SCAR REVISION OR SCAR REPAIR
For improving the appearance of unsightly scars

Scars can greatly impair self-esteem and make a person feel unattractive. No scar can be completely eliminated, but there are many procedures to diminish the appearance of scars and make them less visible. The correct treatment for you will depend upon the type of scar you have.

What is Scar Revision or Scar Repair?
There are many procedures for scar revision or scar repair which can reduce the appearance of your scars. The doctor will examine you and recommend the procedure which will bring the best possible result.
* Some scars are best treated with steroid injections, which can shrink the scar as well as help to ease itching and soreness.
* If you have sunken scars, collagen injections may be recommended to fill in the depressed areas of skin and even out skin texture. This procedure has to be performed again in a few years, as the collagen is eventually absorbed by your body.
* Dermabrasion or laser skin resurfacing can smooth and soften scars by removing the outermost layer of skin. These are usually the treatment of choice for acne scars.
* Some scars can be repositioned through surgical procedures such as Z-Plasty, so that they are less visible or lie more within the natural line of the body, perhaps in skin creases.
* For very deep or large scars, skin grafts or flap surgery may be recommended to fill in the sunken areas and even out skin texture. Grafting requires taking skin from a healthy part of the body and moving it to cover the scarred areas. Flap surgery is necessary if the scarring is so deep that it has damaged muscle tissue. In this case, muscle and blood vessels must be transferred to the affected area as well as skin.

What Can Scar Revision or Scar Repair Do For Me?
* With one or more revision or repair procedures, most scars can either be permanently reduced or repositioned in a way that makes them less noticeable.
* Steroid treatment can reduce scar itching, burning, and soreness.
* If you have a scar that is uncomfortably tight, scar revision or scar repair can ease the discomfort as well as make the scar less conspicuous.
* Simple outpatient techniques can significantly reduce the appearance of acne scars.

What Does Scar Revision or Scar Repair Feel Like?
* Steroid treatment usually involves injections, which can sting slightly. But, generally, it is a painless outpatient procedure.
* Collagen injections are a simple outpatient procedure with immediate results, and the collagen itself contains a mild local anesthetic. You must be tested a few weeks in advance to make sure you are not allergic to collagen.
* Dermabrasion and laser resurfacing are outpatient procedures performed under local anesthesia to prevent pain, but you may also receive sedation to make you drowsy.
* For surgical scar revision or repair such as Z-Plasty, you may be awake or asleep for the procedure, but an anesthetic will prevent you from feeling pain during the surgery. These methods of scar revision and repair are generally not painful, and the new incision area will require stitches.
* Skin grafts and flap surgery will require general anesthesia and a hospital stay. Post-operative pain medication will be necessary for a period of time, as this surgery is quite extensive.
* There are additional techniques of scar revision or scar repair, and the doctor will discuss these with you if they are recommended.

What Can I Expect After the Procedure?
* Steroid and collagen injections can cause some soreness, as well as slight bruising and swelling. These conditions clear up within a few hours or days.
* Dermabrasion is akin to sanding the skin, while laser resurfacing uses light and heat to smooth the skin’s texture. Mild pain medications may be necessary after both procedures to ease discomfort during the healing process. You may go home the same day after these procedures. If you have been given a sedative, however, you will need someone to drive you home.
* Dermabrasion may cause some bleeding, swelling, and scabbing, but most patients heal within two weeks. Some redness may remain for a couple of months.
* Laser resurfacing takes a couple of weeks to heal, although some redness may remain for up to six months after the treatment. The skin will swell and ooze for a short time.
* The effects of dermabrasion and laser resurfacing can last for years.
* Z-Plasty and other forms of surgical scar revision or repair are usually outpatient procedures using a local anesthetic and perhaps sedation. As the sedative will make you drowsy, you should arrange for someone else to drive you home.
* For surgical scar revision or scar repair, you may need some mild pain medication after surgery. Depending upon the size of the scar, healing is often completed in a week. You may experience some swelling, however, for several months.
* If you have stitches from your scar revision/repair, they are usually removed within a week of the surgery. Redness from this type of surgery generally fades within a day.
* For some procedures, you will need to wear bandages and apply ointment for a period of time ­ usually a week - after the surgery.
* Skin grafts or flaps take weeks, and sometimes months, to fully heal, and bandages may need to be worn for as long as a year. It is difficult to perfectly match the surrounding skin in pigment and texture, but the differences are usually very slight.
* As with most skin treatments, you will be more vulnerable to sun damage for a period of time. Take special care to protect your skin from the sun for the first few months after your procedure.

What are the Risks of Scar Revision or Scar Repair?
The procedures for scar revision or scar repair are very safe. As with any surgery or medical treatment, there are some slight risks depending upon the treatment used, such as swelling, bleeding, blistering, numbness, allergic reaction, skin pigmentation problems, burns, or additional or recurring scars. There is a slight chance of the body rejecting skin grafts or flaps. However, this is rare since the tissue is taken from other parts of your own body.