Scars are your body’s natural attempt to heal the open wounds and tears in the skin after undergoing surgery, whether it’s a C-section, a breast augmentation, or an injury repair. Sometimes, these marks start becoming thick, painful, tight, or itchy, causing discomfort and a lack of confidence in your skin’s appearance. Healthcare professionals like Dr. Fodero offer solutions like a scar revision for patients like you, who are seeking a procedure to achieve a seamless, uniform skin. Keep reading to learn more about this treatment.
What Is a Scar Revision?
Scars are unavoidable after suffering from an injury or undergoing a surgery, and the way they develop is unpredictable. If you heal poorly, your scarring becomes uncomfortable due to its size, color, texture, and side effects like painful sensations. A scar revision is a procedure designed to minimize the scar and blend it with the rest of the skin surface.
Scar revision treatment options include:
- Topical treatments: Compression bandages and gels are first-option treatments used to hydrate the skin.
- Injectable treatments: Corticosteroid injections are commonly used to flatten hypertrophic scars, and dermal fillers are used to fix concave scars and make the skin texture more uniform.
- Surface treatments: Procedures like dermabrasion, laser therapy, and chemical peels work by removing a layer of the skin surface to reveal a smooth texture.
- Scar excision and revision: During this surgical intervention, the plastic surgeon cuts out the old tissue and re-closes the wound using a delicate technique to hide the new incision line within natural skin folds.
- Skin grafts: Also known as skin flaps, this technique is used for large scars with significant tissue loss. During the surgery, the doctor transfers skin from another area to cover the scar.
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What Type of Scars Require Revision?
The scar revision treatment your doctor recommends may not be the same as other patients, and this is due to the fact that scars are different depending on factors like your skin type and how the scarring develops. Some of the types of scars that require a revision procedure include:
1. Hypertrophic Scars
A hypertrophic scar has a raised and thick appearance with a red, purple, or pink pigmentation due to an excessive collagen production during the skin’s healing process. These scars usually feel itchy, irritated, and tender, causing discomfort on the patient. Although they usually flatten or improve after a period of one or two years, scar revision treatment options like laser therapy or corticosteroid injections fade these scars.
2. Keloid Scars
Keloid scars overgrow beyond the original wound site, appearing thick and with a darker pigmentation, causing pain and discomfort. Keloid scars occur frequently in individuals who are younger than 30 years old or with a darker skin tone. The most recommended scar revision procedure are steroid injections or a surgical removal with post-procedure consultations to prevent regrowth.
3. Contracture Scars
Contracture scars are large marks caused by deep wounds or a severe burn, causing the skin to respond by pulling the nearby muscles and tendons, tightening and restricting movement within the affected area. If the contracture has severe effects, procedures like skin grafting or a surgical intervention are recommended.
4. Atrophic Scars
Atrophic scars are sunken or indented, and appear when the skin fails to regenerate tissue during the healing process after having severe acne, chickenpox, or an infection. Scar revision treatments like dermal fillers, laser therapy, and chemical peels rebuild your collagen production and improve your skin texture.
How a Scar Revision Restores Your Confidence
While scar revision treatments do not completely remove a scar, they reduce its size, flatten their texture, and improve its pigmentation so it matches your skin tone. Besides relieving physical discomfort and releasing your scar tissue from restricting your mobility, a scar revision procedure helps you regain your confidence, making you feel comfortable in your own skin again after undergoing a surgery or experiencing an injury.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Scar Revision
Does recovery last for too long?
Depending on the revision method, side effects like swelling and redness may last from 5 to 7 days, and sutures are removed within 14 days. After 20 days, you can resume normal activities, except for heavy exercise. Your scar will fully fade after 6 to 12 months.
How do I know if I’m a good candidate?
If a scar is causing you discomfort or pain and has matured typically 12 months after an injury or surgery, you qualify for a scar revision treatment.
What if my scar comes back?
During your scar revision consultation with Dr. Fodero, he will discuss options to prevent scarring regrowth such as:
- Steroid injections.
- Silicone sheeting.
- Pressure therapy.
- Follow-up visits.
Book Your Scar Revision Consultation in Morris County, NJ
If you have a scar from an injury or previous surgery that is causing you discomfort, pain, or insecurities about your appearance, Dr. Fodero is ready to help you. Book your consultation at Northeastern Plastic Surgery in Morris County, NJ, to learn about which scar revision treatment is right for you. Call (973) 295-6565 or contact our practice online for more information.