How to Prevent and Remove Scars - What are the Latest Advances?
Scar appearance improves over time, but why wait? Why not prevent a scar before it occurs? But how? Let’s take a deep dive into the latest advances in scar prevention and scar removal.
Clinical Expertise in wound care
Dr. Kaplan has over 20 years experience as a former board-certified emergency physician, specializing in aesthetic and regenerative medicine since 2019. Her experience managing complex trauma and surgical complications piqued her interest in alternative methods of treating wounds, particularly in preventing and revising scars non-surgically. She provides treatment options that enhance the traditional methods of wound care to speed recovery for optimal outcomes.
When do I start scar prevention?
As soon as possible! Early intervention is the key to successful scar prevention. Whether a scar can be completely avoided or reduced is dependent on how early the treatment is started and how aggressively it is managed.
What are the Different Types of Scars?
Acne scars tend to be depressed scars and are categorized as either Icepick, Box car, or Rolling types. Acne scars are caused by collagen destruction during the inflammatory process.
Burn scars occur when heat damages the skin. When burns only affect the top layer of the skin, the scar typically eventually fades over time. When the deeper layers of the skin are damaged, the scars can be permanent with thick, leathery, contracted or irregular appearance.
Hypertrophic scars are scars are thick, raised scars that are contained within the site of injury and may shrink over time. The pattern of collagen within a hypertrophic scar tends to be wavy.
Keloid scars are abnormally thick, raised scars that spread beyond the injury site and do not shrink over time. Keloid scars form as a result of an abnormal response to injury, creating excessive, thick collagen that holds no distinct pattern.
How can I prevent a scar from forming?
Understanding how healing occurs sheds light on how to best intervene. A fibrin clot will form at the site of a wound that promotes the release of platelets, white blood cells, and macrophages. Macrophages are responsible for releasing the body’s natural defenses to promote healing including several key growth factors responsible for healing. Among them include bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) which controls cellular proliferation of fibroblasts which are primarily responsible for building collagen. In other words, bFGF is important for the growth and regeneration of blood vessels, skin, fat, cartilage, tendons/ligaments, bone, and nerve tissue.
There are 4 stages of wound healing
Phase 1 Hemostasis (bleeding, clot)
Phase 2 Inflammatory (1 week)
Phase 3 Proliferation (fibroblast proliferation - 1 month)
Phase 4 Remodeling (3 weeks - 12 months)
Combination Therapy for Scar Prevention and Treatment:
At Rejuve Medspa, Dr. Kaplan applies her expertise and has several modalities available for the management of scar prevention and/or reversal. Depending on the type and severity of the scar, Dr. Kaplan will formulate a personalized plan for you. In most cases combining multiple modalities will provide the best outcomes.
HEALITE for Prevention of Scar Formation:
Scars can be prevented when we provide an environment where cells and intracellular functions are most efficient. Near infrared light has been clinically proven to speed recovery, lessen pain, bruising, swelling as well has enhance the cosmetic result of wound healing by boosting the ATP production or energy that the cells need to function.
At Rejuve Medspa we provide HEALITE II, FDA cleared for the temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain, arthritis and muscle spasm. HEALITE boosts the cellular response to wound healing by recruiting macrophages, mast cells, and neutrophils. Neutrophils are white blood cells that are vital in fighting infections, while macrophages release growth factors responsible for wound healing.
Exosomes for Scar Prevention:
Exosome Regenerative Complex promotes skin cell proliferation by up to 80% in a dose-dependent manner. This results in an increase in the Elastin amount of human dermal fibroblasts up to 300%. Exosomes are responsible for cell to cell communication vital to the recruitment of peptides and growth factors needed during the healing process.
Growth Factors for Scar Prevention:
Exogenous growth factors can be added to boost the body’s natural defenses during the wound healing process. While HEALITE and Exosomes boost your body’s own ability to recruit growth factors and peptides, there also also topical products on the market which contain concentrated amounts of growth factors that are specifically targeted for helping in the healing cascade.
CO2 Laser for Scar Removal
Lutronic eCO2 Plus is an ablative CO2 laser that can reduce the appearance of scars including acne scars, surgical scars, burn scars and scars from lacerations or other injuries.
LaseMD Ultra Laser for Scar Reduction:
LaseMD Ultra is a non-ablative laser most popularly used for skin resurfacing/rejuvenation is also capable of reducing the appearance of acne scars and other types of scars.
Genius RF Microneedling for Scar Treatment:
Genius RF Microneedling targets the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen, improve skin texture, tighten skin, and reduce pore size. Genius can also reduce active acne outbreaks by reducing oil production.
Subcision of Acne Scars:
Deep acne scars occur as a result of collagen loss and fibrous bands that attach from the skin surface to the fascia layer, causing a depressed or indented appearance of the skin. Deeply depressed scars will often require subcision to release the fibrous bands and stimulate collagen production.
Rejuve Medspa is located at the Newcastle Commons in Newcastle, WA. This area is conveniently close to Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island, Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, and Redmond.