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Dr Jagdish M jyoti - Cosmetic Surgeon,Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, India.

FAQ's

Scars


Q. What is a Scar?

Ans : Scar is a Permanent mark resulting from the process of healing of any breach in continuity of full thickness of skin. Injury to superficial part of skin may heal without Scarring.

Q. What is a Hypertrophic Scar?

Ans : These Scars are the result of excessive healing process and are raised above the level of surrounding skin, reddish in color and may be painful to pressure.

Q. What is a Keloid?

Ans : Keloid is a much more arrgessive scar than hypertrophic scar. It is grossly elevated and tends to spread and also involve the surrounding normal skin. Itching in the Keloid is Common.

Q. How Hypertrophic Scar Differs from Keloid?

Ans : Hypertrophic Scar Does not Spread to Surrounding normal Skin while the keloids spread. Hypertrophic Scar Usually shows an eventual tendency to regress spontaneously after 6-12 months of its formation. In Keloid, there is no such tendency to spontaneous regression.

Q. Any role of age, sex, race and site in developement of scars?

Ans : Scars in Children, generally remain harder and redder for longer than in adults & the red predilection for hypertrophic scars but keloids are more common in females and brown or black skin population. Most common sites for keloids are pre-sternal(anterior chest midline) area, shoulder and ear lobes and for hypertrophic scars, flexor aspects of the body.

Q. Is It Possible to eliminate the Scar Completely?

Ans : No, Once the scar is formed it may remain for ever, though it can be improved with the treatment and may become almost invisible.

Q. Can the Scars be Prevented?

Ans : Meticulous surgical repair will sure reduce the scars & once the Sutures are removed the area can be treated with IPL or Pulse Dry Laser.

Q. What are the Various modalities of Treatment of Scar?

Ans : Scars can be managed and reduced by IPL/VBeam Lasers, Steroid injections, Pressure therapy, Silicone Sheet applications, Radio therapy and Revision Surgery "z" plasty. Dermabrasion, & Derma-k Laser Resurfacing. But none of the above modality is 100% effective when used alone hence combination therapy is usually advised.

Q. Waht are the advantages of treatment of scars by laser(IPL/I2PL/Pulsed Dye Laser)?

Ans : As already mentioned no single modality is 100% effective. Best results are achieved when laser treatment is carried out in combination of steroid injection with or without pressure and silicon sheet application. Laser helps in reducing the vascularity of the scar and also helps in organising the disorganised collagen in hypertrophic scar and Keloids.

Q. Are there any side Effects?

Ans : Usually none. But there may be some short term reddening,swelling, burning, and pigmentary changes and in rare instances some blistering.

Q. How many Treatment Sessions are Required?

Ans : Usually 4-5 sessions may be required at an interval of 3 to 6 weeks. Sometimes more than 5/6 sessions maybe needed.