Purpose

To improve the appearance of existing scars.

Details

Unsightly scars may sometimes be amenable to intervention to improve their appearance. Dog-ears could be excised. Prominent scars not well repaired initially may be excised and re-sutured. Scars that are obvious because of their direction might be removed and re-oriented so that they fall into natural creases or be aligned better. Sometimes the most appropriate intervention may be laser instead of excision. Big patches of scars are sometimes better dealt with by excision and tissue expansion.

Results

In an appropriate case, suitable intervention may improve the appearance of a scar.

Caution

Scars from injury or surgery are inevitable and it is unrealistic to expect no scars. May factors determine the overall appearance of a scar and a person's inborn tendency to scar formation is often the uncontrollable factor. Scars take time to mature and settle and it is best to wait for this before deciding whether intervention is warranted. Unsightly scars may sometimes be due to a keloid tendency which is a condition which calls for different treatments.