scar removal

Overview
There are many exciting, new advances and techniques for treating all types of scars. Some of these
new scar removal techniques include the use of lasers or strong chemical treatments. Treatment
choices depend on the depth and size of the scar as well as the individual’s skin type. Deep scars
can be successfully treated with 1) surgical excision, 2) surgical revision techniques, 3) CO2 laser
resurfacing and 4) fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane. Moderate or shallow scars, on the other
hand, can be treated with 1) dermabrasion, 2) chemical peels and 3) CO2 laser resurfacing.
At Marcus Facial Plastic Surgery, our award winning facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Keith Marcus, offers
personalized treatment plans for each patient. During your complimentary consultation, Dr. Marcus
will discuss which procedure is optimal and he will personally address any questions or concerns.

Acne Scar Removal
Anyone who has suffered from severe acne knows that its resultant scarring can lead to psychological
and emotional distress, negatively impacting one’s self esteem. Anyone who would like to improve the
appearance and texture of these scars can benefit from one or many cosmetic treatment options.

Patients with deep ice pick scarring have a number of viable treatment options including surgical excision, CO2 laser resurfacing
(Deep FX), and soft tissue fillers (e.g. Juvederm, Restylane). Surgical excision is a useful modality for medium and deep depth scars.
With this technique, the surgeon will cut out the scar and suture the edges back together with a meticulous plastic surgery closure; this
leaves a less noticeable scar. CO2 laser is another treatment option that has excellent results. The CO2 laser is a newer advancement
that removes old layers of inelastic skin and treats deeper layers in the dermis; this aids in tightening and remodeling the collagen fibers
deeper in the dermis. Just one treatment can often get rid of noticeable depressions and discoloration. In addition, soft tissue fillers
such as Juvederm can be injected into the depressed scar tissue in order to raise the surface of the scar. This particular treatment
needs to be repeated approximately every 8-12 months.

Patients with shallow to medium depth, non-ice pick scarring are good candidates for dermabrasion, chemical peels or CO2 laser
resurfacing. Dermabrasion uses a wire brush or high-speed instrument with a rotating tip to abrade the superficial layers of skin. In the
dermal layers, dermabrasion removes shallow scars and reduces the depth of deeper scars by stimulating new collagen synthesis.
Chemical peels are also used for shallow scar removal. A chemical peel removes superficial layers of the skin with a strong acid
application that will stimulate new tissue regeneration and ultimately form fresh, new skin with additional collagen layers.

Traumatic and Surgical Scars
At one point or another, most of us have found ourselves looking in the mirror at an unsightly scar. Regardless of whether this scar is
from an accident, a fall or a planned surgery, it can usually be significantly improved with the ultimate goal of having it become completely
unnoticeable. Dr. Marcus is a fellowship trained facial plastic surgeon with a large armamentarium of scar revision techniques.

Surgical scars are often improved with revision techniques such as z-plasty, running w-plasty, or geometric broken line closures. These
procedures will help hide noticeable straight line scars or scars which fall outside the camouflage of normal skin tension lines. Laser or
dermabrasion can also significantly decrease the appearance of a scar. These will remove the superficial layers of skin and stimulate
deeper collagen to soften or eliminate the appearance of a scar. Dermabrasion functions very similarly to laser resurfacing but is carried
out with a different technology and technique. Each individual procedure has its own merits and indications.