My scar is raised. Any suggestions?

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

The history, time course, and the description sound most consistent with a small hypertrophic scar. In over three decades of experience treating these, I have found intralesional corticosteroid injections to be the most consistently and rapidly successful approach to treatment. Besides flattening the scars and eliminating any symptoms such as itching, which is sometimes present, the injections also ultimately help the scar to lighten from the reddish color you describe to a slightly off-white, ivory-colored one. 

Hello - If your scar is raised, often a small dose of steroid (Kenalog) carefully injected into the raised portion will help flatten the scar. Additionally, for redness and texture issues in scars, laser treatments (pulsed dye, IPL, or fractional Co2 - depending on the exact situation) help best. Best to you.

Topical treatments usually help flatten scars but sounds like you are looking to reduce the appearance of it. See a dermatologist with advanced training in laser resurfacing.