Self Harm Scar Revision Palm Desert
Having self harm scars may be a reminder of a time in your life when you were in a dark place, perhaps suffering from depression, loneliness, or anxiety. You may feel embarrassed, or have feelings of shame if they are noticeable. The stigma from society can leave you feeling awkward and socially isolated, now that you have recovered. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize or get rid of self harm scars so that you can feel like yourself again and put the past behind you.
At Beauty Refined Dr. Tantawi understands the significance of self harm scars to his patients, and knows how important it is to get the best outcome possible. He is board certified and specializes in surgery and cosmetic surgery, and is highly skilled in self harm scar revision. Request a consultation today with Dr. Tantawi to discuss the treatment options available for you.
Who is a Good Candidate for Self Harm Scar Revision?
Self Harm scars can be a painful reminder of the past, and keep you from moving forward in your life. You may be a good candidate for scar revision if:
- Your scars are over 6 months old
- You have recovered and are no longer harming yourself
- You are tired of trying to hide them with clothing or makeup
- You want clear smooth skin
- You understand that it may take several treatments over a period of time
Scar revision can change how you feel about yourself, but it won’t happen overnight. However, patients report that the procedure is worth it and that they feel free of the feelings they had when the scars were noticeable.
Self Harm Scar Revision Treatment
Steroid Injections
Corticosteroid injections can be used to help flatten and shrink raised scars. The procedure involves injecting a steroid solution directly into the scar. Steroids break up the bonds between collagen fibers, helping to reduce the amount of scar tissue.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Self Harm scars respond well to laser resurfacing treatment, and may be treated with more than one type of laser. Both types of laser technology used for removal of scars are effective in removing self-harm scars. However, they have different capabilities in the removal of different types of scars.
Erbium lasers are highly effective in treating raised hypertrophic and keloid scars but are less effective against depressed boxcar scars.
Pulsed dye lasers are very good at treating boxcar depressions that result from moderate to severe scarring.
They are also effective in treating ice pick scars that are characterized by narrow punctate holes in the skin. Because of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, this type of laser is less effective against linear marks caused by dark skinned individuals because they cause permanent damage to melanocytes.
The treatment for self harm scars is performed in a series of sessions. Each session is spaced four to eight weeks apart. The number of treatments needed will depend on a variety of factors such as the depth and width of the skin damage, skin type, color of your skin and the location of the scarring.
Dermabrasion
For lighter, less deep scars, dermabrasion can help blend the scar into your skin. This is another skin resurfacing procedure that uses a rotating device that exfoliates your skin.
The new skin that grows back after scabbing is smooth and clear. Your skin will be scabbed and then blotchy for 2-3 weeks. It takes about three months for your skin tone to return and skin to become smooth. It may take more than one treatment to obtain results.
Self Harm Scar Revision Surgery
Skin grafting can be used for deeper scars. This procedure involves micro dermablading, or cutting out the scar and taking skin from another part of your body, and grafting it over the area. Skin grafting has good results, and after healing, may leave scarring that eventually fades or can be treated with a laser, once healed.
At Beauty Refined Dr. Tantawi has a full range of treatments to remove your scars and help you get back the confidence you deserve. Call today or request a consultation online and discuss the desires and goals you have for your scars. He will come up with a treatment plan for your unique situation so you can have smoother, more beautiful skin without scarring.