How can I treat my mole removal scars? (Photo)

Question

Age 21, I had 3 moles removed and stitches on my cheek for about a week. This procedure was 14 months ago and my scars are still very red. I had 2 vbeam sessions that appeared to do nothing. Wondering if it’s still healing.

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

The question raises several issues. For one, the wisdom of using excision and stitch closure for mole removals in cosmetically important areas, such as the cheeks, subject to a great deal of static tension and dynamic muscular movement. For another, the true value of relatively expensive, faddish, "bells and whistles" energy-based treatments whose hard science to support their use lags well behind the heavy marketing to promote their use.. When it comes to mole removals from regions subject to a great deal of static tension or dynamic motion, Scalpel Sculpting should be considered. It requires no deep cutting nor any placement of stitches that can lead to stretch scars, tram track stitch marks, and surface color irregularities, as appear to be the case here. As to treatment for the current situation, if the depressions are disturbing, subcision with or without the us e of filler can be used to elevate and smooth the scars. For the redness, professionally performed microneedling accomplanied by the application of prescription redness reducers, like tranexamic acid, oxymetazolene or brimonidine can be helpful. Make sure to consult with a board certified cosmetic dermatologist and best of luck.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Our office has many different treatments for acne scars depending on the depth of atrophy or hypertrophy. Acne scars require a combination approach using our HI DEF protocol which uses a combination of lasers, topical scar modulation, and RF treatments to pixelate scars, improve contour, reduce hyperpigmentation, and improve the visibility of the scars so that they are no longer visible in ambient light. Everyone has a unique pattern of acne scarring and we employ our HIDEF technique to improve texture, color, contour, and topography. We often use a combination of treatments that begin with a careful examination to examine the micro texturing of the acne scars. Atrophic acne scars and indented acne scars can benefit from injectable fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra, and Restylane with or without subcision to remove tethered scars and atrophic depression. Hyper-redness in scars can be been improved with V beam laser, Excel V, BBL, IPL, and Venus RF to improve  the redness and reduce the visibility of deep scars. Fractional Thulium laser and clear & brilliant can also reduce the inflammation and redness of the scar when combined with topical therapy. Fractional laser such as Fraxel, erbium, and CO2 laser can be combined with radio frequency and also fractional RF to improve textual issues and microtopography. Subcision and TCA cross are also used for deep ice pick scars and narrow valley scars in order to improve the micro texture.  Above all, our combination approach with our clinical nurses and board-certified plastic surgeons can improve the quality of your skin by using at home Melarase creams combined with PRP treatments in our office to improve your skin quality and tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an experienced team of experts in order to reduce your acne scarring.
 
Finally, hyperpigmentation of scars can be improved with at-home Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads to help reduce active PIH and melanin deposition.

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

How can I treat my mole removal scars? (Photo)

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