Scars form part of the skin's natural healing process whenever multiple layers of skin are injured. The injury may result from an accident, surgery, burns, or severe acne.
There are three types of scars: Atrophic, Hypertrophic, and Keloidal.
Stretch marks or striae are often the results of the rapid stretching of the skin associated with rapid growth (common in puberty) or weight gain (e.g., pregnancy, muscle building, or rapid gain of fat).
One should always use good emollients while anticipating sudden weight gain or loss. This may minimize the appearance of stretch marks.
Yes, the scar reduction is permanent.
Laser beams work on the principle of producing micro-injuries in the deeper layers of skin, thus stimulating new collagen formation and making the scar shallow and narrower with each subsequent sitting.
Yes, the ablative pixel Erbium YAG laser is the best bet for safety and efficacy on Indian skin. The biggest advantage of Laser treatment is the speed with which the results are achieved. Most patients notice improvement after the very first sitting.
The procedure feels like snapping a rubber band and is usually tolerated by most patients. But for sensitive individuals and at higher fluence levels, topical anesthesia with a mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine for 60 minutes before the procedure may be needed. As an alternative, cold air or ice may minimize discomfort.
No serious side effects or complications are noted post-treatment, however, some patients may get redness and inflammation over the treated area, which is self-limiting and settles overnight. Ice compresses may be applied to the treatment areas to speed up recovery and to make you more comfortable.
Scar revision requires 3 to 5 sittings while stretch mark reduction requires 6 to 8.