AN ALL-AROUND GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE SCAR MANAGEMENT WITH AESTHETIC TREATMENTS

A comprehensive guide about scars and their management

Scar management with aesthetic treatments plays a crucial role in healing and recovery. Scars can be a reason why you might feel physical or emotional discomfort, but there are a lot of effective scar management treatments that you can opt for at Lucia Clinic. According to the type, size and texture of your scars, Lucia Clinic’s skin experts and dermatologists offer you a customized treatment plan that reduces or fully eliminates your scars. These treatments are not just about beauty and restoring smooth and clear skin. They can also improve the overall quality of your life in emotional and physical aspects.

Let’s talk about scars and their management in more detail.

WHY DO SCARS DEVELOP AND WHAT TYPES OF SCARS ARE THERE?

Scars develop when your body repairs and rebuilds the damaged skin tissue. This process is a result of the complex biology of healing the wound. Your body is amazing and can do so much when it comes to healing. Unfortunately, sometimes a scar is left behind as a memory of the wound. That’s when you start to become self-conscious and wish for the scar to disappear.

Scars are most commonly composed of fibrous tissue. They form as a result of an infection, surgery, inflammation or injury. Scars may develop anywhere on your body and look flat, bumpy, colored or sunken.

When determining the best treatment for a scar, a dermatologist examines your skin type, the location of the scar, the wound’s direction, the type of injury that caused the scar, and your age.

The most common types of scars are

KELOID scars – they develop when the tissue overgrows while your body is healing the wound. They can be red or purple and appear raised above the skin. They are thick and rounded and go over the healed tissue. Keloids develop from collagen that is produced during your body’s healing process and can appear anywhere on your body after up to one year post-trauma.

SURGICAL scars – they are similar to keloid scars and form while your body is healing the wound.

CHICKEN POX scars – these scars form if you scratch the pox. They are known as depressed scars and need more time to heal than other scars.

HYPERTROPHIC scars look similar to keloids. They develop within the boundaries of the skin injury. They are most commonly red, raised and thick. They start to form after a few weeks post-trauma and can in some cases disappear on their own.

ACNE scars – These scars are very common and can be of different subtypes.

    • Pseudo-scars are most common and develop after inflammatory acne in the form of red marks.
    • Depressed or atrophic acne scars look like holes, pits or craters in the skin. They can be subcategorized into
      • Ice pick acne scars that look like deep pores. They are narrow and small
      • Rolling acne scars don’t have edges only indentations.
      • Boxcar acne scars look like flat-bottomed pits with raised edges.
      • Hypertrophic acne scars look like small bumps over the skin and develop because of skin cells’ overreaction.

WHAT ARE DIFFERENT AESTHETIC TREATMENTS FOR DIFFERENT SCARS?

Successful scar minimization or complete elimination is more than skin deep. It’s your journey to emotional and physical healing. Although scars tell stories about your past, they don’t need to dominate your present or future. This is where aesthetic scar treatments take center stage. With the right scar treatment strategy, you can achieve smooth and clear skin again.

First thing first – customization. When talking about the right scar treatment for you, your dermatologist must tell you that there isn’t one size treatment that fits everybody. This is what singles out a dedicated and skillful professional – like the ones you will meet at Lucia Clinic.

Lucia Clinic’s skin experts tailor a bespoke scar management treatment plan according to your personalized needs, the type and location of your scar and your desired outcomes. This is the best approach to treating your scar issues and it guarantees optimal results.

Also, to achieve maximal results it’s important to follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding aftercare. Take good care of your skin after scar removal treatments and your skin will be smooth and finally scar-free.

What more advanced aesthetic treatments are used for scar management?

LASER RESURFACING

treatments are super effective in reducing different types of scars. This procedure can effectively reduce scars that formed several years ago. Lucia Clinics offers you various laser therapies that effectively reduce acne and other scars.

You can opt for CO2 laser or fractional laser therapy – all depending on your scar concerns and expected results. Laser therapies can reduce acne scars, red scars, surgical scars, keloid scars and depressed scars.

One of the most advanced laser treatments that can reduce even the most stubborn scars is

ALMA HYBRID OSCAR

treatment. It is groundbreaking because it can be customized to create a perfect combo of ablative CO2 and non-ablative 1570nm lasers.

The first energy combines ablative, thermal and coagulative effects for a super precise fractional laser therapy. The other energy heats the dermis layer in your skin and triggers collagen production, without damaging the top layer of your skin.

This significantly reduces downtime because each treatment is fully customized to address your individual scar concerns.

As a cherry on top, the Alma Hybrid OScar treatment is finished with IMPACTTM, a special applicator that fuses your skin with important nutrients and boosts the results even further.

Fractional laser therapy creates numerous narrow columns of light that cause the collagen in the scar to tighten. The laser can go deeper into the skin – all depending on your scar concerns. Typically the recovery time after fractional laser therapy lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.

iPIXEL fractional laser

is an effective and safe acne scar treatment that brings you long-lasting results. During the treatment, the laser beam is split up into many beams that form a 7 x 7 pattern.

The laser is quite powerful and goes deeply into your skin. Again, it doesn’t harm the surface of your skin. It only targets a fraction of the damaged skin tissue. That’s why it’s so effective in reducing acne scars.

CLEAR+BRILLIANT

is an awesome fractional laser treatment for reducing acne scars. It boosts collagen and elastin production in your skin which gradually improves the appearance of the top layer of your skin.

During the treatment, the top layer of your skin doesn’t get damaged because the treatment zones are microscopic. The beams of light that this laser emits penetrate your skin and trigger your skin’s natural healing processes.

It’s great for darker skin tones because the laser beams are absorbed by water in the skin and not by pigment.

Non-ablative lasers heat the dermis of your skin and boost collagen production. As the new and healthy collagen builds up, the skin becomes smoother and clearer.

SECRET ERBIUM LASER

is non-ablative and can significantly reduce acne scars. It is one of the most cutting-edge treatments because it is safe for all skin types and doesn’t need a long downtime.

It’s perfect for reducing atrophic scars.

During this treatment, the laser goes deeply into the lower layers of your skin. The light coagulates and remodels your skin tissue. Again, this laser therapy doesn’t harm the top layer of your skin and it’s very gentle. It is effective in reducing scars because it can cover large areas without vaporizing skin cells.

Radiofrequency treatments are very beneficial for your skin because they don’t harm the top layer of your skin while reducing the visibility of scars.

RF PIXEL

treatment reduces acne scars, surgical scars and injury scars.

It travels deep into your skin and stimulates your body’s healing processes which gradually make the scars less visible.

This treatment is very advanced because the applicator tip ablates only the skin area where the acne scar is. The surrounding healthy skin tissue is left undamaged. This healthy tissue gradually healed the ablated part of your skin.

What’s great about this treatment is that is suitable for all skin types and doesn’t require a long downtime.

DERMAL FILLERS

are also a great ally in reducing scars.

Their main function is to add volume, and once they are injected into the scar they raise up the skin at the base of the scar to make it more even with the rest of the skin surface.

Dermal fillers are perfect for depressed acne scars, pox marks and surgery scars.

Additionally, Dermal fillers hydrate the skin and improve its overall texture.

If you use Dermal fillers for addressing your scars for a longer period of time, they gradually break up the scar tissue. The hyaluronic acid that Dermal fillers consist of, triggers collagen production which significantly reduces the visibility of your scars.

What are the best non-invasive treatments for scar management?

CHEMICAL PEELS

can improve the look of mild acne and other scars. This aesthetic treatment includes applying a special chemical solution to your skin in order to exfoliate the surface layer of your skin. The right chemical peel removes dead skin cells, residue oil and debris. The new and healthy skin layer is gradually revealed. It looks smoother and has an evener texture.

Medium and deep chemical peels are also very effective in treating deep acne scars. However, they require a longer recovery period, especially deep peels.

There are numerous medical-grade chemical peels that are used at Lucia Clinic. During your consultation, your Lucia Clinic skin expert will recommend the most suitable chemical peel solution for your scar concerns.

MICRODERMABRASION

This aesthetic treatment is super effective in treating some types of acne scars, pox marks and injury scars. If you have fair skin, this treatment is best for you. For people with darker skin tones, it can cause skin discoloration. During this procedure, your Lucia Clinic skin expert uses a special handheld applicator to gently exfoliate the surface layer of your skin or epidermis. After the treatment, smooth and better-toned skin is gradually revealed.

Microdermabrasion is best for depressed acne scars that lie flat against the surface layer of your skin.

For ice pick scars that lie deeper in your skin or scars that lie beyond your epidermis, this treatment is not very effective.

HOW TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE SCARRING?

One of the best scar management is prevention and early intervention with aesthetic treatments.

Early intervention is very beneficial because it can bring you satisfying outcomes. Addressing your scars early prevents excessive scarring and helps with the healing. Early management also includes taking care of the wound carefully.

Here are some tips for early scar management.

  • Keep your wound clean.
    This prevents infections and speeds up the healing. When you properly clean your wounds you won’t cause complications that can lead to excessive scarring later.
  • Protect your wound from the sun.
    While your wound is healing it’s crucial to keep it away from UV exposure, because UV rays can make your scars darker and more visible. So, apply a high SPF when going outside.
  • Keep your wound covered with bandages and apply pressure.
    This will prevent excessive collagen build-up.
  • Start using Scar management products on time.
    After your wound is closed, you can use special scar management solutions like silicone sheets or gels.

To prevent acne scars from forming it’s important not to pop the acne when they appear and to strictly follow your acne treatment protocol.

One more thing – if you are prone to developing keloid scars you need to inform your doctor in advance. They can use different surgical techniques that can minimize the chance of keloids after the surgery.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING SCARS?

Let’s discuss some common myths about scars and their solutions.

MYTH: There is no solution for my scar issues.
FACT: Each scar can be treated successfully. You just need to get a customized treatment protocol, that will address your individual scar concerns.

MYTH: Exposing to the sun makes pink scars turn brown and more blended.
FACT: The sun causes hyperpigmentation and makes your scars even more noticeable. Keep away from the sun or use high SPF when going out.

MYTH: Hydrogen peroxide is great for cleaning new skin after injury.
FACT: It actually destroys new skin cells. Clean your injury just with water and mild soap.

MYTH: Let your injury air out.
FACT: This will dry the skin and slow down the recovery. Keep your skin moist.

MYTH: All scars gradually turn light and fade away.
FACT: Some scars do improve naturally, but keloid and hypertrophic scars don’t. You need a proper treatment to reduce their visibility.

For more information on scars management aesthetic treatments visit or call Lucia Clinic.