scar revision procedures

What is Scar Revision?

Surgical scar revision is an option available to patients faced with scars originating from injury or through surgery. Depending on the severity of the scar, revision of the scarred tissue may aid in the restoration of both form and function.

Whether caused by injury, surgery, or burn, scars can be disfiguring. Scars can be more noticeable due to their protrusion or depression versus the surrounding skin, their lack of orientation, their pull on other structures and their color. The severity of a scar depends on many factors, including the size and depth of the wound, the blood supply to the area, and the thickness and color of the skin. Some people - especially those with deeper skin tones - have a tendency to produce prominent, raised scars called keloids.

Who is a good candidate for Scar Revision?

First and foremost, you must be in good health, have no active diseases or serious, pre-existing medical conditions, and you must have realistic expectations of the outcome of your surgery. No scar can be "erased" permanently. Most scars, in fact, are not amenable to revision. Qualities that make a scar more amenable to successful revision are raised or depressed scars, contour irregularities, poor lines of orientation, color mismatch and scars produced by blunt trauma.

NOTE: If you smoke, recently quit smoking or have been unable to stop completely, or you are exposed to second-hand smoke, you may not be a candidate for surgery. Primary and secondary smoking decreases blood supply to the body's tissues, resulting in prolonged wound healing, skin loss, infection, increased scarring, and a number of other complications related to the kind of procedure performed. Click here for more information related to smoking and wound healing.

Examples of scars most commonly treated include: hypertrophic scars, keloid scars, and contracture scarring. Hypertrophic scars occur within the boundaries of the incision or wound and are generally thick, red, and raised in appearance. Keloid scars are somewhat similar in appearance to hypertrophic scars. Although, keloids generally grow beyond the boundaries of the incision or wound. Keloids are commonly found on the earlobe, shoulder, and over the breastbone and appear most commonly in dark-skinned individuals. Contracture scars are the most severe forms of a scar and usually occur as a result of a loss of a large area of skin. These forms of scars are most commonly found in patients that have experienced burn injuries. In this instance, the scars that have formed cause the edges of skin to pull together affecting the adjacent muscles and tendons, which in turn, causes the restriction of normal movement. Most minor scars can be treated by injecting a steroid medication directly into the scarred tissue This form of treatment generally results in a reduction of redness, and size.

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