Scars are a significant aesthetic problem that in many cases affect self-image and daily function.
Prof. Yoav Gronovich has spent years researching the optimal treatment for scars. Among other things, he developed a unique silicone gel adapted for scar treatment, which allows significant improvement in scar texture and quality. Due to the addition of a sun protection factor to the gel, the scar can be exposed to the sun in a controlled manner even during the healing stages.
Acne lesions, cuts, and burns cause inflammatory processes and a high bacterial load in the wound environment, which impair the arrangement of collagen fibers that are supposed to be organized in a straight crosswise pattern. Scars are commonly divided into fresh scars-those that are up to one year from their formation at most-and old scars. The fresher the scar, the more it can be treated in order to bring about optimal healing. In general, the scar goes through several stages until it stabilizes and therefore, in old scars, the ability to influence it is significantly lower. This process lasts about one and a half to two years, and during this period it is still possible to influence the final quality of the scar that will form.
Therefore, once an injury appears, it should be treated as immediately as possible. On the other hand, in old scars, there is sometimes no choice but to correct them surgically and only afterward to treat them as a fresh scar. There are several factors that influence the final quality of the scar. A central factor is the technique and speed with which the wound or cut was treated in the first place. Proper closure of a cut or wound will allow good initial conditions for the formation of a good scar. Additional factors are genetics, sun exposure, the location of the scar in relation to the facial muscles and their movement, etc.
Unfortunately, there is no way to make a scar disappear completely. But with the technologies that exist today, it is possible to significantly improve the condition of the scar and blur it until it is almost impossible to notice it:
Silicone (gel or sheet)
has been proven effective in flattening the scar and promoting good healing of the scar. The silicone gel is transparent and easy to apply. Prof. Gronovich developed a unique silicone gel adapted for scar treatment, which allows significant improvement in the texture and quality of the scar. Due to the addition of a sun protection factor to the gel, the scar can be exposed to the sun in a controlled manner even during the initial stages of healing.
A silicone sheet achieves a similar effect to the gel and also creates mechanical pressure on the scar. Its major disadvantage is the discomfort and aesthetic disturbance, especially in exposed areas such as the face.
Laser
There are laser devices suitable for treating scars without performing resurfacing or causing injury to the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis). With this method, the laser beam penetrates directly into the dermis-the layer of the skin in which collagen fibers are found. The treatment significantly improves the appearance of the scar and does not injure the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. Laser treatments are carried out over a period of several months and their effect is gradual. They are also not associated with side effects. However, their major disadvantage is their high cost. In severe and raised scars, treatment may be performed with ablative laser devices that treat the scar from the outer layer all the way to the inner layer. Among other things, Prof. Gronovich is involved in the development of advanced and unique laser devices in this field.
Hyaluronic acid
Another advanced treatment is injection of hyaluronic acid into the scar in order to improve it. Hyaluronic acid encourages the production of collagen and elastin, which contribute to creating volume in an area where volume is lacking and to skin elasticity. This method is suitable for treating depressed scars, among other things because of its volumetric effect, which makes it possible to fill the scar.
Fat
This is excellent in the treatment of depressed scars, both because of the natural filling effect it creates and because of the stem cells found within it, which influence over time the quality of the final scar that will form.
In studies carried out by Prof. Gronovich, he found that the combination of fat injection and laser treatment is highly effective for scar treatment. This method is based on transplantation of fat and stem cells derived from fat (ADSC), which after being implanted in the body are able to develop into new cells. This is how the method works: the plastic surgeon separates the scar tissue fibers that create the depression characteristic of the scar, and in this way a space is created into which the fat and stem cells are injected. The fat creates immediate filling, and the stem cells later differentiate into skin cells and improve the quality of the scar. In the second stage, five laser treatments are performed using a wavelength that penetrates into the dermis and causes heating and release of collagen fibers. The results, in cases treated for facial scars-some due to acne damage and some due to trauma and cuts-are very good, with high satisfaction.
What is your challenge?
The treatment decision appropriate for scars is made after a consultation meeting in which the scars are examined and expectations are coordinated. You need to understand the process and the expected limitations in improving scars.
