Scarring from coldsore 5+ years ago

I am 18 years old and i used to suffer constantnly from frequent cold sore. Well just so happens they left white appearing scars where my lips should be red and symetricial. These scars have done a number on my self esteem and i really want to help fade them to my natural lip color. What do you think?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
For such lip scars, cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen and laser are the main treatment modalities. Nd YAG laser has given good results and you can discuss about this with your dermatologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[Soup92]

Can't treatments like these make the scarring worse since they are actually burning or freezing the area? Or will they actually restore my natural lip color, im just skeptical because i've had these scars for so long and nothing seems to help..These treatments are okay for areas on the lip such as in my case?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
As told earlier, laser treatment has given excellent results and hence you can discuss about the same with your dermatologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[Soup92]

What kind of scars would these be called? It actually restores pigment the pigment? Is there anything i can do in the mean time, until i see a doctor? thanks