Everybody loves to have flawless beautiful skin. Thanks to scar revision surgery you can now fade your scars away into the past. Scar revision surgery is a common plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery that removes or permanently reduces the visibility of scars on the skin in a safe manner. First, let’s get into the science of how and why scars are formed.
Scars are nothing but the marks and the blemishes left on the skin after a wound, cut, pimple, surgical incision or a burn heals. They appear when the skin tissues get damaged and the skin gets disfigured and discolored. Some scars also appear if the wound is not healed properly. During the wound healing period, if you expose the wound to too much sun, it can lead to scars with hyper-pigmentation – scars that are darker than the normal skin color. And not keeping the wound dry during the healing process stimulates inflammation leading to bulging scars. Most scars go away with time but some remain if the wound is too deep into the skin or if the skin is damaged frequently (recurrence of acne). This is where scar revision surgery comes in handy!
Why is a scar revision surgery right for you?
A scar revision surgery can be recommended for you for various physical and psychological reasons:
- To enhance your look and beauty
- To boost your confidence and self-esteem because scars can be very embarrassing and de-motivating, especially if you can’t hide them
- To ease your discomfort. Some scars can be at inconvenient places that can cause you pain or difficulty while moving around
- To re-heal a poorly healed wound
- To reduce the psychological trauma caused by an accident as scars can be a constant reminder of the unfortunate event that caused the scar
When is a scar revision surgery right for you?
If you think that getting a scar revision surgery done as soon as your wound closes will reduce your chances of having a scar, then you are wrong. Getting a scar removal treatment as the wound heals can be unhealthy and dangerous, and might leave you with a bigger scar than that you would have had. Here are the conditions required before you’re ready for a scar removal surgery:
- You will have to wait for 12 to 18 months after the injury for this therapy to be performed. Scars change with time and the true nature of the scar will be known only after 12 to 18 months of the scar formation. By this time the skin on and around the scar will also be tensile or stretchable and be healthy enough to withstand the treatment
- If you’re a smoker, you may have to quit smoking for a considerable time before and after the surgery
- At least 1 week prior to the procedure, make sure you don’t use any creams or home remedies on the scar. It can otherwise cause complications
- Don’t go out at all 1 day before the surgery. The idea is to avoid the scar from sun exposure
- You have to be mentally prepared, calm and relaxed before the surgery. This is more relevant during the facial treatment. Anxiety increases your blood circulation and pressure which can cause difficulties
What is a scar removal surgery? Read here.
What type of scar revision surgery is right for you?
No two scars are alike. There are different scar removal procedures designed to effectively cure different types of scars. The good news is that not all scar removal procedures are invasive. Some procedures may involve only a few injections and ointments. While only the major scar issues involve minor surgeries and laser treatment. To know what type of scar revision treatment is right for you, your cosmetic surgeon will examine your health and your scar thoroughly. Your doctor will come up with a personalized plan for your scar removal treatment based on the following conditions:
- Your skin age
- Your daily medication
- The location of the scar on the body – naturally facial scars need a delicate treatment as facial skin is more sensitive
- The amount of blood circulated around the scar
- The cause of the scar
- Your skin quality
- The size and severity of the scar
- Your skin color
- Your general health in terms of nutrition
- The type of scar
For further clarification, this has been explained below. The nature and features of the scar also determine the type of scar removal treatment you will require. Here are a few types:
- Atrophic scars: These are in the form depressions in the skin. These are mainly caused by the deficiency of a protein called collagen in the body. Collagen is vital for skin strengthening and elasticity. Collagen injections is one of the most common and simple therapy to rectify this. Light acne scars, stretch marks, wrinkles, etc. are some of the atrophic scars that can be treated with cosmetic injections.
- Keloid and hypertrophic scars: These are broad, raised, thick, dark and clustered scars that form mounds or small outward bumps on the skin. The only difference between a keloid scar and a hypertrophic scar is that the former goes beyond the wound area. The minor ones can be almost corrected with cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) while the major ones can be shrunk and softened with the help of silicone sheets and steroid injections.
- Burn scars: Wounds caused by fire and acids can penetrate deep into the skin. These scars need a more sophisticated treatment. Skin grafting or skin flapping may be ideal in most cases. It’s when healthy skin from some other part of the body is cut and put onto the scar area.
- Sunburn damage: Chemical peeling might be comparatively expensive but it’s a treatment used to rectify sun burns and irregular skin discoloration. The whole idea behind the therapy is to shed the old skin and allow the new and fresh skin to regenerate.
Even though scars cannot be totally erased, they can surely be reduced in size and color and can be made less obvious. The success rate of the scar removal also depends a lot on your plastic surgeon. For best and guaranteed results, only consult the best cosmetic surgeon in Chennai at Apollo Cosmetic Clinics.
