Scar Treatments in Dallas and Ft. Worth
Isn’t the skin’s healing ability amazing? Your skin can heal itself after being burned, cut open, scraped, or taking other damage from illness, the environment, or conditions like acne.
Often, this damage comes with a price in the form of a permanent scar. But why does this happen? And what kind of scar treatments in Dallas and Ft. Worth can be performed at Southlake Plastic Surgery & Med Spa?
What causes a scar?
A scar occurs when the deep layer of skin, called the dermis, is damaged. To mend this damage, your skin produces and sends more collagen to this area.
While most cuts or scrapes result in flat, skin-colored scars that fade over time, other events, like C-section, surgery, severe acne, or major trauma can leave lasting scars that cause people with them to feel self-conscious about their skin.
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Believe it or not, scars are as unique as the people they appear on. Though no two are exactly alike, we can sort scars into several broad categories.
Raised, or hypertrophic scars occur when the body produces too much collagen to heal the damage. These scars are dark and can be itchy or painful. Young and dark-skinned people are most likely to experience hypertrophic scars. These scars can form after a burn, piercing, acne, surgery, or other trauma.
If you experienced severe acne or chickenpox, you might have pitted or atrophic scars. These scars appear sunken and are sometimes called “ice pick scars.” Pitted scars are the result of lesions, like cystic acne, that caused damage to the dermis.
Finally, the cause of a surgical scar is obvious. With surgery, however, your skin isn’t left entirely to its own devices to heal—stitching techniques and other options like sutures and skin glues have come a long way, especially for plastic surgery or surgeries on visible areas.
Though there are precautions many surgeons, like Drs. Mason and Wan, take to minimize visible scars, there is no way to have a C-Section or plastic surgery without a scar.
Surgical scar treatments in Southlake→
How do laser treatments address scars?
Some laser devices offer an ablative wavelength that can remove damaged tissue, encourage new collagen production, and reveal the fresh, better structured skin below. Devices that use broad-spectrum light, like BBL, use the collagen stimulating power of visible LED light to even the skin tone and fill in depressed scars.
First, we will consult with you on the scar(s) you’d like to treat. Depending on the type of scar and its unique features, we will create a treatment plan that might include one or more sessions with our:
During your treatment, your Southlake laser specialist will focus the light pulses or beam of light on the scar. During and immediately after the laser scar treatment, you may experience a “rubber band snap” sensation and some redness or swelling. This is normal, and even expected, as your skin goes through the healing process.
The recovery from a laser scar treatment largely depends on the size of the treatment area(s) and the depth of the treatment. You will probably have a scab or peeling skin. It’s extremely important that you do not pick at it or remove any of the dead skin yourself. Results of scar treatments are not instant, patients notice improvement several weeks after their treatment with results maximizing after several months.
Though you should already take extra steps to protect scars, especially surgical scars, from sun exposure, it is even more important to practice safe sun for at least 4 to 6 weeks after a laser scar treatment, as the new skin is especially sensitive.
Let our team help you address your concerns with scar treatments in Dallas
Southlake Plastic Surgery & Med Spa is dedicated to providing the best plastic surgery and medical aesthetics procedures in Dallas, Ft. Worth, and surrounding areas.
Our expert team of talented aesthetic professionals is here to help you look and feel your best.
Additionally, our AAAASF-accredited plastic surgery center in Dallas is headed by our medical director and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Mason. He has been helping patients for over 20 years and holds surgical privileges at several hospitals in the Dallas area.
Contact us to learn about your options and schedule a one-on-one consultation to determine the best course of action to treat your concerns.
Use our instant consultation to tell us about your areas of concern, or schedule your first consultation today.