All You Need To Know About Scar Removal Treatments In Singapore
Acne scars are caused by inflammation of severe cystic acne. When acne pore swells up, breaking down the wall of the pore, it may spill over to the surrounding tissue and cause deeper damage to the skin.
Types of scars
In response to the damage, the skin responds by repairing the scar by forming new collagen fibers. In general, there are 2 types of scars:
ATROPHIC SCARS An indented scar that heals below the surrounding skin tissue. It forms when the skin is unable to regenerate sufficient collagen during wound recovery, causing it to form a depression on the skin. Most commonly formed as a result of severe acne and chicken pox.
HYPERTROPHIC SCARS It is characterized by a deposit of excess collagen which causes a raised scar. This happens when wounds heal overzealously above the skin surface. In certain circumstances when the scar tissue grow beyond the original wound margins, keloids are formed. For the purpose of this article, we will focus our attention on atrophic scars, or depressed scars.
Types of acne scars
If you have acne breakout or chicken pox before, you are likely to have one or more of the following types of scar tissue:
ICE PICK SCARS Just like its name, ice pick scars resemble an indentation made by an ice pick tool. It has a wide opening that narrows down to the base of the scar. It is challenging to treat ice pick scars because it goes very deep into the skin.
ROLLING SCARS These scars often appear on both sides of the lower cheeks where the skin is thicker. They are calling rolling scars because they have poorly defined shapes with sloping edges, making the skin look uneven with an ‘orange-peel’ texture.
BOXCAR SCARS These scars have clearly defined edges that go deep into the skin and have a ‘box-like’ appearance.
How to diagnose acne scars?
Arrange for a consultation with an experienced doctor to examine your skin and determine what type of acne scarring you have. Your doctor will be able to diagnose and recommend suitable treatment options for your acne scars based on your requirements and budget.
Types of scar removal treatments
GENIUS RF MICRONEEDLING This treatment uses a radiofrequency (RF) technology to deliver thermal energy through microneedles into the dermis. It works by creating controlled micro-puncture wounds on the skin’s surface to heat up the dermis using 49 microscopic needles. Through this action, Genius stimulates the skin’s collagen and elastin production, plumping up areas of skin indentation to smooth out uneven skin texture. Genius works differently from its predecessor, INFINI by incorporating an intelligent handpiece which analyses the skin before delivering the shot, allowing for real-time adaption of power and pulse for better results.
PICOSURE LASER It delivers ultrashort laser pulses in picosecond, as compared to traditional Q-switched lasers.
By delivering laser pulses 1,000 times shorter than Q-switched lasers, less heat is generated in the skin, causing significantly less damage to the skin tissue. Through its targeted, precise energy delivery, PicoSure laser can reach the dermis to stimulate collagen production, causing minimal damage to the surrounding tissue.
CO2 SKIN RESURFACING LASER CO2 laser is perhaps one of the oldest treatments for acne scars in Singapore. Also known as carbon dioxide fractional laser, it is an ablative laser that are used to treat scars, wrinkles, lumps and bumps and other skin flaws. In particular, eCO2 laser has an increased safety profile as compared to other CO2 skin resurfacing lasers because of its Controlled Chaos Technology, or CCT. This CCT technology creates precise, Micro-Ablative Columns (MACs) directly in the scars, allowing new skin and collagen to grow. Types of scars that respond particularly well to CO2 lasers are smaller boxcar and icepick scars.
DERMAL FILLERS Doctors sometimes use Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers or collagen-stimulating fillers to fill deep atrophic scars that are deep. Lasers and RF microneedling treatments plump the skin over several treatments by stimulating collagen and that can take several months to see visible results. By injecting a soft filler directly into depressed areas of the scars, it makes the scars less visible by smoothing out its appearance.
SUBCISION ACNE SCAR TREATMENT Sometimes, acne scars cannot be treated with laser treatments or RF microneedling treatments alone. It can also be caused by scar tissue pulling down the surface of the skin. During subcision treatment, the doctor uses a special needle to release the scar tissue by carefully breaking down the fibrous tissue under the scar. Over time, the scar tissue heals and it creates new collagen, plumping up the scars to achieve a smoother overall skin texture.
How much does acne scar treatments cost in Singapore?
Your face may have 1 or more of the different types of acne. It is important to seek a consultation with a doctor to assess the severity of the scar tissue and your budget. The doctor may recommend a single treatment or a combination of acne scar treatments in order to treat your acne scars effectively. The best outcomes are often achieved by combining different acne scar treatments. Treating acne scars is a long and arduous process that requires considerable investment. On the average, you can expect to pay about $2,000 to $6,000 for a comprehensive scar removal treatment in Singapore. Radium Medical Aesthetics offers one of the widest range of customised acne scar treatment programmes to suit every individual.
