(Acne Scars, Surgical Scars, Burns, Stretch Marks, etc)

Scarring is caused by any injury to the skin.

Fibrous or hypertrophic scarring occurs when the skin is required to repair damage very quickly. This process creates a network of fibres to ‘bridge-the-gap’ as a quick-fix while healing continues over the coming months, to years. Once the healing process is complete the thick and tough fibres remain, interrupting the regular texture of the skin.

Sunken, pitted or atrophic scars are frequently associated with acne. These occur when there has been a loss of tissue deep within the skin or in the underlying fat or muscle. The missing tissue leaves the skin without proper support resulting in a dimpled appearance.

Stretch marks, or striae, occur when the skin is made to stretch rapidly and is unable to grow fast enough to accommodate this sudden expansion. Common occurrences are during pregnancy, bodybuilding, hormonal changes and rapid growth in teenagers. As the skin is stretched the dermal and epidermal fibres will tear apart. This results in gaps within the dermis which appear as flat or sunken lines of various length and width.

Time will not fix scars, nor will applying topical products. To fix a scar you need to disrupt the tissue again so that the body can rebuild that area. This time instead of rapidly closing the wound in response to an emergency, healing can take place slowly, carefully and in a controlled manner. At Gippsland Cosmetic Laser Clinic we use four methods to treat scars: the Venus Viva Nano Fractional, the Candela eTwo Sublative, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and skin needling. These treatments can be used stand-alone or in combination.

Both the Venus Viva and the eTwo work by directing radio frequency energy down through the skin into the dermis to strategically thermally damage the tissue. This form of delivery promotes maximum regeneration and healing. It is a preferred method over traditional fractional laser and skin needling due to a very minimal impact on the epidermis (outer layers of the skin) while simultaneously administering a big impact on the dermis (deep layers of the skin). This relatively new and highly effective technology results in minimal discomfort and downtime.

PRP can be used in isolation, where it is injected using a very fine needle into the dermis, or in combination with Venus Viva nano-fractional, the Candela eTwo sublative, or skin needling, where it is applied to the skin immediately after the treatment. PRP is concentrated healing factors harvested from your own blood. These factors work within the skin to restore tissue and regenerate college and elastin.

Skin needling involves rolling or stamping small pins over the skin to cause strategic damage allowing the body to remodel the area. This is not our preferred method, as both the Venus Viva and eTwo are much less invasive and deliver better results. However in rare instances, when radio frequency is not suitable for a client, skin needling can be used - often in conjunction with PRP to enhance results.