Immediately after treatment:
- Immediately after excision, you will have stitches at the site where the scar was removed.
- After treatment, it is important to avoid sun exposure and apply sunscreen.
Days and weeks after treatment:
- You will likely receive the first dose of corticosteroids immediately after excision, but you may receive an injection within the first 7 days after excision.
- The stitches will be removed 7-10 days after excision. Your doctor may recommend taping the wound with medical tape or Steri-strips® at night for up to 6 months in order to avoid friction on the wound. Friction is known to delay the healing process.
Longer term:
- Many patients experience purple/red discolored spots on the skin. Some patients experience thinning of the skin (skin atrophy), but these side effects also eventually disappear.
- It is important to use sunscreen whenever the skin is exposed to the sun until you are completely finished with all of your treatment sessions and your skin has healed from your final treatment session.
- Unfortunately, raised and keloid scars can sometimes recur (come back) after treatment. Keloid scars are particularly likely to recur.