Surgery or laser
Laser removal does not leave a scar, but requires many sessions at intervals of 1-2 months and works less well with colored pigments - yellow, green, white. Surgical excision solves the problem in one operation and is guaranteed to remove pigment of any color, but leaves a linear scar. The method is chosen for small tattoos, with laser-resistant pigments and when the result is needed quickly - for example, due to work requirements.
Why can't a scar be completely removed?
Any cut in the skin heals through the formation of a scar - this is the only way of recovery available to the body. Therefore, the task of the operation is not to “remove the scar,” but to replace a wide, retracted or deforming scar with a thin and inconspicuous one, located along the lines of skin tension.
The result depends not only on the technique, but also on the individual tendency to scarring, localization and subsequent care. Scars always form worse on the sternum, shoulders and back than on the face.
Types of scars
- normotrophic - at the skin level, the most favorable
- atrophic - retracted, below skin level
- hypertrophic - protruding, but within the boundaries of the wound
- keloid - grows beyond the wound, prone to relapse
When to operate
A fresh scar takes 6–12 months to mature: it gradually turns pale, flattens and softens. It is not advisable to operate earlier - the result may be worse than the natural result of maturation. The exception is scars that limit movement or deform facial features.