Scar Revision Washington, DC

Scar revision procedures are able to improve the appearance of scars resulting from acne, trauma, and surgery by excising, realigning or otherwise reducing their appearance. There are a variety of scar revision procedures including surgery, chemical peels, laser resurfacing and dermabrasion. Good candidates for scar revision include healthy patients with realistic expectations who are looking to improve the appearance of an unsightly scar.

Depending upon the particular procedure, Dr. Naderi may perform the scar revision procedure in his office or in one of the INOVA system hospitals which include Fair Oaks Hospital, Loudoun Hospital, Fairfax Hospital, and Mt. Vernon Hospital. MAC (monitored anesthesia care) or local anesthesia may be used. Scar revision procedures generally take between thirty and forty-five minutes to complete.

Techniques will vary according to the particular patient and the particular scar revision procedure that is used. In many cases, a visible scar may be excised or realigned so that it is placed in a more favorable direction. “Z-plasty” or “Geometric Broken Line Closure” are techniques to realign scars. This may be followed by a resurfacing technique such as a chemical peel, laser resurfacing or dermabrasion. Recovery from scar revision generally takes seven to ten days. Some swelling and bruising may occur, and the area of the scar may appear red at first. Most patients can return to work within several days although with resurfacing, one to two weeks may be necessary for healing.  More strenuous activities may need to be postponed for at least two weeks.

Q - What is scar revision?
Scar revision procedures are designed to improve the appearance of scars including those resulting from surgery, trauma and acne. There are a variety of techniques which may be used to excise, realign or reduce the appearance of scars including surgery, chemical peels, dermabrasion and laser resurfacing.  Scars almost never completely disappear but can certainly be vastly improved.

Q - Is scar revision right for me?
If you are healthy and looking to improve the appearance of an unsightly scar, then scar revision may be right for you. Adults fair better than children from scar revision.  Hence, most often scar revision should be held off until children are older and can follow post-op instructions.  The tight growing skin in children is not ideal for scar revision.  Sometimes, an initial scar revision can be performed in a child with a very noticeable scar in order to help the self confidence of the child with the understanding that a later procedure may be necessary once the child is much older. 

Lighter skinned patients also have improved outcome after scar revision since darker skinned patients may have pigmentation changes.  Resurfacing is also not an option in darker skinned patients.

Q - What is dermabrasion?
Dermabrasion is a procedure which uses a high speed rotating brush to remove the top layer of skin. It may be used to make a scar less visible. This is the ideal method of resurfacing a scar and it is preferable to lasers or chemical peels for several reasons.

Q - What is laser resurfacing?
Laser resurfacing is a procedure which uses a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to remove the top layer of skin. Laser resurfacing can minimize the appearance of some scars.

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