Plastic Surgeon Questions Chicken Pox

What can I do to remove scars from chicken pox?

I'm 24 and when I was a kid, I had the chicken pox all over my body. Mainly on my back and arms I have scars from it. Is it possible to remove them with surgery? Creams haven't worked for me.

7 Answers

Scars can be removed, however removing the scar replaces it with a new scar. In some cases the new scar may be no better than the old scar. This is a judgment call that an experienced surgeon could make before surgery. Depressed scars such as those formed from chickenpox can also be filled with fillers, but this is is a temporary measure.
Some pock marks can be quite deep and they tend to be circular which makes the healing difficult, but yes. There are many procedures that can improve the look of residual scarring from pox and acne. There are needling procedures, lasers and several other techniques available.
Thank you for writing to us. Scars secondary to chicken pox can be improved by a few options. To decide on what would be best for you, please see a board certified plastic surgeon in the area where you live.
There are many way scar can be improved. It is difficult to remove them completely. Some interventions that help chicken pox scars are 1. simple injections (such as hyaluronic acid) under the scars to help smooth the surface and fill the dent 2. a laser resurfacing procedure 3. microneedling 4. dermabrasion. 5. and sometimes, surgically cutting the scar out and closing it with fine sutures.
Yes, but you will be trading a scar for a scar. To get the best scar from a surgical removal, make sure the surgeon is a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in this type of surgery.
You may try a multiple approach such as fat grafting under each scar and erbium or CO2 laser (pixel or frameless). You may have to repeat above 2-3 times.
Good luck.
Thank you for your inquiry. The scarring may be improved with dermabrasion or laser therapy depending on the depth of the scar. Topical treatments, such as creams, may not yield the results that you are looking for.