Scars that form after various traumas can be an aesthetic problem, particularly if the scar is keloid or hypertrophic (overgrown, often darker than the skin) or hypotrophic (shrunken, often lighter than the skin) as a result of impaired healing. Different methods are used to treat the scar, depending on its age, size, depth, location, etc. Simpler options for the correction of overgrown scars include corticosteroid injections and laser treatment, and for hypothyroid scars, filling injections and lipofilling. If simpler methods would be inadequate, consideration may be given to cutting out the old scar and supporting the formation of a new scar after the cut so that it is minimally prominent.
Operation and recovery
Scar plasty involves cutting out the old scar, displacing and tightening the surrounding tissues and closing the wound in layers. The operation is usually performed under local anaesthesia and lasts 1-2 hours.
Patients are discharged home a few hours after surgery under local anaesthesia, or the morning after surgery for general anaesthesia. It is advisable to limit heavy exercise for 2-6 weeks, and the scar area should be protected from the sun for at least 3 months.
Performance
The final result will take 6 to 12 months to develop and may depend to a large extent on the care of the scar during the period of its development. The result is permanent.
The surgeries are performed by Dr Indrek Mikomägi.
