Patience and the right sequence of treatments — that's what actually improves a scar.
A scar forms differently depending on the injury or prior surgery that caused it, and depending on your own skin's tendency to heal — which is why scar revision isn't a single procedure, but a plan built around your specific scar's type, timing, and location. Dr. Kim evaluates each scar individually before recommending a course of treatment, often combining more than one approach.
| Scar Type | What It Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Hypertrophic | Raised, thick, nodular scar confined to the original wound, sometimes tender or itchy, sometimes discolored |
| Keloid | Raised, thick scar that extends beyond the original wound's edges — most common on the ear from piercings |
| Atrophic / depressed | Ice-pick pits or shallow depressions, most often from acne, chickenpox, or burn injury |
| Surface irregularity | Texture or color mismatch from a prior surgical or traumatic scar |
Hypertrophic scars that are still recent often respond to a series of steroid injections followed by silicone sheet therapy. If the scar's size, location, or orientation isn't optimal even after that, Dr. Kim may recommend surgical revision to reorient and better approximate the tissue — including techniques like Z-plasty or W-plasty, which break up a straight scar line into an irregular pattern that the eye reads as far less noticeable — followed by additional adjuvant treatment as needed.
Keloid scars almost always require some form of excision, followed by close follow-up with steroid injections to prevent recurrence — keloids have a real tendency to return if treated with excision alone. For surface irregularity or depressed acne-type scarring, dermal filler placed through a subcision technique can help lift the depressed tissue, often used alongside fractionated laser resurfacing for further improvement of surface texture. Most patients need more than one session, spaced over several months, to reach an optimal result.
Patients with deeper skin tones — including many Black, Hispanic, Asian, and South Asian patients — carry a meaningfully higher risk of developing keloid or hypertrophic scarring, as well as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after any facial procedure or injury. This isn't a reason to avoid treatment, but it does change the plan: tension-minimizing closure technique, layered sutures, and proactive post-operative silicone or steroid therapy are all factored in more deliberately for patients at higher risk, rather than added only after a scar has already become problematic.
What you can control matters here too. Diligent sun protection over a healing or maturing scar is one of the simplest, most effective things a patient can do — UV exposure can darken a scar and make it more visible long after the wound itself has closed, in some cases permanently. Genetics, skin type, and the anatomic location of the scar are factors you can't change, but wound care and sun protection are ones you can.
A scar will always remain present at the site — the goal of revision is to make it as inconspicuous as possible, not to erase it entirely. Most patients see a real, noticeable improvement, but it typically takes around six months or more to see the final result, and post-surgical care (following medication instructions and proper incision care closely) plays a significant role in how discreet the final scar becomes.
For many patients, especially those with visible facial scarring from an injury, prior surgery, or a condition like acne, the psychological impact of a scar can be just as significant as its physical appearance — and Dr. Kim takes that seriously as part of setting a treatment plan and pace that works for you, not just addressing the tissue itself.
Cost depends on several factors, including the area being treated, the type of scar, and the extent of treatment needed. Dr. Kim will provide an estimate during your consultation, and Natural Face Clinic offers financing options and low-interest medical payment plans.
No — some scar will always remain at the treated site, but most patients see a significant, noticeable improvement. Following post-surgery care instructions closely is critical to achieving the most discreet result, and it typically takes around six months or more to see the final outcome.
Yes. Depressed or indented scars can often be improved with dermal filler placed beneath the skin, sometimes combined with laser resurfacing to further refine surface texture. Hypertrophic and keloid scars can also respond to steroid injection and silicone therapy without surgery, particularly when caught earlier.
It can. Patients with deeper skin tones have a higher risk of keloid or hypertrophic scarring and post-inflammatory pigment changes, which is something Dr. Kim factors directly into technique choice and aftercare planning rather than treating as an afterthought.
"I've had a rhinoplasty, Botox, fillers, and scar treatment done here. It's been flawless work. He's a Harvard trained surgeon and an expert in his craft."
"I went to Dr. Kim to have two scars removed from having chicken pox as a child... very happy with results."
"I had a dog bite to my face and Dr. Kim repaired my face and you can hardly see my scars!!"