Laser Scar Removal

What is a scar?

A scar forms as a result of our body mending the damage in our skin caused by an injury. Scars can be flat, raised or sunken, depending on the circumstances that caused the wound. When the skin is under great and rapid tension, scars can also appear as stretch marks.

Scars can be categorised by their colour, shape, texture, and causality.  The most common types of scars that we treat at QC skin cancer & laser clinic are:

• Surgical scars- following recent or past surgeries.
• Hypertrophic- raised scars.
• Atrophic- sunken scars.
• Keloid scars – raised scars which grow larger than the original injury.
• Acne scars- marks left behind after clearing acne lesions.
• Stretch marks (Striae)- marks caused by rapid growth or tension.

What treatment options are available for Scar removal?

Given the wide range of scars, effective treatment often requires multiple tools and modality of treatments. One of our cosmetic doctors will assess your scars to diagnose the type of scar and determine the best possible treatment options we can offer you. Treatment options can include any or all of the following:

Laser treatments

At QC skin cancer & laser clinic we use a wide range of ablative and non-ablative lasers to achieve optimal results. Laser treatment uses heat energy on the targeted areas to stimulate your body’s natural healing response, which will resurface the skin and remodel the scars. With our laser devices, our skin care specialist will be able to control the width and depth of the heat energy, customising the treatment based on your skin’s specific needs. This equipment also includes a cooling technology that will make your experience more comfortable. We may also combine the Laser scar removal with pigment or vascular lasers to reduce the red, purple, or brown appearance of some scars. This combination can drastically reduce the appearance of scars.

Laser scar removal sessions can also be utilised as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of scaring following surgery or injury, whilst blending the newly healed area into the surrounding skin.

Surgery
In some cases, scaring and underlying tethering require minor surgical interventions prior to commencing laser scar removal treatments. In some cases, scar revision surgery is required.

What can you expect during a laser scar removal treatment?

Prior to your laser scar removal treatment, you will meet with one of our cosmetic doctors for a consultation. They will discuss your treatment goals and figure out how many sessions you may need to achieve your desired cosmetic results; many patients will see improvement after only one session though up to 3 sessions might be required to attain maximal improvement. Factors such as the number, size, and type of scar being treated will determine the required number of sessions predicted.

During the treatment, our skin care specialist may apply numbing cream or injections. This step is not mandatory, though can reduce the discomfort of the laser if desired. The procedure will generally take between 20-45 minutes, depending on the treatable area.

After the treatment, you may notice some temporary side effects including redness, dryness, or a feeling of light sunburn in the treated area. To help with the healing process, our skin care specialist will prescribe you an ointment to apply on the treated areas. The use of a cold damp cloth on your skin may also provide healing benefits in the initial hours following your treatment.

It is extremely important to avoid sun exposure to the area for 4 weeks to reduce any complication risks during the healing phase.