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The injury can be because of
accident
burns
surgery
infection
cancer
radiation
birth defects etc.
The purpose of a scar revision is to make the effects of the scar less prominent, less visible and obvious. It may or may not be possible to remove the scar entirely but there are many techniques that can hide or camouflage a scar.
Some of the scars can be painful, can cause a contracture or a drag on the surrounding areas so as to restrict function like movements of the neck or hands etc. Some scars around the eyes, mouth nose, can pull on these and cause them to be disfigured.
There are many options for treatment of scars, some non-surgical, some minimally invasive some surgical interventions
• Massage with anti-scar gels
• Use of silicone gel sheets
• Use of compression garments
Some patients may need use of Intra lesional steroids to soften the scars These are mild locally acting steroids and may need to be repeated a few times to see the full effect.
Surgical methods include:
• Scar revision surgery
• Contracture release
•‘Z’ plasty and W’ plasty surgery
• Resurfacing the scarred area with skin grafting
• Use of tissue expanders to resurface the scar with adjacent skin
• Use of dermal templates like Integra or Matriderm to resurface the area etc.
All these measures can be used alone or in combination to provide improvement of the scars.
Some of these can be done under local anaesthesia some need to be done under regional or general anaesthesia. Your plastic surgeon will advise you as to the best approach to tackle your scars.
All surgical methods will have better results if they are followed up with the non-surgical methods to obtain optimal results.
Keloids are thick scars that can form from trivial trauma. They can be painful, sensitive and cause discomfort to those having a keloidal tendency. The exact reason for this keloidal tendency is unknown and there are many theories about these keloids.
The best way to treat a keloidal tendency is to avoid getting any surgical procedure done. Those who have documented keloidal tendency should avoid getting ear piercing or body piercing done. Any surgical procedure should be carefully thought of before planning for the same. It is better to consult a plastic surgeon prior to getting a surgical procedure done
Having said that to those patients already having keloids are a difficult set of patients to treat. Many patients have a varied response tout keloid therapy.
The treatment may be surgical, non surgical with or without radiotherapy
Your plastic surgeon may advise you to under go a combination of the therapeutic procedures to give you optimal relief.
Photos
ear keloid
chest wall keloid
radiation machine