Dog Bite: will microneedling help with scarring? (Photos)

Question

I was attacked by two pitbulls on 6/14/18. I have no insurance and I am terrified that waiting on lawyers & stuff is going to make scarring harder to treat. Will microneedling help? Can I do it at home? What can I do at home that will help? Also why does it feel like hard little pimples where the scars are at. Thank you.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Our office has many different treatments for scars depending on the depth of atrophy or hypertrophy. 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 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 scars and indented  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 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 lasers 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 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

Matthew Richardson, MD · Answer

Microneeding could help your scar flatten out and blend a little better, but I never recommend home microneedling for safety reasons. Adding PRP to microneedling could also help with the healing and overall look of scar treatments. Laser skin resurfacing treatments might also be helpful. In some cases, even surgical scar revision might be needed. An in-person exam would be very helpful to determine the best treatment plan.All the best,

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I recommend Silagen + Bioshield to promote healing. This can be improved with a combination of surgery and/or lasers and microneedling/prp. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Keri Sweeten, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question yes Non Ablative and Ablative Fractional Resurfacing treatments include scars and pigment reduction.

Valerie Schneider, MD · Answer

Thank you for your pictures and your questions. What an injury but it looks like you are healing well. The scars are likely to feel hard in some places as they heal so this is normal. I wish I could micro needle you today with my technique and my products because I know it will be effective. I would definitely not do this at home and seek out only Omnibioceutical Innovations professional growth factor to use with the microneedling procedure. I have been using this serum for many years and have treated many traumatic injuries. This product is the only one on the market with the patents and the purity you need. In over 1000 treatments, we have never had a non responder! There are so many microneedling procedures out there, but they are not the same. Please look for a practice in your area that only uses this product for microneedling. Best of luck
Sincerely,
Dr. Schneider

Edward M. Zimmerman, MD · Answer

Hi Kelly,
So sorry you are going through this.  Really bites! (Sorry!!, just trying to help you smile, cause this IS treatable)
Time is of the essence though, as your injuries are still remodeling and responsive to help now.  There are several things you might consider starting this week.  A series of at least 3 micro-needling sessions 3-4 weeks apart, using your own Platelet  Rich Plasma will aid healing and help blend the scars and soften them.  The treatments done in the office  after a good topical anesthetic is applied, are fairly comfortable and can go several millimeters into the scar and skin to blend and break up the scar tissue quickly vs the home rollers that rip the skin rather than puncture it and only go about half a millimeter deep.  You wouldn't usually pull your own tooth or cut your own hair, right?  Get help from a trained and knowledgable professional!
Next, pigment and vascular laser or IPL treatments will help blend the colors and pull red and brown out of the scars.  Again, sooner is better than later to get started.
Topical Silicon gel applied sparingly twice a day and protecting the injured skin with a good sunblock are all integral to getting you back to your pre-incident appearance.  
A tough fact in these situations is that the worse you look for a longer time, the more leverage the lawyer may feel they have, so they may be in no hurry to get to work...but if YOU wait longer to care for the injuries, they are more likely to leave mature scars that are more visible and more expensive to ameliorate with less favorable results.
It's probably worth the price of going to a cosmetic derm or similar doc who can document good digital pictures in your medical record as it will likely be requested for review.  They should be able to present, compare and contrast risks, benefits and costs for  a variety of solutions for you to choose from, so that you can get back to your normal life ASAP.
Hope that helps. I wish you peace of mind in dealing with this challenging event.  It DOES get better!
Best, Z

Amy Miller, MD · Answer

You poor thing!  Thank goodness it wasn't your eye!  
With scars we used to say wait 6 to 12 month for the scar to "mature" before doing any type of treatment.  We now realize that it is better to intervene a little sooner, while the collagen is still remodeling and scar tissue is forming, rather than to wait until it is all done.  At home and in office microneedling are an excellent options--it will help cause a more organized remodeling of the collagen and decrease scar formation.  I recommend the kind that stamp, not roll, because I feel the rolling actually causes more trauma as needles rip up through the skin.  You want a clean stamp, straight down and out through the same hole.  Silicone based topical treatments are helpful as well.
The pimple like things you are feeling may be nests of scar tissue.  A topical scar treatment massaged to the area daily should be helpful.  Residual redness can be decreased with laser treatments as well.
Hope this is helpful information.
Best regards,
Dr. Amy

Aurora DeJuliis, MD · Answer

I am sorry you had a bad experience with a dog. Microneedling using PRP works well for scars. You will need multiple sessions. You need to have the procedure done by an experienced physician. Home devices are not effective and carry the risk of skin infections.
Good luck.

Dog Bite: will microneedling help with scarring? (Photos)

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