Treatment for Scarring
For deeper or more established scarring, my first recommendation is usually a course of Alma Hybrid laser treatment. It’s a combination CO2 laser that delivers a matrix of light at varying intensities, and in my experience it’s the most effective option we have for resurfacing genuinely deep or pitted scars.
For more superficial or textural scarring, Secret RF is often my preference. It combines fine, insulated micro-needles with radiofrequency energy to remodel collagen from within the skin, with less downtime than laser.
For finer scarring, or as a follow-on once the deeper work has been done, I often turn to SkinPen micro-needling. It creates thousands of controlled micro-injuries in the skin, which triggers the body’s own collagen production without the heat or downtime of laser or RF. It’s gentler than Secret RF, so I tend to use it on more delicate areas or for patients who want a course of treatments with minimal disruption to their week. It’s also a good maintenance option once the initial improvement from laser or RF has been achieved.
I also put a good proportion of my scarring patients on Skinade, a collagen drink. I know supplements are viewed with some suspicion in aesthetic medicine, and rightly so in many cases, but Skinade is one of the few I’ve seen make a measurable difference to healing time and skin quality when used before and after treatment. It isn’t a substitute for the treatment itself, but as an adjunct, I rate it.
Treatment for Stretch Marks
Stretch marks respond well to Secret RF micro-needling or Skin Pen micro-needling both of which improve tone, texture and tightness. I’ll be straightforward with you: stretch marks cannot be removed entirely, and anyone who promises otherwise isn’t being honest with you. What we can achieve is a marked improvement in how flat, tight and even the skin looks, which for most patients is more than enough to stop them avoiding shorts or swimwear.
Treating Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars
Some scars don’t settle flat. They become raised, thickened and larger than the original wound. These are keloid or hypertrophic scars, and they happen when the body simply overproduces collagen during healing.
They can appear anywhere on the body, and I’ve treated them on the chest, ears, shoulders and abdomen most often. They’re frequently red, itchy, and sometimes painful, and I’ve had patients tell me they’ve avoided certain clothing for years because of one. Keloid scarring is more common in patients of African and Asian heritage, which is worth knowing before you have any elective piercing or surgery if you’re in a higher-risk group.
The mainstay treatment is a course of corticosteroid injections directly into the scar, which flattens and softens it over time. It won’t disappear, but the improvement is usually substantial. I typically recommend at least three sessions, spaced six weeks apart, and I’ll always tell you honestly at your consultation whether I think your scar will respond well to this or whether another approach makes more sense.
4.9/5
