Minimizing Surgery Scars
July 15th, 2013
Anytime the skin is cut, a scar will form to close the wound, so scars are inevitable following most surgeries. Emergency surgery will unfortunately leave scars that are usually more obvious, due to having to react quickly to save a life. The trade-off is obvious. Plastic surgeons have considerable training in this regard. Elective cosmetic surgery does allow time for planning, so the telltale surgery scars are often minimized by the advantage of careful incision placement. This planning allows for specific design of scar placement and the application of technologies that contribute to reducing the appearance of most scars.
I intentionally place any visible scars in such a way that they are either easily covered by the smallest bathing suit a patient is likely to wear or able to be concealed with makeup and/or hairstyle. Elegant surgical design is possible when all these things are taken into consideration. Having the time and experience in making preparations for the surgical plan offers the best opportunity to minimize noticeable scars following surgery.
4 Steps for Cosmetic Surgery: Minimize Scars
August 27th, 2012
Cosmetic plastic surgeons are trained to minimize scars following surgery. The surgical design plan determines where the scar(s) will be located. This determines the appearance after surgery. There are several choices to consider when designing incision placement based on the type of surgery I am doing. I evaluate placement using key solutions such as, whether it can be covered with clothing, camouflaged by make up, obscured by hair style, hidden within body orifices (nostrils) or concealed within the natural creases of the face or body. My overall philosophy is to utilize all these elements, so that minimal efforts are sufficient to keep any scars out of plain sight or minimized following cosmetic surgery. I suggest patients look at Before/After photos to help get an idea of the surgeon’s aesthetic skill in reviewing their final results.
I also custom design most surgery scars to be as short as possible. The length of a scar will ultimately be determined by the goals of the surgery and the limitations of technology. Obviously, a longer scar will usually be more conspicuous than a shorter scar. For instance, I use a 2 cm incision to do breast enlargement with saline implants. The implant simply cannot be inserted through a smaller scar at this time. However, as technology changes and there are advances in cosmetic surgery, our techniques evolve. It is important to refrain from exposing new scars to the sun. Tanning a scar before it has healed completely (soft and white) can cause discoloration, which may be permanent. Scars are not fully mature for up to six months, so keep them covered or applied with adequate sunscreen applications.
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