Speeding up healing of red scars

Question

I have very fair skin and it takes forever to heal from cuts or surgical scars. the wound heals fine but the incision stays red for months. are there any new studies to show that Red LED therapy would help to speed the fading process up? I've tried scar creams and silicone, didn't seem to do much.

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

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

You are describing what is medically known as PIE or postinflammatory erythema (redness)--which, much like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is a known aftermath for many kinds of inflammatory, surgical and infectious processes of the skin. I am not at all surprised by the lack of success with the scar creams, gels and sheets. I personally don't find them particularly useful and do not typically recommend them. I have had gratifying responses to the use of professionally performed, manual microneedling (no need for the added expense or risks of RF microneedling) accompanied by the application of prescription anti-redness medications. You would be wise to consult with a board certified cosmetic dermatologist. In general, the sooner this is treated the better.

Speeding up healing of red scars

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Speeding up healing of red scars

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