading term. You might have noticed, we refer to laser scar treatment using the term “reduction.” It goes against our principles to claim that your scar will be entirely removed. In some cases, we are able to reduce scarring to imperceptible levels, but it is generally not possible to completely eradicate a scar.
If you’re looking to achieve an invisible scar, laser scar reduction is your best chance. Here’s how it works.
We select the ideal laser technology for your scar type, size, and location. The origin of the scar as well as your skin type can also be factors that determine which laser device is best suited to you.
Laser Scar Reduction Treatment Options
- Halo Hybrid Fractional Laser
- MicroLaserPeel
- ProFractional Laser
A certified laser technician will move the handpiece along the treatment area. It will emit a concentrated beam of light energy which penetrates your skin. The specific laser technology and level of penetration can be different based on which device is being used. This is how we customize laser scar reduction to your needs.
The laser energy carefully creates micro-injuries in a manner similar to microneedling. A big difference is that the laser is able to do this deep beneath the skin, making it much easier to effect change. Working from the inside out is almost always more efficient.
The small wounds trigger your body’s wound response explained earlier. When we do this using a precise tool, we can equip your wound response to occur more uniformly. Additionally, the laser resurfaces your top-most skin to allow new skin to fill in. This results in smoother and more youthful skin overall.
Your tissues will continue to remodel and smooth after your laser session due to the increased collagen and elastin production at the site of the scarring. This means that, over time, your treatment area will improve more and more.
Other Scar Reduction Treatments
We also highly recommend the BBL Photofacial and RF microneedling treatments for scar reduction. They are similar to laser scar reduction in terms of procedure and efficacy. However, they technically work differently.
- BBL Photofacial: This treatment uses broadband light to target discoloration from scarring.
- RF microneedling: This treatment uses the heat from radiofrequency combined with traditional microneedling to trigger scar tissue remodeling.
Debunking the Most Common Scar Myth
One of the most commonly believed myths in our field is that plastic surgeons don’t leave scars. While we appreciate the sentiment, it’s not true. It is impossible to cut into the skin and avoid scarring entirely.
However, plastic surgeons are specifically trained to decrease the appearance of scars. They use a variety of techniques to mitigate scar formation, including precise incision placement and meticulous suturing.
Aftercare is also important for minimizing scarring. Staying out of the sun and wearing SPF will help prevent hyperpigmentation of your scar. Keeping the area clear and sanitary will also improve your recovery. We are happy to go over these tactics with you anytime, as well as discuss your treatment options. Overall, a plastic surgeon is still your best bet for an inconspicuous scar.
Try Our Treatment Planning Tool to Get a Custom Scar Reduction Plan
You can be thankful for the healing that scars signify, yet dislike the damage they represent. For that reason, Southlake Plastic Surgery & Med Spa is passionate about helping you reach your aesthetic goals.
To meet with a medical provider from our practice, schedule a surgical consultation online. To learn more about your treatment options, try our interactive tool using the button below. We look forward to hearing from you.
