Scar Revision Beverly Hills

Treatment Overview

First, you will meet with Dr. Anita to share your concerns and discuss the results that you hope to achieve. This will be followed by a review of your medical history and a focused physical exam. Dr. Anita will then go over the risks and activity restrictions, and give you time to ask questions. Prior to the surgery, you will fill out consent forms.

Depending on the type and condition of the scar tissue being treated, the procedure may consist of laser resurfacing, radiofrequency resurfacing, PRP or PRFM applied topically or injected, cortisone injections, surgical scar revision, subcision, or a tailored combination of techniques.

Embrace Therapy for Scars

Embrace is a scar therapy consisting of silicone sheets that have a mechanism to decrease the tension on the wound (not the same as regular silicone sheets, which lack the tension reduction benefit).

Dr. Patel typically recommends starting the therapy 2 weeks after surgery, and applying weekly for 8 weeks (The sheets last anywhere from five to nine days for most patients).

The thought behind this dressing is that by reducing tension on the wound, the incision is less likely to be hyperpigmented, raised, wide, et cetera. While it is considered optional (and not covered by insurance), Dr. Patel has noticed beneficial results in patients using Embrace.

• Length of Surgery: Varies from minutes to hours, depending on the treatment chosen and length/complexity of the scar
• Anesthesia: Local, Local with Sedation, or General
• Post-Op Activity: Avoid strenuous activity or activity that places incisions on stretch.
• Return to Work: Varies from same day to a few days

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Scar Tissue Made Of?

Scar tissue is fibrous tissue that results from the wound healing process that is kick-started by injury to the tissue, and is composed of collagen fibers that over time remodel. Surgical incisions also result in scars, because even though they are controlled, they are still an “injury” to your tissue.

What Causes Scars to Turn Dark?

The main reasons a scar turns dark are sun exposure during the healing phase, or simply one’s genetics in relation to wound healing.

Can Scar Tissue Be Removed?

Scar tissue can be removed, but keep in mind any new incision or injury creates new scar. Thus, the goal when removing scar tissue is doing so in a manner that would allow for an improved appearance of the newly resulting scar.

What is the Best Scar Treatment?

The best scar treatment depends on where in the healing process the scar is at the time of treatment. For new scars, reducing tension and applying silicone are most beneficial, and massaging with oil can also be helpful. Once a scar has developed, treatments such as microneedling or laser or radiofrequency resurfacing, with or without PRP or PRFM, are options to lessen the visibility of the scar.

Is There Surgery to Get Rid of Scars?

Surgery can get rid of existing scars, with the goal of replacing them with less noticeable scars. There is no such thing as surgery without scars, but the scars may be so faint they are nearly imperceptible.

What is Scar Revision?

Scar revision is surgical removal of part or all of a scar, and often involves reducing tension on the site, and/or reorienting the resulting scar.

How Do Plastic Surgeons Remove Scars?

Plastic surgeons remove scars by first analyzing what factors contributed to the current appearance of the scar, surgically excising the problematic areas of scar, and closing the incisions in a way to reduce scarring. Additionally, measures such as postoperative scar therapy and/or steroid injections or other modalities may be used to optimize wound healing.

How Much Does Scar Removal Cost?

Scar removal cost varies depending on a number of factors, such as the length of the scar, location of the scar, and type of anesthesia required. To provide you with accurate pricing information, we invite you to book a complimentary Pre-Consult Phone Call with our Patient Care Coordinator by calling 310.205.0212. During that phone call, important information will be discussed and ballpark pricing will be provided.

Who in Beverly Hills is a Candidate?

Anyone who has a scar that can be improved in appearance. Scar revision in Beverly Hills specifically involves surgically removing an old scar, and replacing it with a scar that is less noticeable. There are also nonsurgical techniques to improve the appearance of a scar, such as fractional laser resurfacing, IPL to improve red/brown pigment from scars, Morpheus8 RF + Microneedling, to help color and texture, and more.

The most common reasons for scar revisions are to improve upon a scar that is raised or puffy (hypertrophic scar), discolored (pink/red/brown/purple), pulling on adjacent skin or underlying tissue, indented or depressed compared to adjacent tissue, widened in appearance, or located or oriented in a poor position.

Bad scars can be the result of trauma or surgery, so simply influenced by genetics after an otherwise minor issue. There are many reasons people form bad scars, and some of the causes can be controlled (how a wound is closed, what active measures are taken to optimize conditions), and some cannot be controlled (your genetics and how well you heal).

The good thing is there is often a way to make scars better, and there are also measures you can take to give your scar the best chance at healing well (products to decrease tension such as Embrace, sun protection, silicone gels, et cetera).

Who Should Avoid This Procedure?

If a scar resulted from otherwise favorable conditions (appropriate surgical closure, lack of tension on the wound, good postoperative care), it is possible the resulting bad scar is simply a function of genetics and you just make bad scars.

If this is suspected, a scar revision in Beverly Hills may not be indicated. Also, even if conditions were not favorable, if a surgery is not expected to improve upon the current appearance, it would not be recommended.

Your consultation with Dr. Patel will outline what would be the expected outcome of a scar revision in your particular case, and let you know whether scar revision is advised or not.