What causes scarring?

A scar forms when the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin receive a severe injury or are disrupted by illness. As the skin heals, it may form lumps (hypertrophic or keloid scars), abnormal pigmentation (hypopigmented or hyperpigmented scars), red scars (vascular scars with too many blood vessels), or painful growing scars (keloid). Some scarring is caused by abnormal healing unique to an individual patient (keloid scars are of this type). Pitted scars are often associated with acne. Indented or ice-pick scars are typical of chicken pox, and darkly pigmented scars and white scars are caused when the skin’s pigment cells are damaged.

What treatment options are available for scars?

At ResultSPA, several options are available to treat any type of scar. Pulse dye, long pulse yag laser and CO2 fractional laser treatments are used in combination to soften lumpy scars, remove abnormal brown pigment, and reduce or remove redness. Medications (such as Aldara, Kenalog 40, 5FU and others) are used to impede the growth of abnormal scar tissue.

Soft tissue fillers, including permanent fillers, work well for depressed acne scars and areas where injury has caused tissue loss and dimpled or indented the skin.

Laser resurfacing may be used to vaporize or fractionally treat abnormal pitted or contoured acne scars. Years of experience allow us to recommend the best treatment method for you.

Can you help me prevent or minimize scarring before or after a surgical procedure?

Yes, we can come up with a plan prior to your procedure to minimize scarring. Optimally, we would like to begin treatments at between two and three weeks after your procedure. Typically, this will result in superior results, when compared to ‘watchful waiting’ of scars/healing. Dr. LaMond welcomes consultation prior to your procedure and will work with your surgeon to get optimal results.

Will my scar be removed?

Scars are not “removed”. Instead, their appearance is softened and lightened to make them less noticeable. The effectiveness of treatment will vary depending on the individual nature of each scar.

Laser scar treatment is performed in our office as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. Depending on the treatment area and the type of scar, treatment time may range from a few minutes to two hours.

 For more information, click here for our Scar and Acne Treatment Infomation Sheet.

Are there any side effects of laser scar treatment?

In rare instances, changes in skin pigmentation may occur, though this side effect can generally be avoided by protecting the treated area from sun exposure directly following treatment. Infection is also rare, but can be treated with medicated ointments or antibiotics.

Call today to get superior results on your unwanted scar or acne scarring!