Plastic Surgery

Scar revision

Scar revision is surgery to improve or reduce the appearance of scars.

It also restores function, and corrects skin changes (disfigurement) caused by an injury, wound, or previous surgery. Depending on the extent of the surgery, scar revision can be done while you are awake (local anesthesia), sleeping (sedated), or deep asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia). Medications (topical corticosteroids, anesthetic ointments, and antihistamine creams) can reduce the symptoms of itching and tenderness. A treatment called silicone gel sheeting or ointment has been shown to benefit swollen, hypertrophic scars. When to have scar revision done is not always clear. Scars shrink and become less noticeable as they age. You may be able to wait for surgical revision until the scar lightens in color, which can be several months or even a year after the wound has healed. For some scars, however, it is best to have revision surgery 60-90 days after the scar matures. No scar can be removed completely. How much the scar improves will depend on the direction and size of the scar, the age of the person, the skin type and color, and hereditary factors that may affect the healing process.