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Keloid and Scar Revision

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When the body heals from a wound, whether it’s from a prior injury, surgery or illness, an unsightly scar can sometimes take its place and remind the person of the trauma they experienced. If the scar is large or in a visible location, it can have a negative impact on the person’s self-esteem or cause them embarrassment. While we cannot work with a magic wand, our certified clinicians can greatly reduce, or sometimes even completely erase the appearance of these scars with laser scar removal therapies, injectable steroids or surgical procedures.

Steven Bengelsdorf MD, has built his medical practice on the principle of personalized care. Patients who visit Franklin Skin and Laser can discuss their various concerns and trust that there are treatments through which their skin can be improved. Scarring is a common complaint, one that many people assume they must simply live with. This is not the case.

Several types of injuries may lead to scars on the skin. Due to the unique nature of individual scars and of different people’s skin, the way in which a scar is treated will vary from one person to another. In some instances, it is possible to remove scar tissue completely. In others, revision can significantly reduce the appearance of a scar. Dr. Bengelsdorf has the extensive training and experience you can count on to effectively treat scars.

Surface Scars

Often, scars involve the uppermost layer of skin. Surface scars are most often easily treated. These scars may be the result of inflammatory acne or other injury. Sometimes, surface scars will naturally fade, though it may take years and the skin may never return to an even tone. Dermatologic care with laser or other therapies can speed up scar reduction so that you can feel better about the appearance of your skin. Even keloid scars, which appear raised and thick, can be reduced with the appropriate treatment.

Hyperpigmentation scars are also common. These surface scars may cause the skin to look uneven in tone or aged in appearance. Patches of hyperpigmentation may be treated with topical solutions, chemical peels, or other modalities. Depending on the extent of scarring, the skin’s response, and the protocol used, several treatments may be necessary for optimal results. During consultation with your Dr. Steven Bengelsdorf, you can gain a clear understanding of the type of scar you have and the techniques that will produce the improvement you seek.

Deep Scars

Scars that involve tissues beneath the epidermis can be revised to reduce their appearance. Deeper scars may be the result of healing after severe acne, incision, or another significant type of wound. Deep scars may appear pitted due to the pull of scar tissue in the dermis. To address this type of scar, Dr. Bengelsdorf may recommend laser treatment or subcision, a procedure through which surface skin is released from the pull of scar tissue. Any evidence that is present on the epidermis may subsequently be treated with laser, radiofrequency microneedling, microneedling, or chemical peels. In some instances, optimal results are achieved through a combination of treatments.

Real Patient Results

Scar keloid graphic

Frequently Asked Questions

Keloid scars are the most intrusive type of scar tissue. Keloid growths occur from wounds when the body overproduces collagen and scar tissue in response to wound healing. In some cases, keloid scars can become large and cause deformities of the ear, face, neck or body. Keloid scars at first resemble hypertrophic scars, a raised scar above the surface of the skin. The difference is that keloid scars do not stay within the confines of the wound border. The scar tissue can grow larger than the wound and become bulbous, textured and discolored.
Although both hypertrophic and keloid scars can be raised above the skin, they do vary slightly when it comes to appearance. Hypertrophic scars are either red or pink and are usually hard and sturdy. Keloid scars, on the other hand, ae bulbous, often resemble cauliflower and appear in a variety of colors ranging from pink to purple and may have a shiny looking surface.
One of the easiest ways to tell hypertrophic and keloid scars apart is to take a closer look at the shape of your scar and its location. The most definitive feature of a keloid scar is that they expand beyond the boundaries of the original wound, spreading to the surrounding tissue. It’s not uncommon to find keloid scars in areas adjacent to the original wound, whereas hypertrophic scars will always stay within the boundaries of the original wound that caused them.
Scar formation can be a normal part of the tissue healing process. In some cases, scar formation can be excessive beyond what is necessary to heal a wound. Keloid and hypertrophic scars result from an abnormal wound healing response in particular individuals. They are the body’s response to trauma, inflammation, surgery or burns, and sometimes can occur spontaneously. Common skin injuries that lead to keloid growth are surgery, piercings, lacerations, abrasions, tattoos, vaccinations, injections, bites, burns, acne, chicken pox, folliculitis/ingrown hairs, and shingles.
Keloids and hypertrophic scars are formed due to excess collagen production during the wound healing process. Collagen is a structural protein that gives your skin firmness, strength, and durability. Even though collagen is necessary for a wound to heal properly, too much collagen can lead to a raised, abnormal scar.
The most common location we see keloids is on the ear lobe. An ear keloid is a type of fibrous scar tissue that forms after an injury, like a piercing! We also commonly see them on the chest, the upper arms, and the upper back, however, keoouds are not limited to these areas and may be seen anywhere on the body.
Scars can appear in many colors including red, purple, pink, white, or brown. The color of an individual scar is often dependent on the persons complexion and skin type. Most scars that are not keloids start off appearing red or pink for the first few weeks or months and may change over time due to the way an individual heals. The scar in question should avoid sun exposure which may cause hyper or hypopigmentation. We recommend using a physical sunscreen with a 30 SPF if the scar is in an area where it will be exposed to sun.
Non-surgical treatments are the first option for keloid scar removal in the early stages. Steroid injections and other non-invasive treatments can be effective in the beginning stages of a keloid growth or for smaller formations. Larger keloids may require scar revision surgery. The difficulty is that keloids can grow back, stimulated by the wounds caused during the actual surgical procedure. Scar removal may need to be followed by steroids and other treatments to reduce the chance of regrowth. Our board-certified surgeon can carefully remove large and small scars and provide follow-up treatment to limit scar formation.

BOOK YOUR KELOID OR SCAR REVISION TREATMENT TODAY!

Treatment for scars may not produce complete correction of damaged tissues. Dr. Bengelsdorf believes in providing patients with a clear expectation about what can be achieved in their unique situation and utilizes his surgical skills and expertise to provide the best cosmetic results possible.
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