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Skin Color & Scar Camouflage

Improving one’s appearance and body image can significantly impact self-confidence. For individuals with skin color loss, or de-pigmentation, medical corrective tattooing can help. De-pigmentation may occur for a variety of reasons. Medical procedures, trauma, burns, congenital anomalies, and skin diseases can all lead to pigmentation irregularities. While many scars and skin abnormalities can be improved with medical treatments and surgery, skin color may still need to be addressed in order to recreate a “normal” appearance.

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Understanding Skin Camouflage and Scar Camouflage

Skin camouflage and scar camouflage refer to the process of tattooing the skin using different shades of flesh tone pigments with the goal of disguising a scar or pigment irregularity. This form of medical or paramedical tattooing is considered a specialized form of cosmetics. You may find it referred to by a number of other names, such as Corrective Pigment Camouflage (CPC), Skin Repigmentation, Scar Camouflage, Corrective Camouflage, Skin Camouflage, Skin Color Tattooing, and Camouflage Tattooing. Scar and skin camouflage requires a specialist with a thorough understanding of the science behind pigments and the physiology of human skin and tissue, as well as advanced knowledge, training, skills, and experience in cosmetics and an artistic eye for color.

Candidates for Skin Color Repigmentation

Not all individuals with scars or skin abnormalities are candidates for skin repigmentation. The best candidates are generally those with scars that meet the following criteria:

  • Healed. Scars should be healed, at least 9 to 12 months old, with stable color and no be still be healing and premature tattooing may lead to additional skin damage. An experienced, reputable medical tattooist will not work on scar tissue prematurely. If you are wondering whether you may be a candidate for skin color repigmentation, your physician may be able to advise you.
  • Smooth, flat appearance. Issues with skin texture generally cannot be addressed with camouflage tattooing. For this reason, bumpy or raised scars may not be appropriate for treatment. The best scars for treatment are smooth and relatively flat. There are treatments available which may be able to first improve the skin texture before undergoing camouflage tattooing.
  • Free of dark edges. Scars with dark edges or borders may be indicative of post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation (PIHP) resulting from trauma or surgery. Increased hyperpigmentation and wider, darker borders may result from the camouflage tattooing process, though this tends to be more common among those with darker skin tones.

Some skin and pigment abnormalities are not good candidates for treatment with skin color repigmentation. These include port wine birthmarks, spider veins, freckles, age spots, under-eye circles, hyperpigmentation, and unstable vitiligo. These conditions may be improved with other treatments such as laser therapy, sclerotherapy, or chemical peels. A consolation can help to determine the best treatment for you.

Candidates for camouflage tattooing must have realistic expectations and understand that treatment cannot completely restore the skin to its pre-injured state or fully erase the scar or abnormality. The goal of camouflage tattooing is to improve upon color differences to help disguise the imperfection. Patients who spend time tanning may not be satisfied with their result as the tattooed skin will not darken like the surrounding skin when exposed to sunlight or tanning booths. The results of camouflage tattooing take time and may require more than one session.

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Facial Plastic Surgery

Dr. Philip Miller and his team of New York's top rated facial plastic surgery experts provide custom cosmetic treatment plans that include a combination of minimally-invasive techniques and advanced procedures, to help each patient achieve the Aesthetic Confidence® they desire. Our unique NatraFace™ approach to facial rejuvenation includes the following effective procedures:

Eyelid Plastic Surgery

Dr. Miller provides patients with Manhattan's #1 customized care and treatment for smooth, supple skin that brightens the eyes and revitalizes the face. With our NatraFace™ approach, we utilize a combination of effective aesthetic techniques tailored to suit each patient’s needs. We offer:

Rhinoplasty (Nose Jobs)

Dr. Miller and his staff of NYC's best aesthetic specialists offer the NatraNose® process, which is a comprehensive range of minimally-invasive and advanced techniques to achieve natural-looking rhinoplasty results, improve nasal function, and meet the patient’s aesthetic goals. Dr. Miller specializes in nose jobs, nose reductions, non-surgical nose jobs, and more: Adjust the links in these sections as follows:

Skin Care Treatments

Widely acclaimed for our broad range of flawless skincare solutions, Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS and his team of aesthetic specialists offer customized skincare treatment plans to achieve healthy, natural-looking results. As part of our NatraLook™ process, the following procedures may be performed individually or in combination with more advanced surgical treatments for optimal rejuvenation.

Male Plastic Surgery

Philip J. Miller, MD, FACS, is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience working with male and female patients. He specializes in facial plastic surgery and is recognized as an expert in facial rejuvenation procedures. Utilizing the most advanced surgical techniques, Dr. Miller can maintain or enhance masculine features while producing the most natural-looking results.

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The Plastic Surgery Podcast with Dr. Philip Miller

Tune into The Plastic Surgery Podcast, hosted by facial plastic surgeon Dr. Philip Miller. Dr. Miller is here to answer your questions, de-mystify plastic surgery, and help you feel more knowledgeable and empowered about any procedure performed at our center.

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    Episode 44: My First Time

    8 min
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    Episode 43: Top 10 Reasons Not To Get A Rhinoplasty ( Plastic Surgery)

    20 min
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    Episode 42 : Osteomas & Lipomas

    11 min
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    Episode 41: All Ears Considered!

    8 min
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    Episode 40: Infrared Light Therapy

    6 min
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    Episode 39: Beauty, the Plateau

    6 min
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    Episode 38: Botox and Dermal Fillers

    3 min
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    Episode 37: Cost of Rhinoplasty

    1 min
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    Episode 36: Different Types of Nasal Surgeries

    3 min
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    Episode 35: Do You Have to Break the Nose for Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
  • Apple Podcast Icon Podcast Icon

    Episode 34: Do You Have to Stay Overnight After Having a Rhinoplasty?

    2 min
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    Episode 33: Don't Have a Rhinoplasty!

    2 min
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    Episode 32: Endonasal or External

    1 min
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    Episode 31: Are You a Candidate?

    2 min
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    Episode 30: In The Office

    17 min
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    Episode 29: Can My Nose be Made Smaller?

    4 min
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    Episode 28: Can't Breath Through Nose

    3 min
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    Episode 27: Chin Implants - Mentoplasty

    2 min
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    Episode 26: Columellar Struts

    23 sec
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    Episode 25: Common Terms

    5 min
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    Episode 24: Connection Between Facial Resurfacing and Tattooing

    5 min
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    Episode 23: The Sooner, The Better?

    4 min
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Plastic Surgery w/ Dr. Miller

If you’re thinking about getting a lift, nip, or tuck, this app is for you. It’s the most comprehensive pocket encyclopedia of plastic surgery terms, before and after photos, and visualization tools to help you really know what to expect from a procedure, including seeing potential results on your own photo. This app is only available on the App Store for iOS devices.

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