FAQs

Scar Treatment

Is Facial Scar Treatment for You?

The goal of facial scar treatment is to disguise the scar, relocate it, or minimize its prominence.

Important factors to be discussed with your surgeon include:

Skin type and color
Ethnic background
Individual healing rates
Age

Different types of scars respond to different plastic surgery techniques. A person considering facial scar revision must understand that there is no way to remove scars completely. Timing of surgery is another important choice. Some surgeons advise against any scar revision in cases of injury for a period that might extend up to a year after the injury. This interval allows the body enough time to heal fully.

Making the Decision for Scar Treatment

What you should expect:

Your surgeon will examine the scar in order to decide upon the proper treatment and inform you of outcomes that can be expected from facial scar revision surgery.
The agreement between you and your surgeon on how to proceed is a prerequisite for successful surgery. After you both decide to proceed with scar revision, your surgeon will inform you about:

                 a. Anesthesia
                 b. Surgical facility
                 c. Supportive surgery options
                 d. Costs

Because scars are highly individualistic and the patient´s attitude toward scars is so personal, maximum improvement in facial scars may require more than one procedure. More than one technique may be employed.

Understanding Scar Revision Surgery

Following is a general description of the surgery. Remember, each patient’s individual needs and features are considered before surgery.

When a scar is of the contracture type, surgery generally involves removing the scar tissue entirely.
Skin flaps, composed of adjacent healthy, unscarred skin, are then lifted and moved to form a new incision line.
Where a flap is not possible, a skin graft may be used. A graft involves taking a section of skin tissue from one area and attaching it to another. Time must be allowed following surgery for new blood vessels and soft tissue to form.
Z-plasty is a method to move a scar from one area to another, usually into a natural fold or crease in the skin to minimize its visibility. While Z-plasty does not remove all signs of a scar, it does make it less noticeable.
Dermabrasion and laser resurfacing are methods a surgeon uses to make "rough or elevated" scars less prominent by removing part of the upper layers of skin with an abrading tool or laser light. Clearly, the scar will remain, but it will be smoother and less visible.

Keloid or hypertrophic scars are often treated first with injections of steroids to reduce size. If this is not satisfactory, the scars can be removed surgically, and the incisions closed with fine stitches, often resulting in less prominent scars.

Scar Treatment

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