Conditions · Texture & Scarring

Surgical & Trauma Scars

Scars are remodelled, not removed. The realistic aim is a scar that is flatter, paler, softer and less conspicuous — not absent.

Mechanism

What is actually happening

Wound healing lays down collagen in a disorganised pattern. Over months it remodels, but the fibre orientation never returns to that of uninjured skin.

The distinction

How it is told apart

A hypertrophic scar stays within the original wound margins. A keloid extends beyond them. That difference determines treatment and the likelihood of recurrence, so it is established before anything is started.

Assessment

What is established first

Age of the scar, whether it is still maturing, hypertrophic versus keloid versus atrophic, tension across the site, and Fitzpatrick type.

Approach

What is typically done

Timing matters more than intensity. Early intervention on an immature scar and later resurfacing address different phases. Tension-bearing sites carry a higher recurrence risk.

When treatment waits

When it is deferred

A scar less than several months old is often still remodelling on its own, and intervening too early can be counterproductive.

Frequently asked

What is surgical & trauma scars?

Scars are remodelled, not removed. The realistic aim is a scar that is flatter, paler, softer and less conspicuous — not absent.

How is surgical & trauma scars told apart from similar conditions?

A hypertrophic scar stays within the original wound margins. A keloid extends beyond them. That difference determines treatment and the likelihood of recurrence, so it is established before anything is started.

What is assessed before treating surgical & trauma scars?

Age of the scar, whether it is still maturing, hypertrophic versus keloid versus atrophic, tension across the site, and Fitzpatrick type.

When is treatment deferred?

A scar less than several months old is often still remodelling on its own, and intervening too early can be counterproductive.

Have this assessed

Every assessment is carried out personally by Dr Sin Yong, Medical Director. 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza.

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