Scar Revision

Each scar revision option is designed to minimize the appearance of your scar by making it more consistent with its neighboring skin tone and texture. Although no one can completely erase a scar once it has formed, our procedures can help minimize the scar’s appearance.

Treatment options for scar revision range from topical solutions to surgical scar revision. At Music City Plastic Surgery, Dr. Burgdorf will evaluate your scar and skin health to recommend a scar removal treatment plan that is best suited to your personal needs.

Scar Revision Treatment Options

The severity of the scarring, including the size, location, and type of scar, largely determines what degree of improvement can be achieved with scar revision treatment. Dr. Burgdorf may also recommend a treatment protocol involving multiple scar revision techniques to help you achieve optimum results.

Topical Treatment

Topical treatment typically includes creams, gels, certain tapes, or external compression. These can help your wound heal or decrease your skin’s ability to generate abnormal pigment. Topical treatments are generally used to improve the look of developing or existing surface scars and irregular pigmentation. One topical agent that Dr. Burgdorf highly recommends is Silagen, a silicone based scar cream that is ONLY sold to licensed medical professionals. No web retailers nor Amazon carry this post surgical treatment gel. All Silagen products are vegan, gluten free, and not tested on animals.

Injectable Treatment

If you are unhappy with the appearance of a concave scar, injectable treatment can help by filling in the scar. Results from injectable treatment typically last from three months to a few years, so periodic touch-up treatment is usually required to maintain the results. One example of an injectable scar revision treatment is using a steroid-based compound that inhibits the body from producing collagen. This type of treatment can improve the size, texture, and overall appearance of a raised scar or keloid. Another example is the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers such as Restylane or Juvéderm, a naturally occurring substance that can thicken the skin directly under the scar to improve its appearance. Fat transfer can also be a more permanent option to fill in contour irregularities left by unsightly scars. Fat is taken from another area of the body and placed underneath a scar that has been surgically separated from its previously tethered location.

Surface Treatment

Dr. Burgdorf often uses surface treatment options to improve the aesthetic appearance of scars. With a surface treatment such as a chemical peel, Dr. Burgdorf can soften surface abnormalities and improve the appearance of blotchy pigmentation. Surface treatment is intended either to slough off the superficial skin layers or alter the nature of the tissue. The following techniques are common surface treatments used for scar revision:

• Chemical peels remove the top layers of skin, exposing the fresh skin underneath.
• Topical skin bleaching agents can lighten the color of the scar.
• Laser treatment: Lasers can improve the appearance of scars by targeting the color within the scar thereby decreasing their redness and pigmentation. 
• Scar revision surgery can improve the look of or possibly excise a severe scar.

Microneedling (Collagen Induction Therapy)

This minimally invasive collagen induction therapy procedure can reduce the size and improve the appearance of scars. Microneedling uses tiny needles to create a controlled skin injury and encourage new collagen and elastin production. Depending on its size and severity, the appearance of your scar may be improved with just one simple microneedling or with a series of microneedling appointments.

Dr. Burgdorf will review all these scar revision and removal options with you and work with you to decide which method of treatment can best help to improve the appearance of your particular scar.

Contact Music City Plastic Surgery for Scar Revision in Nashville, TN