"Every scar makes us who we are" 
but we don't necessary want to expose them.

 

Many of us have at least one scar, some of us have many. Scars can remind us of an injury, unfavorable time, a bad acne breakout, elective surgery or maybe a victory mark over a battle against cancer.

I have been a Licensed Aesthetician since 2000. I have had a passion for helping people as well as making them feel better. I have had a focus on scar restoration for most of my medical aesthetic career. I have had much success improving the texture and pigmentation of scars using my proprietary methods. I combine Lasers for redness and hyperpigmentation with Microneedling and topical applications. The most challenging scars are the scar who are white or show loss of color in the scar tissue. I have perfected a technique that combines skin toned ink, using a very precise skin tone reader that tells me exactly which ink color matches the skin seamlessly. This ensures the scar blends into the skin almost perfectly.

 

It's important to understand what kind of scar you have. Here are the most common types:

Atrophic Scar- sunken indentations in the skin that can be caused by a number of factors, including acne scars, chicken pox and trauma injuries.
	Acne Scars- Changes in the skin caused by an inflammation or infection from acne break outs. Ice Pick, Boxcar, rolling scars, PIE (Post Inflammatory Erythema) are the most common types of acne scars.
Hypertrophic Scar- Raised Scar that forms when too much collagen is formed during the healing process. This can often be mistaken for a Keloid Scar.
	Keloid Scar- Thick raised scar that grows beyond the boundaries of the original scar. These scars must be treated by a physician. Traditional scar modality (treatments) done on Keloids can potentially make them worse. Advanced steroids or SRT (Superficial Radiation Therapy) is commonly used.
Stretch Marks- a type of scar that appears on the skin as a result of rapid stretching, causing the underlying collagen and elastin fibers to break down to the dermal layer of skin.

 

 

 

The Science of Scar Treatment

• Laser for pink/ red toned scars:  For most scars I always start with a laser if it is pink or red toned. The best type of laser treatment for that that type of scar is a Laser Genesis or microsecond Nd: Yag 1064nm. This will stimulate collagen which is ideal in atrophic or acne scars and will help lighten the pink/ red tones in a scar. It works by slightly damaging the wall of the vascular targets within the scar. The collagen stimulation strengthens the integrity of the skin of the scar and helps to build up a thinner tissue scar.

 

• Microneedling for any scar type: Microneedling is also referred to as CIT (Collagen Induction Therapy). This is a regular monthly appointment for my scar patients. We use this for a variety of reasons. We want to stimulate healthy collagen in a scar. Sometimes using heat in a hypertrophic or keloid scar will make it produce more scar tissue. For some scars we want no heat just breaking up scar tissue with the needles. We also use microneedling to make micro channels to deliver PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) to the deeper layers of the skin which help to mediate excess inflammation and deliver the platelet rich plasma which will help in the healing process. Skin Pen is the type of microneedle device that I prefer. Since I am a tattoo artist, I may also opt to use a tattoo needle that has a closer array of needles with less needles. This generally is my choice for stretch marks or atrophic scars that are deeper.

 

It’s not just about cosmetic improvement; it’s about restoring self-esteem and helping individuals embrace their beauty.

 

• Other Lasers for scars: Co2 can be used for burn scars or contraction scars. This will assist with better range of motion. This should be performed by a physician that has experience with these types of scars. Fractionated nanosecond or picosecond Nd:Yag 1064nmis also an option that is useful for atrophic and acne scars.

 

• Scar Camouflage: I have multiple pigment lines that use mineral based inks that I have stored in a Library of inks. I use a skin reader device that communicates with an App on my phone and tells me exactly which tones of ink will match that skin type perfectly. This is usually my last resort for the end of scar treatment. It blends the scar tone with the skin tone perfectly cutting down on scar visibility. This can be performed on ALL skin tones and types. 

 

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about how Scar Camouflage can make a difference in your life, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can transform lives one scar at a time!

Raechel Lowe Jaap
TheAestheticBlend.com