How do you get rid of scars?

A scar results whenever the skin is cut or damaged through its full thickness. A scar can be made less visible by reducing its size or changing its appearance, but it is almost impossible to remove it completely without leaving any mark.

The method of treating a scar would depend on the type of scar, the scar's location, its size, the depth of the cut which created the scar, and the person's age, ethnicity, and...

A scar results whenever the skin is cut or damaged through its full thickness. A scar can be made less visible by reducing its size or changing its appearance, but it is almost impossible to remove it completely without leaving any mark.

The method of treating a scar would depend on the type of scar, the scar's location, its size, the depth of the cut which created the scar, and the person's age, ethnicity, and genetic disposition.

Keloid scars commonly occur among people of dark skin and they result from an unduly aggressive healing process. They tend to extend beyond the boundaries of the injury. They can be removed surgically, but this must be combined with injection of corticosteroids at the site of the removal to prevent recurrence.

Keloids can also be flatted with silicon sheets. If the keloid is a small one, it can be treated with cryotherapy, a form of freezing therapy that uses liquid nitrogen.

Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloids but do not extend beyond the boundary of the injury. They can also be treated by the administration of corticosteroid injections or flattened with silicon sheets. If treated surgically, hypertrophic scars may leave a new scar which may be worse after the surgery.

Severe acne can leave a scar which may be angular or wave like in appearance. A doctor would need to evaluate the scar carefully to determine treatment options. Similarly, contracture scars require a doctor's careful evaluation because the scars may have affected deeper structures such as muscles and nerves and could have impaired or restricted movements.

Other methods such as laser therapy, injection of dermal fillers, and skin needling may yield results that vary considerably in efficacy. The benefits of these options should be discussed with qualified medical specialists before considering them. Low-dose superficial radiotherapy is reserved for the most serious cases of hypertrophic and keloid scars after surgery.