Scar Treatment for the Face

When you have an embarrassing scar on your face, you probably want to remove it as quickly and as effectively as possible. Your dermatologist can offer you many options for facial scar treatments. The one most effective for your will depend on your skin type, the severity of the car and the type of scar it is.

Laser Therapy

Laser scar treatments are effective for scars on the face that are puffy or raised above the surface of the skin. The laser treatment glides across your skin and remove the first few layers of skin to make the puffy scar flatter and less noticeable. Laser therapy might take a few treatments in order to be successful, but overall is a good treatment option for getting rid of smaller, puffier scars.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion treats facial scars that aren't severe enough to warrant laser or other heavy duty therapies. Microdermabrasion uses a cream that is applied to the skin with a rotating machine, that effectively buffs off the first few layers of dead skin. This could help someone who had a small surface scar. The scar will remain, but it will be smoother and far less noticeable.

Steroids

Steroids are used when the scars on the face are similar to keloids; large, puffy growths on the skin which are prevalent in injuries on people of color. The steroids are injected into the keloid, causing it to shrink. Other treatments can then be used to remove or diminish the scar.

Grafts

If the facial scars are large and unsightly, and cause damage to the surrounding skin through puckering or pulling, a skin graft may be required. A skin graft is a piece of skin taken from another part of the body, and attached over the place on the face where the scar is located. However, much recovery time is needed in order for the new skin to start blood flow.

Plastic Surgery

If you facial scar bothers you enough, you may see a plastic surgeon to have it removed completely. Depending on the area of the face the scar is located, the plastic surgeon may be able to cut the scar out and sew the skin back together. While it sounds like this would just cause more scarring, the stitches that are used are very fine, resulting in very small, unnoticeable scarring, which can be a great improvement.

Over-the-Counter Options

If the scar on your face isn't severe enough to warrant medical treatment, you might check out the skin care aisle of your drugstore. You'll find many creams that help to fade scars by smoothing the skin around them so that they blend in with the rest your skin. Brands like Strivectin and Mederma are both popular, and even come in patch form so that you can keep the creams concentrated on the scar.

References

• AAFPRS