- 1. Therapeutic massage
- 2. Use the vacuum to loosen the scar
- 3. Apply bleaching cream
- 4. Use corticosteroid cream to decrease the volume
- 5. Get aesthetic treatment
- When to resort to surgery
The old scars are the most difficult to remove but all of them can be more discreet, flat and with good movement and we indicate here everything that can be done to improve their appearance making it more discreet or almost imperceptible.
The scars older than 60 days are usually completely healed, they don't hurt, they don't itch but they may be darker than the skin and with relief or glued to the muscle. Know some treatment options:
1. Therapeutic massage
The first step is to apply a little almond oil or moisturizing cream, those that are very thick, which are more difficult to apply because the skin does not absorb as much. Pass exactly over your scar and:
- Press the scar with the tips of your fingers, in circular movements, up and down and from side to side along the entire scar. This massage will loosen the scar and the more it is glued to the skin, the more time you need to invest in this massage.
You can also try to pull the skin that is 2 cm above the scar upwards and make a detachment of the skin that can also be above the skin and another 2 cm below the scar.
Check out the steps and more tips in this video:
2. Use the vacuum to loosen the scar
There are small 'cups' of silicone that can be bought in cosmetic stores or on the internet that promote a small vacuum, sucking the skin, releasing all the adhesion. To use you must:
- Apply oil or moisturizer, press the 'cup' on the bottom of the cup and place it on top of the scar, releasing it. The vacuum will lift the scar and what you need to do is pass the cup over the entire length of the scar for about 3 to 5 minutes.
There is also an aesthetic device for vacuotherapy that uses this same method to promote better lymphatic drainage and eliminate cellulite, which can also be used to remove the scar. This type of treatment can be found in beauty clinics.
3. Apply bleaching cream
Sometimes older scars are stained due to sun exposure without sunscreen, and the skin ends up getting darker. In this case, what you can do is apply a daily cream with a whitening action that can be purchased at pharmacies, drugstores or even over the internet. But be careful to pass only over the scar to be able to even out the skin tone.
4. Use corticosteroid cream to decrease the volume
The dermatologist may recommend the use of a corticoid cream so that the scar is not so high and ugly, but it is also indicated when the scar is already very high. These high scars can be of two types, the keloid or hypertrophic scar and although they are caused by different situations, the treatment is similar and can be done with corticosteroids and for the keloid they can be used in the form of an injection directly into the scar and in the hypertrophic scar just apply the cream daily.
The main difference of the hypertrophic scar is only high and does not exceed the size of the scar base, while the keloid scar is high and appears bulged, and its edges are outside the scar base.
5. Get aesthetic treatment
Aesthetic physiotherapy clinics have several treatment protocols to improve appearance, leaving the scar smaller, with good mobility and thinner. Some options are chemical peeling, microdermabrasion, use of laser, radiofrequency, ultrasound or carboxitherapy. The dermato-functional physiotherapist must personally evaluate and indicate the best treatment for each case, achieving optimal results.
When to resort to surgery
Subcision surgery is a type of plastic surgery indicated for scar correction. In this case, the surgeon cuts the skin just above or below the scar, removes the adhesions that are under it and creates a new scar with more modern techniques that leave the scar as discreet as possible.
