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Scar Revision

Scar revision is a surgical technique performed by plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Gill in his Houston office that can greatly diminish the appearance of many scars, whether they were formed several weeks or several years ago.

If you exhibit scars due to injury or previous surgery, a scar revision with Dr. Gill may be right for you.

If You're Considering Scar Revision

Though scar revision does not technically remove a scar, it is a technique that effectively replaces one unsightly scar with another that has an improved aesthetic appearance. It is not possible to fully restore the skin to its appearance prior to the formation of the scar, but the procedure can have a positive cosmetic and emotional impact on the patient, which Dr. Gill understands and will address.

Common scars treated in scar revision include:

• Keloid scars
• Hypertrophic scars
• Contractures

Of the various types of scar revision procedures, more than 160,000 were performed in the US in 2010.
In addition to restoring a cosmetic balance thrown off by a scar, scar revision can also improve the skin's function in many cases.

You may be an ideal candidate for scar revision if you are a healthy nonsmoker, which will aid in proper skin healing post-surgery. If excisional scar revision is to be performed, the procedure may not be completed sooner than six months following formation of the scar. In some cases, you may benefit from less invasive microdermabrasion or injection treatments to diminish a scar.

What to Expect from Surgery

Based on the type of scar you exhibit, Dr. Gill may perform a variety of scar revision procedures.

In a fusiform excision surgery, Dr. Gill will make an ellipses-shaped incision around the scar and remove the tissue.

In a partial or serial excision surgery, Dr. Gill will make an elliptical incision as noted above, but may not be able to entirely remove the scar in one procedure and follow-ups may be necessary.

A local flap surgery is performed when the surrounding skin can be used to cover the scarred area of skin. Using a Z or W-shaped incision, Dr. Gill can break up the scar, restoring function and limiting its noticeability.

If you exhibit a raised scar, Dr, Gill may gradually shave down the elevated tissue to match the surrounding skin.

Small, round and depressed scars may be repaired with a skin graft. In this surgery, Dr. Gill will take skin from a donor site on your body and use it to raise the scarred area to be level with the surrounding tissue.

For some of these procedures, such as local flap surgery, Dr. Gill may perform tissue expansion techniques, which help the skin to adequately stretch in order to make reconstruction possible.

Recovering from Scar Revision

Following scar revision, your skin may feel tight and you may experience swelling and pain, which may be managed with medication. The surgery site will be covered with a dressing and you may need to change it to keep it fresh.

We encourage you to call the Houston practice of plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Gill to learn more about his skills in scar revision and other reconstructive surgery procedures. Contact our office in Houston to learn more about scar revision.