Scar Revision
A scar is the skin’s way of repairing itself, but the repair does not always go smoothly. Scars can be raised, sunken, wide, discolored, or tight enough to pull on nearby features, and on the face they draw attention in a way scars elsewhere often do not. Patients from Beverly Hills, Culver City, Westwood, and across Los Angeles come to Parsa M.D. with scars from surgery, injury, acne, and burns, looking for an honest assessment of how much improvement is possible and the safest way to get there.
Repairing injured facial skin with the least visible scarring is where Dr. Kami Parsa’s career began. He coauthored the chapter on eyelid lacerations in the textbook Ocular Trauma, earned letters of commendation in his general surgery clerkship and gross anatomy course at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and lectures on Mohs Surgery and Eyelid Reconstruction, the repair of skin after cancer removal. He completed his fellowship in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
“Every scar tells me how that skin healed and what forces were acting on it. Some need to be softened, some need to be flattened, and a few need to be redone. Treating a scar well starts with understanding which one you have.” — Dr. Kami Parsa
Types of Scars
The right treatment depends on the kind of scar:
- Flat and mature scars: Pale, flat scars that have finished healing but remain visible because of color or texture.
- Hypertrophic scars: Raised, firm scars that stay within the boundary of the original wound and often soften over time.
- Keloids: Raised scars that grow beyond the original wound, can itch or hurt, and tend to recur. They are more common on the earlobes, jawline, chest, and shoulders and in some skin types.
- Atrophic scars: Sunken scars from acne, chickenpox, or injury, covered in more depth on our Acne and Acne Scarring page.
- Widened and discolored scars: Surgical scars that stretch over time or stay red, pink, or brown long after healing.
- Contracture scars: Tight scars, often from burns, that pull on the surrounding skin and can distort features.
Scars near the eyes deserve special attention, because a tight scar on the lower eyelid can pull the lid down, cause irritation and tearing, or prevent the eye from closing fully.
What Affects How a Scar Heals?
Scars form when an injury reaches the deeper layer of the skin. How visible the scar becomes depends on wound size and depth, tension on the wound, infection, genetics, skin type, and location. Sun exposure during healing can darken a scar permanently. Most scars continue to change for 12 to 18 months, becoming flatter and paler, so timing matters when choosing treatment.
How a Scar Is Evaluated
Dr. Parsa or a licensed member of his clinical team will assess the scar’s age, thickness, texture, color, location, and any effect on movement or eyelid function. Your history of keloids, recent isotretinoin use, cold sores, and how your skin has scarred before are reviewed, since these influence which treatments are safe. Team members are described on our Our Providers page.
Scar Treatment Options in Beverly Hills
Most scars improve best with a combination of treatments over time. Each linked page explains the treatment in detail:
- Texture and sunken scars: Microneedling and Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling stimulate new collagen to improve texture.
- Resurfacing: CO2 Skin Resurfacing and the Duplex® Procedure smooth raised edges and blend the scar with surrounding skin.
- Red scars: Vascular lasers such as the 532 Laser can reduce persistent redness.
- Raised scars and keloids: Scar Reductase, the practice’s injectable treatment for hypertrophic scars and keloids, is used to flatten and soften raised scar tissue.
- Eyelid scars: Scars on or near the eyelids are covered on our Eyelid Scar Treatments page, and scars that pull the lid down may need Ectropion Repair.
- Surgical revision: Some scars are best excised and repaired with a better placed closure, followed by laser or injection treatment during healing.
Scars can be improved considerably but never removed completely. Most treatment plans unfold over several months, and daily sunscreen and silicone gel or sheeting at home help protect results.
Risks and When to Seek Care
Scar treatments can cause temporary redness, swelling, and peeling. Less common risks include infection, pigment changes, and in rare cases a scar that becomes more prominent. Injections into raised scars can cause thinning or lightening of the skin. Contact the office for blistering, spreading redness, warmth, pus, or fever after treatment. Seek prompt care if a scar near the eye causes eye pain, redness, a change in vision, or difficulty closing the eye.
Why Choose Dr. Parsa for Scar Treatment
- Reconstructive Surgeon: His practice includes eyelid and facial reconstruction after injury, cancer removal, and prior surgery.
- Revision Focus: His clinical focus includes revisional eyelid surgery, the correction of results from earlier procedures.
- Teaching Appointment: He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
- Full Range of Options: Lasers, radiofrequency, injections, and surgical revision are available in one practice.
- More Than 20 Years of Experience: Two decades of clinical practice guide realistic expectations and treatment timing.
Schedule a Scar Treatment Consultation in Beverly Hills
Your consultation takes place at our office at 465 N Roxbury Dr, Suite 1011, in Beverly Hills. Dr. Parsa and his team will examine your scar, explain its type, and recommend a plan with a realistic timeline. Contact our office to request an appointment.
Medically reviewed by Kambiz K. Parsa, M.D. on
