Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. Tina S. Alster on Scars.
Dr. Tina S. Alster is a Board Certified Dermatologist by the American Board of Dermatology. Here the Doctor has answered some common questions that Bizymoms visitors have about Scars.
Q. What are scars?
A. Scars are the result of a deviation in the orderly pattern of healing and can be caused by trauma (such as burns), surgery, and acne. Several different types of scars have been identified. An overzealous healing response can create a raised nodule of fibrotic tissue (hypertrophic or keloid scar), whereas indented (atrophic) scars may result from inadequate replacement of collagen fibers after injury. The psychosocial impact of scars can be profound. Scars inflicted by traumatic incidents, surgical procedures, and severe acne bear a heavy emotional burden on patients, particularly when present on visible areas such as the face.
Q. How do you treat scars?
A. There are a number of currently available scar-reducing therapies and many other agents that may emerge to have the potential to eliminate scarring, including injections of corticosteroids (to soften scars and reduce itching), topical treatments (with silicone-containing creams and gels), and surgery. My favorite way to treat scars is through laser scar revision. I typically use a pulsed dye laser (the same laser that treats vascular birthmarks such as port-wine stains and hemangiomas) to reduce the redness and thickness of a scar. It also improves the pliability and reduces itching within scars. For atrophic (indented) scars, I like to use a fractionated laser that can literally resurface the scar in order to make it appear more uniform (similar to the surrounding skin).
Q. What is ActiveFX?
A. ActiveFX is simply a fractionated laser (described above) that can be used to revise (or resurface) scars.
Q. What is DeepFX?
A. A deeper version of Active FX.
Q. How can we contact Dr. Alster if we have further questions?
A. Via e-mail: talster@skinlaser.com. Also, further information can be obtained on my practice’s website: www.skinlaser.com. Telephone: 202.628.8855.
