Red Scar Treatment in London
Red scars (often called post-inflammatory erythema) are common after surgery, trauma, self-harm or burns. They can look pink, red, purple or even blue, and may show fine visible vessels. While many fade with time, vascular-targeted treatments can speed improvement safely and predictably.
Best for
Red/pink scars, visible vessels, new scars
Typical course
2–4 sessions, 3–4 weeks apart
Downtime
Minimal; mild redness 24–48 hrs
Darker skin
Patch test; melanin-inhibiting prep
Patch test
Performed where appropriate
Treatment options for red scars
Quadrostar Pro Yellow (vascular laser)
Targets haemoglobin in superficial vessels to visibly reduce redness and the look of telangiectasia. Suitable for many red scars, including post-surgical scars.
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Sessions: usually 2–4, 3–4 weeks apart
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Downtime: low; transient warmth/redness
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Aftercare: SPF, avoid heat/exercise for 24–48 hrs
Cortisone therapy
Helpful when there’s thickening or raised tissue in addition to redness (hypertrophic/keloid tendency). Can be delivered by injection or medicated strips.
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Often combined with lasers in staged plans
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Used with caution in thin or atrophic skin
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Discuss risks/benefits at consultation
Note for darker skin tones (Fitzpatrick IV–VI): we patch-test and may use melanin-inhibiting skincare beforehand to reduce the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
What to expect
During treatment
Quick pulses over the scar; a snapping/warmth sensation. Most clients tolerate this very well.
Immediately after
Temporary redness and mild swelling (often 24–48 hours). You can usually resume normal activity the next day.
Course & results
Many see early softening after the first or second session; best changes appear as vessels regress across 6–12 weeks. Mature, deep or extensive scars may need more sessions or a combination plan (e.g., fractional laser for texture + vascular laser for redness).
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If your scar is raised, see our Raised Scar Treatment page
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If your concern is texture or indentations, read Acne Scar Treatment.
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For white scars, see Medical Tattooing/Camouflage
Let us know what works for you
It’s really important that you feel as comfortable as possible when you visit the clinic, our first session is usually a consultation and these are very informal – during this time we will assess your scars and talk through the treatment options and likely outcomes and perform any necessary patch tests.
You are welcome to bring a friend or family member to your appointment and they can be present during the consultation, but we often find that people are more open and able to talk freely when it is just the patient and practitioner in the room.
We do understand that you may be nervous and possible triggered so please do let us know if you have any anxiety and how we can best manage this for you. Please try not to worry too much ahead of time, we really have seen every type of scar and our only goal is to improve your scars without judgement.
Am I a good candidate?
The ideal candidate is anyone over 18 who would like to reduce their scars, it is important to have a realistic expectation of the outcome and to be patient with the results. Regenerating skin is a complex process.
For safety reasons, you may not be able to get this treatment if you have/are:
- If you are under 18
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- If you are in an active harm cycle
- Treating over tattoos or permanent makeup – but please check with us
- Excessively tanned – recent sun exposure
We will have an informal consultation with you to assess your scars and explain the treatments in detail, we can then recommend a treatment plan that fits with your lifestyle.
Aftercare
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SPF every day on healing scars
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Avoid heat, strenuous exercise, saunas and hot yoga for 24–48 hours
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Pause retinoids/acids on the treated area for 5–7 days
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No tanning or self-tan for 2 weeks pre/post treatment
Will my red scar fade on its own
In some cases yes absolutely, this will depend on the type of scar, redness can just be a sign of the skin healing but if it is still present over 6 months then you may need to consider treatment
What’s the downtime?
The Quadrostar Pro has almost zero downtime with the skin looking a little pink/red afterwards
Can you treat red scars after surgery or burns?
Yes we can, this is often when scars are at their most red – for very new scars we may use growth factor therapy to accelerate healing until laser is appropriate
I'm quite nervous about showing my scars
This is absolutely normal and to be expected. For a lot of our patients, it’s the first time that someone has really seen their scars and examined them and this can make you feel self conscious.
We really do appreciate that this can be difficult and please just let us know if at any time you are feeling nervous or anxious or anything that will make you feel more at ease.
The constulations and treatments will be very informal and a time for you to ask any questions that you have.
What improvements will I see?
Reducing the redness in new scars can happen quite quickly, often with a very noticeable change after the first or second session
The average scar reduction is between 35%-80% and of course this will depend on the severity and type of scar.
How many sessions will I need?
This is a very difficult thing to predict as there are a number of factors such as the age and severity of the scar, skin tone, age of the patient etc. We generally need between 5-10 session for softening and reducing the scars and 2-3 for camouflage.
How often can I have treatments?
CO2 treatments are a minimum of 4 weeks apart but can be as long as needed, this will make no difference to how effective the treatment is. Quadrostar Pro and needling can be 3 weeks apart.
Is vascular laser suitable for my skin tone?
The treatments are generally very well tolerated although we will consider prepping the skin for darker skin tones with a melanin inhibitor to reduce any post inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
There are a few general contraindications, pregnancy & breastfeeding, use of Accutane in the last 12 months and some auto-immune conditions. We will cover these off in your consultation or do contact us at
What is the cost?
The price will depend on the number of scars and size of area we are covering, prices generally start at £350 per session.
