Scars & Stretch Marks Treatments in Vancouver

Atrophic scars form when the skin heals with less tissue than it had before the injury or inflammation. If too little collagen is produced during repair, or if deeper tissue has been damaged, the area lacks support and remains lower than the surrounding skin, creating a visible depression. This is common after inflammatory acne, but it can also happen after chickenpox, surgery or other injuries. Atrophic scars can be shallow or deep, with different shapes and edges, and these differences help determine which treatment approach may be most appropriate. 

Hypertrophic scars form when the skin produces more collagen than it needs during healing. Instead of rebuilding the damaged area to the level of the surrounding skin, this excess collagen creates a thick, raised scar that often looks red or pink. Tension and prolonged inflammation both encourage this overproduction, which is why scars on the chest, shoulders and joints are more prone to it. Unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars stay within the boundaries of the original injury and often flatten and fade partly over time, although some remain raised or firm. 

Keloid scars form when the signal that should end healing never switches off. Collagen keeps building up long after the wound has closed, and the scar extends beyond the boundaries of the original injury into the surrounding healthy skin. Keloids may cause itching, tenderness or discomfort, and they often return after treatment.

The tendency to form keloids is largely genetic and more common on darker skin tones and in younger people. Even a minor injury, such as a pimple, a scratch or a piercing, can trigger one in someone who is predisposed. The earlobe is one of the areas where they most commonly develop: an ear keloid often appears after a piercing and can grow well beyond the original piercing site.

In their early stage, stretch marks often appear red, pink or purple. Known as striae rubrae, they are still in an active phase: inflammation is present, and small blood vessels are visible through the tear. Because the skin is still remodelling at this stage, red stretch marks generally respond better to treatment than older marks. 

Over time, the inflammation settles, the small vessels fade and stretch marks become white or silvery. Known as striae albae, these mature marks may look slightly indented or feel different from the surrounding skin, because they contain little organized collagen and elastin. They are more difficult to improve, which is why treatment focuses on their texture and softness rather than making them disappear.