Hi Doctors, I just had a large bad scar on my neck and chin lasered at Mass General Hospital by a top surgeon. It crusted over with a dark crust within 2 hours. I was told it drilled thousands of little holes and then the skin remodels itself. It was covered with a bandage and I was told to keep it on for 4 days. But it keeps falling down, and it seems to be drying out underneath every time I look. IS DRYING AND SCABBING BAD FOR THE RESULTS? I keep saturating it with bacitracin and taping it back up, but each time I take it down to look it seems kind of dried out and scabby and crusted. Should I not be letting that crust build up? Is that crust and scabbing bad for the healing and smoothing and results?I feel like having it uncovered might be better so I can monitor it, and keep it moist by continually applying Aquaphor or bacitracin to keep it hydrated and make sure it doesn't dry out.What do some of you doctors think?Is the brown crusting bad for it? Should that be scraped off to the pink skin underneath.I have been applying bacitracin liberally about 2-3 times per day, but everytime I look at it it seems to be somewhat dry.Thank you in advance for the advice. I want the result to be optimal. I worry about the best way to heal, and how the scars will look. Its a learning experience every time.
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Answers (1)
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June 18, 2014
Answer: Laser Post Care
Jason Emer, MDDermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology
Pinpoint bleeding after a fractional Co2 laser is actually a very normal skin response to the laser, and it can happen minutes to hours after the procedure. The reason for this bleeding has to do with the depth of the laser penetration into the skin, and the relative size and shape of the...
Great Smile and Picture!The fat is normally placed deep to the skin and muscle and the laser affects only the superficial skin. Both techniques can help with the lids but in different ways.They are not mutually exclusive.
Everyone uses a different combination of pain control in patients undergoing laser resurfacing. We combine pain killers and sedative medications, as well as topical numbing and nerve blocks. Our patients do not like to feel pain at all! Most of all, it is best that you feel...