Scar Treatment in Turkey

A scar is connective tissue that forms as part of the body’s natural healing response after an injury to the skin. Scars may develop after surgery, trauma, burns, cuts, acne or other forms of skin injury.

Every wound leaves some degree of scar tissue after healing. However, the appearance of a scar can vary considerably depending on the depth of the original injury, its location, skin type, genetic factors and the healing process.

Some scars gradually become thin and less noticeable, while others may remain raised, widened, depressed or irregular. Scars around joints or other mobile areas can sometimes cause functional problems as well as aesthetic concerns.

At Anka Plastic Surgery, the aim of scar treatment is not to remove a scar completely, but to make it less noticeable, more regular and better integrated with the surrounding tissues. Treatment is planned individually according to the type, location and age of the scar, tissue quality and the patient’s expectations.

Types of Scars

Not all scars behave in the same way. Identifying the type of scar is important because it directly affects the treatment plan.

Hypertrophic Scars

A hypertrophic scar is a raised scar caused by excessive collagen production during wound healing. These scars usually remain within the boundaries of the original wound and may partially flatten over time.

They can develop after surgical incisions, trauma or burns. Early treatment may include silicone-based products, pressure therapy or selected injections. Surgical scar revision may be considered in more pronounced cases.

Keloids

A keloid differs from a hypertrophic scar because it can extend beyond the boundaries of the original wound into the surrounding normal skin.

Genetic predisposition plays an important role, and keloids are more commonly seen in areas such as the chest, shoulders, earlobes and jawline.

Treatment may involve steroid injections, silicone therapy and, in selected patients, surgery. Because recurrence can occur, the treatment plan needs to be individualised carefully.

Atrophic and Depressed Scars

Atrophic scars lie below the level of the surrounding skin. They may develop after acne, chickenpox, trauma or certain surgical procedures.

Treatment depends on the depth and extent of the scar. Options may include fat transfer, microneedling, fractional laser, microneedling radiofrequency or, in deeper scars, surgical correction.

Surgical and Traumatic Scars

Every surgical procedure leaves a scar. Most surgical scars become thinner and less noticeable with time.

However, some scars may widen, become raised or depressed, or heal in a direction that does not blend well with the natural skin lines. Factors such as wound tension, infection, genetic tendency and individual healing characteristics can all play a role.

Scar revision is one of the main treatment options for these types of scars.

Burn Scars

Burn scars may create functional problems as well as visible changes. Scars involving the neck, arms, hands, fingers or joints can contract over time and restrict movement.

For this reason, the first priority in burn-scar treatment is often function rather than appearance. Depending on the problem, treatment may involve Z-plasty, skin grafting, local flaps or other reconstructive techniques.

How Is Scar Treatment Planned?

There is no single treatment that is suitable for every scar. At Anka Plastic Surgery, assessment includes whether the scar is raised or depressed, whether it creates tension, whether it restricts movement, its anatomical location and which aspect of the scar concerns the patient most.

Two scars that appear similar in size may require completely different treatment. For this reason, treatment planning is based not only on the surface appearance of the scar, but also on how it formed and the condition of the underlying tissues.

Scar Treatment Options

Scar Revision Surgery

Scar revision is a surgical procedure in which a poorly healed or prominent scar is removed and the area is repaired again using plastic surgery principles.

The aim is not to make the scar disappear completely. The goal is to replace an irregular or conspicuous scar with one that is thinner, more regular and better aligned with the surrounding skin.

Scar revision may be considered for widened surgical scars, irregular traumatic scars, poorly positioned scars and selected hypertrophic scars.

Fat Transfer

Some scars involve more than the skin surface. There may also be loss of volume beneath the skin or adherence of the scar to deeper tissues.

In these cases, fat grafts prepared from the patient’s own tissue can be used to support the depressed area. Fat transfer may be considered for depressed surgical scars, post-traumatic tissue loss and selected atrophic scars.

It is not suitable for every scar. The depth of the scar and its relationship with the surrounding tissues need to be assessed first.

Microneedling

Microneedling creates controlled microchannels in the skin to stimulate the natural wound-healing response. It may be useful for superficial atrophic scars, acne scars and selected surgical scars where improvement in skin texture is the main goal. Microneedling may not be sufficient as a standalone treatment for deep or wide scars.

Fractional Laser

Fractional laser treatment creates controlled microscopic treatment zones in the skin to stimulate collagen remodelling. It may be useful for surface irregularities and selected scar types. However, deep depressions or scars requiring surgical correction are unlikely to be adequately treated with laser alone.

Microneedling Radiofrequency

Microneedling radiofrequency delivers controlled radiofrequency energy into selected depths of the skin through fine needles. It may be used for some acne scars and superficial scars, and can be combined with other treatments in suitable patients.

Silicone Therapy

Silicone sheets and silicone-based gels are commonly used as supportive treatments for relatively new scars. Regular use may help scar maturation in selected patients. However, silicone products and scar creams cannot be expected to remove an established scar completely.

Regenerative Treatments

Regenerative treatments such as PRP and exosome-based applications may be considered as supportive treatments in selected patients.

The aim is to support the skin’s natural repair processes. However, advanced or long-standing scars should not be expected to disappear with these treatments alone.

At Anka Plastic Surgery, regenerative treatments are considered as adjunctive options rather than as a standalone solution for every scar.

Treatment of Self-Harm Scars on the Arms

Patients with multiple parallel scars on the arms may be affected not only by the appearance of the scars themselves, but also by their social impact. Some patients avoid short sleeves or feel uncomfortable when the scars attract attention or questions.

These scars cannot usually be removed completely. The aim of treatment is to change their appearance so that they look more natural and attract less attention.

When the affected area is limited, the skin containing multiple parallel scars may be surgically removed and the area repaired.

A scar will still remain, but the result may be a single, more regular surgical scar rather than multiple parallel scars. When the scars involve a wider area, skin grafting or other reconstructive techniques may need to be considered.

Treatment of Burn Scars

The treatment of burn scars is planned with function as the first priority. If scar tissue restricts movement or causes distortion of anatomical structures, correcting the functional problem comes first.

Depending on the individual case, treatment may involve Z-plasty, skin grafting, local flaps or more extensive reconstructive surgery.

Once the functional problem has been addressed, additional treatments may be considered for colour, surface irregularity or scar visibility.

Surgical and Post-Traumatic Scars

Many scars following surgery or trauma gradually become less noticeable over time. However, additional treatment may be needed when a scar remains widened, depressed, raised, irregular or poorly aligned with the natural skin lines.

Scar revision, fat transfer or skin-surface treatments may be used alone or in combination depending on the individual scar. With surgical revision, the goal is not to remove the scar entirely, but to replace it with a more controlled and less noticeable scar.

Recovery After Scar Treatment

Recovery depends on the treatment performed. After surgical scar revision, the new scar may initially appear pinker, firmer and more noticeable. Over the following months, the colour usually fades and the scar gradually softens and matures.

Appropriate wound care, silicone-based products when recommended, sun protection and regular follow-up can all support the healing process. The final appearance of a scar should not be judged too early. Scar maturation is a biological process that takes weeks and months.

Our Approach to Scar Treatment at Anka Plastic Surgery

At Anka Plastic Surgery, successful scar treatment begins with accurate assessment and realistic expectations. Scar revision may be the most appropriate option for one patient, while another may benefit more from microneedling, fractional laser, microneedling radiofrequency, fat transfer or regenerative treatments.

In some patients, the best result may come from combining different treatments in the correct sequence rather than relying on a single method.

Our approach is to assess not only the surface of the scar, but also the underlying tissues, the cause of the original wound and the patient’s individual concerns. The aim is not to apply the same treatment to every patient, but to choose the approach most likely to achieve a natural and balanced improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions