The Causes and Management of Painful Scar Tissue

Last updated 3 months ago

Modern medicine has made the treatment of many previously fatal and debilitating injuries and conditions possible. Unfortunately, open surgeries which are used to treat these conditions often leave scar tissue as a consequence of the healing process. Laser scar resection can reduce masses of scar tissue, leading to more attractive and less painful skin.

How Scars Form

To understand how laser surgery can heal scar tissue, one must first understand how skin heals after an injury. Skin is composed of many different substances, but its major structural component is a protein called collagen. In normal skin, collagen is assembled in a “basket-weave” structure, like a piece of fabric. However, after major injuries to the skin, it does not always reassemble itself properly. During the healing process, new collagen is formed in a side-by-side pattern, which lacks the soundness and strength of the lattice arrangement. This tissue is less resistant to ultraviolet light and can be painful or itchy.

How Laser Scar Removal Works

Different types of laser surgery are suited to different types of scarring. Keloid and hypertrophic scars are raised masses of collagen that typically form after traumatic injuries. These scars are best treated by a laser which stimulates the growth of new, properly formed skin beneath the scars. The lasers are not used to burn off scar tissue; rather, the damaged tissue will be sloughed off your body once new, healthy skin grows beneath it. Recessed, atrophic scars, such as acne scarring, are treated by ablating the skin around them with a laser, creating a smoother surface. This type of laser scar removal requires more recovery time, as it involves the active destruction of skin tissue.

If you suffer from painful scarring, new laser technologies can reduce your scar tissue and associated discomfort. Dr. James Ghadially, an orthopedist with over 30 years of experience, can help you live a better life. Learn more about our laser endoscopic scar resection procedures by calling the Center for Laser Spine Surgery at (832) 532-4889.