Scar repair surgery tries to minimize the scar to make it less visible and blend in with the color and texture of the surrounding skin. With years of experience and training, our plastic surgeons can set the best course of surgery for you to get rid of that annoyance Mark forever !

What is scar revision?

Scar revision surgery will attempt to minimize a scar so that it is less conspicuous and blends in with the surrounding skin tone and texture.Scars are visible signs that remain after a wound has healed. They are the unavoidable results of injury or surgery, and their development can be unpredictable. Poor healing may contribute to scars that are obvious, unsightly or disfiguring. Even a wound that heals well can result in a scar that affects your appearance. Scars may be noticeable due to their size, shape or location; they can also be raised or depressed, and may differ in color or texture from the surrounding healthy tissue.
Your treatment options may vary based on the type and degree of scarring and can include:

• Simple topical treatments
• Minimally invasive procedures
• Surgical revision with advanced techniques in wound closure

Although scar revision can provide a more pleasing cosmetic result or improve a scar that has healed poorly, a scar cannot be completely erased .

What is a scar?

Scar revision is plastic surgery performed to improve the condition or appearance of a scar anywhere on your body. The different types of scars include :

Discoloration or surface irregularities and other more subtle scars can be cosmetically improved by surgery or other treatments recommended by your plastic surgeon. These types of scars do not impair function or cause physical discomfort and include acne scars as well as scars resulting from minor injury and prior surgical incisions.

Contractures are scars that restrict movement due to skin and underlying tissue that pull together during healing. They can occur when there is a large amount of tissue loss, such as after a burn. Contractures also can form where a wound crosses a joint, restricting movement of the fingers, elbows, knees or neck.

Keloids are larger than hypertropic scars. They can be painful or itchy, and may also pucker. They extend beyond the edges of an original wound or incision. Keloids can occur anywhere on your body, but they develop more commonly where there is little underlying fatty tissue, such as on the face, neck, ears, chest or shoulders.

Hypertropic scars are thick clusters of scar tissue that develop directly at a wound site. They are often raised, red and/or uncomfortable and may become wider over time. They can be hyperpigmented (darker in color) or hypopigmented (lighter in color).

HOW IS SCAR REMOVAL performed IN IRAN?

This surgery is usually performed in a beauty clinic by a skilled plastic surgeon. It can take from 1 to 3 hours and you can go home on the same day of your operation.Scar removal, Z-plasty and skin grafting are among the surgeries that are mainly used by Iranian doctors. All of them will be explained in the section "Scar treatment options". 

In general, treatment may be aimed at reducing the size of the scar, repairing the scar, smoothing the surface, or making the scar less visible. Whatever the goal, the surgeon may proceed with a different technique.

The cause of scars as well as their nature helps to choose different surgical or non-surgical methods. Before considering the techniques, let's take a look at the types of scars .

Who is a good candidate for scar revision?

Scar revision is a highly individualized procedure and you should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desires or to try to fit any sort of ideal image.
Scar revision can be performed on people of any age and is a good option for you if :

• You are bothered by a scar anywhere on your body
• You are physically healthy
• You do not smoke
• You have a positive outlook and realistic goals for your scar revision surgery
• You do not have active acne or other skin diseases in the area to be treated

Scar Removal Treatment Options?

Once you develop a scar, it becomes a permanent part of your skin. Thankfully there are ways to make scars less visible. Common scar treatments recommended by dermatologists include :

• Surgical procedure . Surgically removing a scar is the most invasive type of treatment. Your doctor may recommend a surgeon to evaluate your scar and perform a procedure to make it less visible. For instance, a surgeon can reduce the size of a wide scar or take skin from another part of your body to place it over the scarred area.
• Laser scar removal. For surgical scars in particular, laser scar removal is an effective, noninvasive option for scar treatment. Dermatologists use intense light to reduce the size, color, and shape of a scar. Different kinds of laser removal are more effective in treating one type of scar over another.
• Chemical peels. A dermatologist will place a chemical solution over the area of your skin where scarring occurs. When the peel is removed, a layer of skin lifts away to reveal a smoother layer of skin. Chemical peels  require multiple treatments and are best for surface-level scars.
• Dermabrasion. Using a machine that looks like a small sander, a dermatologist can smooth away the top layer of your skin. Similar to a chemical peel, this treatment is a good option for smoothing a raised scar.
• Injections. For scars that rise above your skin, steroid injections can shrink the size of the scar and make it even with the surface of your skin. Other types of injections include dermal fillers or collagen, which fill in the area around a deep scar.
• Ointments. Over-the-counter scar removal creams and ointments are a good solution for minor scarring. Dermatologists can prescribe more effective scar treatment gels.

What are the steps of a scar revision procedure in iran?

Step 1 – Anesthesia
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include local anesthesia, intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The treatment
The degree of improvement that can be achieved with scar revision will depend on the severity of your scarring, and the type, size and location of the scar. In some cases, a single technique may provide significant improvement. However, your plastic surgeon may recommend a combination of scar revision techniques to achieve the best results.

Topical treatments
such as gels, tapes or external compression, can help in wound closure and healing, or to reduce the ability of skin to produce irregular pigment. These products may be used to treat existing surface scars and discoloration, and to aid in the healing of scar revision procedures.

Injectable treatments 
may also be used. Dermal filler can be used to fill depressed or concave scars. Depending on the injectable substance used and your particular scar conditions, results may last from three months to several years. Therapy must be repeated to maintain results. Another form of injection therapy uses steroidal-based compounds to reduce collagen formation and can alter the appearance, size and texture of raised scar tissue.

Surface treatments are most often used for cosmetic improvement of scars. These methods can soften surface irregularities and reduce uneven pigmentation. Surface treatments are a controlled means of either mechanically removing the top layers of skin or changing the nature of tissue. These treatment options include:

• Dermabrasion is a mechanical polishing of the skin.
• Laser or light therapy causes changes to the surface of the skin that allow new, healthy skin to form at the scar site.
• Chemical peel solutions penetrate the skin's surface to soften irregularities in texture and color.
• Skin bleaching agents are medications applied topically to lighten the skin.

Step 3 – Sometimes for deeper scars an incision is needed to surgically remove the old scar

Step 4 – Closing the incisions
Some scars require layered closure. Layered closure is often used where excision extends to tissue below the skin surface or in areas with a high degree of movement. The first step, or layer, requires sub-dermal closure (below the skin surface) with absorbable or non-removable sutures. Layers of closure continue to build, concluding with closure of the remaining surface wound.Advanced techniques in scar revision include complex flap closures and W-plasty or Z-plasty techniques. Flap closures may reposition a scar so that it is less conspicuous or improve flexibility where contracture has restricted mobility.

Pharmaceutical tissue substitutes may be used if ample healthy tissue is not present for closure of a scar excision. This is more likely with revision of severe burn scars.Tissue expansion can be a substitute for skin grafts. In this procedure, an inflatable balloon called a tissue expander is placed under the skin near the scar site. Over time, the balloon is slowly filled with sterile solution to expand the area of healthy skin. Once the skin has been stretched sufficiently, the expander and the scar is removed and the stretched skin is moved to replace the scar tissue. This process can involve multiple surgical stages or procedures in order to achieve the final results.

Post-Operative Cares AFTER SCAR REVISION

In order to have ideal results and make sure that the wound heals properly, it is necessary to follow the instructions after surgery. The following steps should be performed to ensure the best results :

• Rest: You must get a lot of rest and try to avoid daily activities as much as possible. This doesn’t mean you have to get bed rest.
• Try to have a healthy diet: Add raw fruit and vegetables to your diet and drink enough amount of water.
• Take pain medications: take them as prescribed by your surgeon. Aspirin and any other medications containing aspirin are not allowed during the healing period.
• Do not smoke or be around a smoker: This will hinder or delay the process of healing.
• Try to walk and resume daily activities gradually.
• Based on the depth and type of surgery, you can get back to work in 1-2 days.
• Avoid exposing the scar to direct sunlight for 12 months.
• Do not drink beverages containing alcohol as it causes fluid retention.