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A scar results from the body's healing response and replacing lost or damaged skin. Stretchmarks are a type of scar that develops when the skin stretches or shrinks quickly.
What is it?
Scars may be formed for many reasons, including infections, surgery, injuries, pregnancy or tissue inflammation. During the healing process of a wound, your body generates a collagen layer to seal the open space. The skin then grows over this collagen until the edges unite in the middle, forming a scar. Dermatology & Skin Surgery Center specializes in treating a wide array of scars, such as hypertrophic, atrophic, keloid and contracture scars.
Hypertrophic scars protrude from your skin due to an overproduction of collagen. The elevated area remains confined within the perimeters of the initial wound. These scars can be red and somewhat bulky. As the scar matures, hypertrophic scars may lessen over time.
Atrophic scars are indented rather than protruding from the skin. They occur when the skin fails to restore tissue. Acne is the most common cause of an atrophic scar.
A keloid is a dense scar that continues to expand and become more noticeable than the initial scar or wound. Keloid scars can result from skin injury such as a cut, burn, body piercing or surgical procedure. This enlarged, thicker scar is formed when the body excessively produces collagen, a protein found throughout the body. Darker skin tones are prone to this type of scar. Unlike other scars, keloid scars do not fade over time.
Contracture scars develop when a large area of skin is damaged, like in the case of a burn. These scars tighten as they age, restricting your movement.
How is it treated?
Typically, a visual examination of the skin is sufficient for diagnosing most scars. To analyze your scar thoroughly, we may need to conduct a skin biopsy and examine it under a microscope in our laboratory. After making a definite diagnosis and defining which type of scar you may have, we have several treatment options available to address scars, such as surgical scar revision, steroid injections or creams, silicone dressings or gels, laser therapy and cryotherapy.
We encourage you to book an appointment with one of our experienced board-certified dermatologists in Adrian, Battle Creek, Dowagiac, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Sturgis, Michigan, and Angola, Elkhart, Goshen and Plymouth, Indiana, for a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plan for your scar.