Scar is a word commonly used to refer to the tissue that forms on a cut, a wound or a burn after an incision of the dermis or a trauma. Scars can also form as a result of acne or vaccines (i.e.: smallpox) or after illnesses that manifest with pustules or rashes on the skin (i.e.: chicken pox, herpes, etc.).
There are two main types of pathological scars: keloids and hypertrophic scars.
A keloid forms on the skin after abrasions, wounds, burns or piercings. It starts as a normal scar and extends abnormally beyond the edges of the scar itself and is itchy and painful. Keloids develop more frequently in populations of African descent and appear prevalently on the sternum, shoulders and ear pinna.
Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloids but, unlike keloids, the excess scar tissue does not extend beyond the edges of the scar. In some cases, hypertrophic scars redden and are painful and itchy.
As Prof. Mario Dini confirms, scars can be corrected and improved but they cannot be completely eliminated. Aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery use dermabrasion treatments, chemical peels, laser treatments, etc. and special surgical techniques (Z-plasty, excision, etc.) that improve the appearance of scars, making them nearly invisible. The methods used to correct scars vary based on the type of scar (keloid, hypertrophic scar, retracted scar, etc.), its extent and where it is.
During the first visit, the professor will examine the type of scar, its extent and where it is located on the body in order to decide the most suitable method of treating it, taking into consideration both medical treatments and potential surgery.
Medical treatments to improve the appearance of scars are: massages performed several times a day and constant compression (for newly formed scars); occlusion with silicone gel sheets or silicone gel cream; cortisone injections; dermabrasion; laser treatments; treatments with low doses of radiation.
Surgical procedures to correct scars are: “Intralesional” excision (the surgeon works on the scar tissue without completely removing it); complete excision (complete scar removal).
In these cases, Prof. Dini performs the operations under local anaesthesia as an outpatient procedure.
The results that can be achieved by medically or surgically treating scars are highly variable, as they are determined by the type of scar, the treatment done and the patient’s physical features.