Scar Revision in Miami
Scar revision is a procedure to improve the appearance of scars caused by injuries, surgery or other incidents. Although scar revision may improve your scar, it cannot restore your skin to a pre-injury status. The procedure basically replaces the scar with a smaller, less visible marking.Dr. Maercks offers scar revision at his plastic and reconstructive surgery practice located in Miami Beach, Florida.
Who Should Consider Scar Revision?
Candidates for scar revision in Miami are typically those who have experienced:- Significant loss of regional tissue
- Injury that crosses aesthetically distinct areas of the face
- Unsatisfactory wound closure
- Poor post-injury wound management
Furthermore, if your scars are traumatic, span across anatomic regions, or prone to wrinkling, scar revision may be recommended.
Scars that may respond to revision include keloid scars, hypertrophic scars, and contractures.
Keloid scars are an abnormal proliferation of scar tissue that grows beyond the boundaries of the original wound. Hypotrophic scars, like keloids, are raised scars, but they don’t grow beyond the boundaries of the injury, and they may reduce in size over time. Contractures occur when scar tissue pulls the edges of skin together, possibly restricting movement.
The Surgery: How Scar Revision Works
During scar revision surgery, skin is removed in a specific shape or pattern that helps to diminish the size of the original scar. Z-plasty and W-plasty are common techniques that minimize the visibility of scars by repositioning them along the natural lines and creases of your skin.
In Z-plasty scar revision, Dr. Maercks performs a Z-shaped incision with the middle line of the Z running along the scar tissue. The flaps of skin formed by the other lines of the Z are rotated and sewn into a new position that repositions the scar about 90 degrees, minimizing its appearance by breaking up the line into smaller units.
W-plasty can diminish the visibility of a scar by turning a straight line into an irregular one, but it does not entail the formation and repositioning of skin flaps. Dr. Maerkcs performs a series of short incisions to form a zigzag pattern that replaces the straight line of the scar.
Other scar revision techniques include flaps, grafts, fusiform and shave excisions, laser skin surfacing, and dermabrasion.
Life After Scar Revision in Miami: What to Expect
After scar revision, you may need pain medication, rest, and wound and bandage care. If skin grafts or flaps are used, postoperative care will begin in the hospital. Patients receiving skin grafts are typically expected to return to the hospital at regular intervals so that the graft sites can be monitored.
Do you have questions about scar revision in Miami? Contact the office of Miami Beach plastic surgeon Rian A. Maercks for more information.