When skin is in the process of recovering from an injury (an accident, surgery, a burn, acne), scarring will occur if several layers of the skin have been affected. Once a scar has, unfortunately it is permanent. Scarring can be made less visible or relocated surgically.

Not only do scars make most people self-conscious, but, in some cases, scarring can also diminish functioning. Anyone considering scar revision needs to understand that there is no way to remove scars completely. The goal is to improve the appearance of the scar either by disguising it, relocating it, or minimizing its prominence. Skin color and type, age, and the type of scarring, are all factors which influence results.

Different types of scars respond to different plastic surgery techniques and require different treatments. Severe burns that destroy large sections of skin cause the skin to heal in a puckered way. As the skin heals, muscles and tendons may be affected in this "contracting" movement. Keloid scars are a result of the skin's overproduction of collagen after a wound has healed. These scars generally appear as growths in the scar site. Hypertrophic scars do not grow out of the boundaries of the scar area, but because of their thick, raised texture, can be unsightly and may also restrict the movement of muscles and tendons.

If the scar is of the contracture type, surgery generally involves removing the scar tissue entirely. Z-plasty is a method to move a scar from one area to another, usually into a natural fold or into a crease in the skin to minimize its visibility. Z-plasty does not remove all signs of a scar, but 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. The scar will remain, but it will be smoother and less visible.

Procedures Index