What is scar revision?
Scars are the body’s natural response to an injury, whether the result of trauma, burns, surgery or a skin condition such as acne. The body produces collagen to heal and strengthen the wound and as the scar forms and then matures, it will greatly change appearance.
Most scars will heal well and gradually fade and flatten over time, but some may remain unsightly, painful or cause functional problems due to their size or position constricting the skin.
Keloid scars occur when excessive collagen is produced and can overgrow the initial scar site and appear very swollen, red or raised and be itchy or painful. Some people can be more susceptible to keloid scarring and they are more likely to appear in certain areas of the body, such as the chest, arms and shoulders and the upper back.
Hypertrophic scars are thickened, raised scars caused by too much collagen production but do not extend beyond the edge of the wound. They can cause skin contracture and limit function and movement depending on where they are positioned.
Scar treatment, also known as scar management or correction, aims to improve the function and appearance of scars and Mr Juling Ong offers a number of different surgical and non-surgical procedures and works with medical practitioners from other disciplines if required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does scar treatment entail?
Mr Juling Ong will assess the appearance, size and position of the scar and recommend the best treatment options, depending on whether it is highly pigmented, a keloid scar, lumpy or stretched tight or present as pitted indents. He will ask questions to determine how the scar was formed and if it is has responded to any other therapies.
What are the surgical and non-surgical treatments for scar correction?
Non-surgical therapies include scar massage, compression or the use of silicone in the form of sheets and gels and often yield the best results while the scar is maturing. Steroid injections can be very useful in the treatment of hypertrophic or keloid scars.
Pitted or indented scars can be improved with the use of dermal fillers or fat transfer. Surgical management of scars includes changing the shape, size or direction of the scar or local flap reconstruction. Mr Juling Ong usually recommends waiting for the scar to mature before revision surgery takes place.
In some cases, Mr Juling Ong may advise the use of laser therapy to manage and treat scarring.
Are there any risks to scar treatment?
It’s important to realise that any scar treatment entails replacing one scar for another. Mr Juling Ong will carefully plan scar treatment to significantly improve the appearance of the original scar, but it is not usually possible to fully ‘remove’ it.
During your consultation, Mr Juling Ong will explain all potential risks and discuss your treatment options in full. Please call us on 020 7927 6528 or email us at info@julingong.com to arrange an appointment.
