|
UNDERSTANDING THE SURGERY
When a scar is of the contracture type,
surgery generally involves removing the scar tissue entirely.
Skin flaps, composed of adjacent healthy, unscarred skin,
are then lifted and moved to form a new incision line.
Where a flap is not possible, a skin graft may be used.
A graft involves taking a section of skin tissue from
one area and attaching it to another, and time must be
allowed following surgery for new blood vessels and soft
tissue to form. Z-plasty is a method to move a scar from
one area to another, usually into a natural fold or crease
in the skin, to minimize its visibility. While Z-plasty
does not remove all signs of a scar, it does make it
less noticeable.
Dermabrasion and laser resurfacing
are methods Dr. Smith uses to make “rough or elevated” scars
less prominent by removing part of the upper layers of
skin with an abrading tool or laser light. Clearly, the
scar will remain, but it will be smoother and less visible.
Keloid
or hypertrophic scars are often treated first with injections
of steroids to reduce their size. If the results following
steroid injections are not satisfactory, the scars can
be removed surgically and the incisions closed with fine
stitches, often resulting in less prominent scars.
Next
|
