What is a scar?

Scars are formed after an injury or surgery, and occur naturally as a replacement for damaged and missing skin. They appear distinct in colour and texture from regular skin cells and can vary greatly in shape, size and position depending on the incident that caused it.

There are also depressed and raised scars that appear sunken or lumpy depending on their tissue composition.

Types of scar revisions and treatments

Dermatologists use a variety of techniques to improve the appearance of one’s scar.

Topical treatments include the use of tapes, gels, and compression techniques to restrict the skin’s ability to form with discoloured pigmentation. It is also used to facilitate proper wound closure and healing

Implementing topical treatments is a largely simple procedure, and is used to treat existing scars as well as assist with other scar revisions post-surgery.

There are also injectable treatments that focus on supplementing solutions directly into the scar. For example, the use of dermal fillers is a common way of elevating sunken or concave scars.

Steroid compounds are another variation of injectable therapy used in scar revisions. These injected solutions limit our collagen formation and can manipulate the attributes of existing scar tissues for the better.

Finally, surface treatments involve the most direct methods of treating scars and are commonly undertaken for cosmetic adjustments. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons carefully utilise medical tools and chemical solutions to manually remove scar tissue through treatments such as:

• Laser or light therapy
• Dermabrasion
• Chemical peel solutions
• Skin bleaching agents

What is a keloid scar and how can scar revisions help?

A keloid scar is the formation of excess scar tissue that leaves a chunky raised scar. These scars tend to have a red or darker colour compared to normal skin and appear more frequently among darker-skinned individuals.

While it can happen to any developing scar, it most commonly appears on the chest, shoulders, cheeks, and earlobes.

Certain individuals may be more prone to developing keloids due to hereditary and genetic factors. Fortunately, it is possible to manage keloid growth through proper treatment.

What is skin swelling and what causes it?

Skin swelling is characterised by the manifestation of abnormally large bumps of discoloured skin. The inflammation of skin, bones, and muscles are the usual suspect when it comes to external swelling, but it can also be caused by an accumulation of fluid.

There are a handful of conditions that are tied to external skin swelling, such as injuries, certain illnesses, insect bites, infections and more. In addition to the aforementioned conditions, frequent causes of skin swelling can be attributed to:

• Hormonal changes
• Pregnancy
• Menstruation
• Rashes
• Hives

Localised vs widespread swelling

In cases of infections and insect bites, a person is likely to experience swelling in the affected area only. This is known as localised swelling where the inflammation is limited to a contained area of our body.

In contrast, widespread swelling happens across a large section of our bodies and is symptomatic of a more serious condition. Common causes of widespread swelling include:

• Anaphylaxis (or an extreme allergic reaction)
• Fluid retention
• Heart failure
• Kidney failure
• A diabetes diagnosis
• Certain forms of cancer
• A venomous insect bite

Book a consultation with one of our experts

SKINCENTRIC is home to licensed dermatologists and plastic surgeons that regularly apply their medical expertise to our patients’ benefit. Among the services our dermatologists provide are consultation, skin health evaluations, and effective treatment plans.

If your scars are causing any physical or emotional distress, or if you are experiencing prolonged symptoms of skin swelling, consider consulting a licensed professional at Bukit Tinggi Medical Centre’s SKINCENTRIC.