Scars

Odds are you’ve accumulated one or more scars in your lifetime. Whether you have raised, depressed, or flat scars, board-certified dermatologists Kunal Angra, MD, and Divya Angra, MD, their professional team can treat them to minimize their appearances at Sapphire Dermatology in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Reston, Virginia. Call Sapphire Dermatology or schedule an appointment online for professional scar-minimizing treatments today.

How do scars form?

Scars are visible evidence of your body’s remarkable healing and cell regeneration process. Every time you sustain a skin injury, cells called fibroblasts spring into action to produce new collagen fibers. These collagen fibers repair your skin’s breakage, often healing the injury with little to no medical intervention. 

Which type of scar do I have?

Some scars are easier to treat than others and that’s because they aren’t all the same. Sapphire Dermatology can classify and treat:

Flat scars

Flat scars lay flush on your skin, but they might stand out because of discoloration or a different texture than the rest of your skin. You’re most likely to get a flat scar if you apply the proper wound care to the initial injury. 

Raised scars

Raised scars, or hypertrophic scars, appear when your skin produces too much collagen in the healing process. They’re usually firm and sometimes bumpy. Over the course of months to years, your raised scar may flatten a bit. 

Depressed scars

Depressed scars, or atrophic scars, are sunken into your skin. They appear when your skin doesn’t produce enough collagen to fill in the damaged area. Pitted acne scars fit into this category.

Keloids

Only some people get keloid scars. They’re similar to raised scars but tend to be more robust. They typically cover an area larger than the wound itself. 

Contracture scars

Contracture scars come from massive injuries. As they heal, the skin grows tight and thick which can restrict your movement. 

The type of scar you have determines the best course of dermatological treatment for your skin. 

How can I reduce a scar’s appearance?

Sapphire Dermatology offers individualized scar treatments to break down excess collagen or increase collagen to further repair your skin. In many cases, it’s not possible to make a scar disappear entirely. But you might benefit from professional treatment options like:

• Topical vitamin E
• Steroid injections
• Dermabrasion
• Lasers and other light treatments
• Dermal filler injections
• Microneedling
• Scar surgery

Scar surgery can change the shape or size of a scar so it’s less noticeable or easier to hide. Typically, surgery isn’t recommended for raised or keloid scars as there’s a chance of making those scars worse. 

Call the Sapphire Dermatology office nearest you or schedule an evaluation online to review treatments for your scar today.