Facial Scar Revision
Understanding Facial Scar Treatment
When the skin is injured from a cut or tear the body heals by forming scar tissue. The appearance of the scar can range from nearly invisible to very obvious and disfiguring. Unattractive scars can be wide, sunken, red, raised, pale or even cause distortion of other parts of the face like the eyes or lips. A facial plastic surgeon has many options for treating and improving facial scars.
Understanding the Surgery
various surgical techniques for scar revision are designed to make the scar as smooth and invisible as possible. This can involve recreating the incision, moving skin around or even moving the scar to make it less visible. What would work best for your specific scar will depend on where it is located and how it looks, your surgeon will evaluate you and discuss the options for revision surgery.
Some scars, especially when raised, may be improved with dermabrasion and laser resurfacing. These 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 will be smoother and less visible.
Keloid or hypertropic scars are often treated first with injection of medications 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.