Health Tip: Making Ugly Scars Scarce

-- Just about everybody has a scar or two. Although scars can't be eliminated, there are ways to minimize their appearance, the American Academy of Dermatology says.

The academy recommends a consultation between the patient and a dermatologist to decide the best treatment.

Here's a list of possible treatment options:

Dermabrasion: a machine is used to remove the top layers of skin.
Surgical scar revision: best suited for wide or long scars, a method of removing a scar and rejoining the normal skin.
Laser resurfacing: a method of removing acne and chicken pox scars that involves high-energy light to remove damaged skin.
Soft tissue fillers: injectable collagen used to elevate indented, soft scars.
Punch grafts: small pieces of normal skin used to replace damaged skin.
Chemical peels: the use of a chemical to remove the top layer of skin to smooth scars.

Other scar treatments may include pressure bandages, massages, silicone-containing gels or cortisone injections, according to the academy.

Posted: October 2018