Scars & Scar Removal

Frequently Asked Questions

• 1

  How are scars formed?

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  When the skin is cut or broken, the body mobilizes a wound repair process. The blood vessels constrict and clots form to minimize blood loss. A scab, or hardened crust, forms over the top of the wound. The scab acts like a natural covering to protect the area while the body continues the repair process. Tiny fibres of collagen fill in the hole and eventually reconnect the ends. By the time the scab naturally falls off, much of the initial repair has been finished. However, the area is far from healed. Depending upon the size, depth and location of the injury, it can take months to years for the skin to return to normal strength.

  Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process. A scar forms from excess amounts of collagen in the wound as the body attempts a repair. Many scars eventually fade. But they tend not to go away completely. Generally, the larger the wound, the longer it takes to heal and the greater the chance of a visible scar.

• 2

  How to treat scarring:

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  On average most scars take at least one year to fade. However, researchers have found a way to lessen their severity by injecting the drug, BOTOX® near the site of the wound. When a person experiences another kind of injury, like a broken bone, doctors place the area in a sling to immobilize the limb and allow the body to heal. BOTOX works in a similar fashion. When injected into muscles near the wound, the drug prevents the muscles from pulling on the wound site, allowing the area to heal without excessive disruption.

  Studies have shown BOTOX is effective in reducing scar formation from facial wounds. Researchers still need to determine if the drug may be effective for other places on the body. The sooner after an injury the patient receives BOTOX, the better the results.