Hi! I have numerous cigarette burns and some knife wounds that are very old (approximately 15 years). They have faded as much as possible, but are now much whiter than the rest of my skin (which is very fair), so they are still quite visible. None are keloid and most are not raised to any significant degree, although a few are.
I have not had any consultations yet, but spoke to a plastic surgeon friend who does not specialize in this area. He said Fraxel might help somewhat, but didn't think the results would be spectacular. I used some sort of silicone strip (scar-ease?) about 5 years ago for several months, but the scars were already white and pretty flat, and I didn't see any real improvement. Other than that, I haven't tried much besides just giving them years to heal. I can't find a lot of research on this.
What type of procedure do you think is most likely to lead to satisfactory results? How do I find a U.S. doctor who specializes in this sort of skin repair? I know experience is the most important thing when selecting a physician, but I can't seem to find anyone (at least looking online) who specializes in this sort of thing. I'm okay with some sort of scarring, so long as it's not obvious what it was from. That is, I don't care so much about my skin being aesthetically pleasing, so long as it's not embarrassing in this particular way.
Answers (10)
From board-certified doctors and trusted medical professionals
Often keloid treatments of the ears require a multi modality approach with the following therapies:
Surgical excision- In some cases the keloid must be excised because other therapies are not effective. Surgery alone is rarely effective in managing keloids
Kenalog injections-...
Thank you for your thoughtful question. Raised scars, particularly on the forehead, can be stubborn due to the skin’s limited fat cushion and frequent muscle movement in the area.
Why the Scar Sometimes Looks Raised
The appearance of the scar fluctuating—sometimes flat, sometimes rai...
Thank you for your detailed question. Scars from transaxillary (armpit) breast augmentation can sometimes be more challenging due to constant motion, sweat, and tension in that area. Given that your scars are 5 years old, widened, and pigmented, it's understandable to seek better outcomes after...