What About Scars?

Some of the questions often asked before a patient undergoes a facelift here at Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center is: Will I have scars? Will the scars show? How long will the incisions take to heal? These are very good questions. Scars are possible whenever skin is cut or wounded, that simple. So the real question is where and how visible will the scars be. This is particularly important with your face because not only is your face always exposed, but your face is your identity. This is also one reason realistic expectations and well thought out decision making and planning, not to mention a good cosmetic surgeon, is important with facial surgery.

Scarring is actually part of the healing process. Scars are made of collagen that replaces the previous collagen tissue in a stiffer, more fibrous formation. The three types of scars are atrophic (these are depressed and lower than the skin surface), hypertrophic (these are raised, higher than the skin surface), and keloidal. The latter is the type of scar you really don’t want. Skin type must be taken into consideration in order to avoid these keloidal scars that continue to grow beyond the boundary of the incision. Unfortunately there is more likelihood of darker skinned people developing keloidal scars. All scars start out reddish. This is because of the increased blood flow to the wounded area as the body heals itself.  Gradually atrophic and hypertrophic  scars fade to white until they are no longer visible. Healing time varies with skin type; darker skin takes longer. Redness subsides in about 3 months and during the next 6 months to a year the appearance of the wound continues to improve.

In the case of facelifts, the incisions are placed in such a way to hide and help minimize scars. Incisions are placed behind and inside the ear. The creation of scars is not always due to the skill of your cosmetic surgeon either. There are a variety of reasons scarring occurs among them genetic factors, race, weight, nutrition, hydration, how fast your individual skin happens to heal, age too plays a part in scarring and the list goes on. Here are some helpful ways you can help minimize scarring after a procedure:

• Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps you heal faster.

• Eat well. Healing requires that nutrients get to the site of the incision to create new skin.

• Stay out of the sun. Radiation from the sun will always contribute to scarring.

• Don’t smoke! Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin around the wound and this is very serious.

• Staying on top of your post-op wound care. Take your meds as instructed, clean your incision sites as instructed.

For my part, I make sure that the incision is hidden, that there is a little tension on the wound as possible when stitching the incision up, and that you are given very clear pre and post operative instructions. Any sign of infection must be dealt with immediately because infection is one of the primary causes of serious scarring. Read more in my Recovery After a Facelift blog post to learn about specific care and healing time for facelifts.

Dr. Branman

Call Melinda at the front desk to set up a consultation 501-227-0707