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Scars -whether they're caused by accidents or by surgery are
unpredictable. The way a scar develops depends as much on how a body
heals as it does on the original injury or on the surgeon's skills.
Many variables can affect the severity of scarring, including the size
and depth of the wound, the blood supply to the area, the thickness
and color of your skin, and the direction of the scar.
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While no scar can be removed completely, plastic surgeons can often
improve the appearance of a scar, making it less obvious through the
injection or application of certain steroid medications or through
surgical procedures like dermabrasion or laser resurfacing that can be
used for leveling the rough surface of the scarred area.
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Hypertrophic scars, enlargement or overgrowth of scar tissue is due to
excessive collagen, which is a protein of the skin. This type of scar
tends to get better with time and pressure. Pressure garments apply
external pressure to the collagen fibers so they form smoothly instead
of in nodules. This pressure helps to prevent raised scarring referred
to as “hypertrophiac scarring."
The goal of scar revision procedure is to improve the appearance of
the scaring by minimizing the size of the scar or by disguising it.
Acne Scars
Acne comes in
different forms:
-
mild acne, which
refers to the whiteheads or blackheads that most of us get at
various times
-
moderately
severe acne, which includes red inflamed pimples called
papules
and red pimples with white centers called
pustules
-
severe acne,
which causes
nodules
- painful, pus-filled cysts or lumps - to appear under the skin
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Most serious
scarring is caused by the more severe forms of acne, with nodules more
likely to leave permanent scars than other types of acne. The best way
to deal with acne is to get treatment soon after the acne appears to
prevent further severe acne and more scarring. If you have nodules,
see your doctor or dermatologist for treatment.
If you have
serious scarring from previous bouts with acne, there are some things
you can do. One form of treatment is
laser resurfacing,
which can be done in the doctor's or dermatologist's office. The laser
removes the damaged top layer of skin and tightens the middle layer,
leaving skin smoother. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to an
hour. The doctor will try to lessen any pain by first numbing the skin
with local anesthesia. It usually takes between 3 and 10 days for the
skin to heal completely.
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Another method for
treating acne scarring is
dermabrasion,
which uses a rotating wire brush or spinning diamond instrument to
wear down the surface of the skin. As the skin heals, a new, smoother
layer replaces the abraded skin. It may take a bit longer for skin to
heal using dermabrasion - usually between 10 days and 3 weeks.
Depending on the
severity of your scars, your doctor or dermatologist may also suggest
a more mild chemical peel or microdermabrasion, which are also done
right in the office, to help improve the appearance of the scarred
areas.
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In some cases, a
doctor may recommend surgery to remove deeply indented scars.
One thing you
shouldn't do to deal with acne scars is load up your face with masks
or fancy lotions - these won't help and may irritate your skin
further, making the scars red and even more noticeable.
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If you have a red
or brownish mark on your face that you got from a bad zit, have no
fear - it will eventually fade, just like the scars you had on your
knees after you fell off your bike when you were a kid. However, it
may take 12 months or longer - so your best bet is to avoid these
kinds of marks by not squeezing or popping your zits, no matter how
tempting it may seem.
To understand
scars, you need to understand acne. Acne refers to lesions or pimples
caused when the hair follicles (or "pores") on the skin become plugged
with oil and dead skin cells.
A plugged follicle is the perfect place
for bacteria to grow and create the red bumps and pus-filled red
bumps known as pimples. (The usual bacteria that causes acne is called
Propionibacterium acnes.)
Hormonal changes during the teen years often cause increased oil
production that contributes to the problem.
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