A punch elevation treatment is done to normalize the look of deep boxcar scars. A boxcar scar is often a round or oval depression, looking very similar to a chicken pox scar. Deep boxcar scars are greater than 0.5mm in diameter. They tend to have sharp vertical edges and a normal base, as opposed to the pointed base of an ice pick scar. For a punch elevation, the physician uses a punch tool, similar to a cookie cutter, to remove the base of the scar, leaving the walls of the scar intact. With a suture or skin glue the base of the scar is then elevated to be flush with the surrounding surface. Once healing the risk of color and texture changes is lessened than with punch biopsy with skin grafting. |
