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Phone 512.401.2500 | Fax 512.401.2501
2745 Bee Caves Road, Suite 101
Austin,
Texas
78746
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Question:
Does laser skin resurfacing actually remove scars that were otherwise dubbed ‘permanent’ or just make them harder to see?
Answer:
Once a scar is present it is by definition permanent. Scars can only be improved by skin resurfacing which makes it more difficult to see but not invisible.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I am a darker skinned person looking to have a scar removed from my chin. How much will my skin color affect scar revision procedures?
Answer:
Darker skin is more difficult to work with regarding scar revision since scars tend to lighten with time. Because of this a scar needs to be nearly perfect to blend into the surrounding skin. Also, skin resurfacing procedures such as dermabrasion and laser are more difficult to perform because of temporary hyperpigmentation or possibly permanent lightening of the skin, hypopigmentation. While these issues make scar revision more challenging, it doesn’t preclude improvement. The procedure needs to be well planned and expectations set appropriately to succeed.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I have recently had an accident (2 months ago) and have a very nasty scar on my face. Should I come in for a consultation about this now or should I wait for it to heal more?
Answer:
Under most circumstances we will allow a scar to mature for 9-12 months before revising. We do this because many scars will heal well enough in this amount of time so that they will not need any revision. In certain circumstances however, a scars orientation or repair will obviously not look good regardless of the amount of time. In these instances an earlier repair may be appropriate. A consultation now will not hurt even if the recommendation is to wait to determine if a revision is necessary.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I would like to get a small scar fixed on the side of my nose that came from too many years of wearing a nose ring. My friend was telling me that this is done by a laser. Is this true?
Answer:
It depends. If the scar is broad and superficial then it may be improved with laser or dermabrasion, both being methods of skin resurfacing. If the scar is discreet and deep then surgical excision and closure of the scar may be more appropriate. A consultation will determine the best option for each patient.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
When I was a child I was attacked by a pit bull. Unfortunately the attack left me with a large scar on my left cheek. I’d like to have the scar removed if possible. Is this a painful procedure?
Answer:
There is a small amount of discomfort involved in injecting a numbing agent, lidocaine, into the skin. Otherwise there is very little pain involved in the recovery and people tolerate the procedure very well.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I had a lipoma removed from my neck and it left a rather large, very noticeable scar. The scar always catches my attention when I look in the mirror and I am beginning to hate it. What procedure do you use for scar removal?
Answer:
Usually a surgical scar as you describe is best treated with re-excision and careful precise closure with eversion of the wound edges. The scar is usually noticeable because the edges are depressed and create a shadow. Other techniques involve skin resurfacing or reorienting of the scar.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I have a scar on my cheek from being bitten as a child. It’s always bothered me and I’d like to see if there’s some way that I can get rid of it or at least improve it. I’ve heard of scar revision and was just wondering what this entails and how significantly improved scars can be.
Answer:
Depending on the size and orientation of the scar it can likely be improved by scar revision techniques. The techniques used include surgically excising the scar and repairing with a variety of camouflaging techniques or scar resurfacing with laser or dermabrasion.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
Can scar repair surgery completely remove a scar?
Answer:
Yes, but the old scar will be replaced with a smaller more conspicuous scar. The goal of scar revision is to re-orient a scar into the natural wrinkle lines and make it as small as possible. If needed resurfacing may also be performed to further blend the scar into the surrounding tissue.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
A cut to the lip after a sports injury has left me with a very visible scar. Is it possible to minimize the appearance of a scar in this area, and would it be more painful than in another area?
Answer:
A scar on the lip can usually be improved. A combination of surgical revision and resurfacing techniques such as laser or dermabrasion may be utilized. Regarding pain, the lips are easily numbed by using nerve blocks. These are performed by placing lidocaine up under the gum. It is a very well tolerated procedure and is used often as it is the same technique used for injection of filler into the lips.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
Question:
I’d like to get a large scar taken off on my forehead that I’ve had since a childhood accident. I’ve been embarrassed and self conscious about its appearance for years and I’m finally ready to get it removed. Will a scar revision procedure completely eliminate its appearance?
Answer:
A scar revision is unlikely to completely eliminate a scars appearance. Once the tissue has been injured it will always be injured to some degree. The goal of scar revision is to make the appearance of the scar as good as possible. In most cases the degree of improvement is such that the scar is only noticeable on close inspection. This is of course dependent upon the original size and severity of the scar. In very large scars the result may not be as good.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
