Facial scars

Because of its location, a facial scar is frequently considered a cosmetic problem, whether or not it is hypertrophic. There are several ways to make a facial scar less noticeable. Often it is simply cut out and closed with tiny stitches, leaving a thinner, less noticeable scar.

The scar crossing the natural line, or
crease, between the nose and mouth is
removed and repositioned using Z-plasty.
The forehead scar, located in the natural
lines, is excised with tapered ends. The
skin is then loosened and brought
together with stitches.

If the scar lies across the natural skin creases (or "lines of relaxation") the surgeon may be able to reposition it to run parallel to these lines, where it will be less conspicuous.

The repaired scars now lie partly within
the natural skin crease, where they are
less visible.

Some facial scars can be softened using a technique called dermabrasion, a controlled scraping of the top layers of the skin using a hand-held, high-speed rotary wheel. Dermabrasion leaves a smoother surface to the skin, but it won't completely erase the scar.

 

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