An
essential part of the body's natural healing process, scars are the
result of the skin's repair of wounds caused by accident, disease,
or surgical incision. The more the skin is damaged and the longer
it takes to heal, the greater the chance of a noticeable scar. A scar's
visibility will depend on a number of factors, including its
difference in topography or color from the surrounding normal skin
i.e. color, texture, depth, as well as its length, width, direction
and location on the body. If the skin scar adheres to deeper structures
such as muscle or bone the skin may bunch up with animation or movement
as it is tethered to deeper structures.
The modalities employed to make scars less noticeable include changing
scar direction so it lies within a normal skin crease or fold, debulking
procedures, scar taping, scar massage, local steroid injection, medical
grade skin tatoos (such as tattooing a beard stubble on a man to hide
a scar), dermabrasion, collagen injections, chemical peels, cryosurgery,
application of a pressure dressing or silastic sheeting,
laser treatments and separation of the skin scar from deeper structures.
The collective term for these is scar revision, repair, treatment or surgery.
Which technique or combination of techniques to apply for the best result
requires a qualified trained physician. The required skill set is complimentary
to and overlaps with skills required in the performence of cosmetic procedures
by plastic surgeons but are not exactly the same. Each patient is different
as is his or her scar and mechanism of injury necessitating an individualized
approach for each patient. For optimal results the scar revision repair patient
may need to be seen on a regular basis for as long as 6 or more months.
This patient was injured in a motor vehicle accident. Lip scar tissue removal or scar revision - repair involved
removing a wedge of scar tissue and damaged lip and then realigning the
lip margins. Although the exact skin condition prior to the inciting injury cannot be reached vast improvement is possible.
Scars that lie completely within the area of the lips where women wear lipstick are usually much easier to treat.
Scar repair or revision
can enhance your appearance and your self confidence. Realistic expectations
are important to be happy with any surgery. As each patient is an individual,
different results can be expected in each patient.
