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Scar Revision

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Scar revision is a cosmetic procedure that reduces the appearance of scars. While small scars from acne or scratches can fade or treated with laser therapy, larger scars from lacerations, burns or surgery may require more intensive treatment.

Scar Revision
  • Top-rated New York facial plastic surgeon

The scar revision procedure is performed by an experienced facial plastic surgeon in New York, Dr. Gary Linkov, who specializes in facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. City Facial Plastics, located in Midtown, Manhattan, addresses facial scars that are distracting or making you feel less confident in your appearance. 

What Is Scar Revision?

Scar revision treatment involves using a surgical or non-surgical method to alter the appearance of an unfavorable scar. Each method has a time and a place in facial plastic surgery. Non-surgical options, such as laser resurfacing, require specialized equipment and technical expertise in that particular treatment modality.

Surgical scar revision involves excising (removing) the scar and re-closing the wound. Often there is reduced tension on the wound compared to the original trauma or surgical repair and the scar removal NYC may yield an improved scar appearance. Also, a surgical scar revision is the preferred option if a scar needs to be reoriented to hide better in a facial wrinkle or crease line.

The ideal scar, once an incision is completely healed, appears narrow, flat, and similar in color to the adjacent skin. Unfortunately, many scars do not heal in this way. This may be because of surgeon technique, patient healing ability, other medical conditions, and postoperative care. Bad scars take a toll on an individual and may lower self-esteem and even cause depression.

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What Are the Treatments for Scar Revision?

Some scars are best treated with cosmetic procedures that promote skin healing and rejuvenation. Options like laser scar revision therapy, skin resurfacing, and chemical peels can be helpful in fading scars on the face. For more prominent scars, surgery may be required.

Removal of keloids or other large scar tissue formations can be carefully performed by Dr. Gary Linkov, who is a top-rated plastic surgeon in Manhattan. While no scar can be completely erased, it is possible to make them less noticeable and improve the overall appearance of the face.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Scar Revision?

A person with an unfavorable scar is a good candidate for scar revision. Characteristics of an unfavorable scar include:

  • Hypertrophic (thickened)
  • Wide margins
  • Misaligned with relaxed skin tension lines
  • Depressed
  • Raised
  • Webbing across aesthetic units
  • Puckering

How Is Scar Revision Done?

The steps of a surgical scar revision treatment include:

  • Marking – The skin should be marked in place without tension, keeping the natural facial creases in mind. A simple ellipse can be used or a more irregularized pattern may be selected.
  • Anesthesia – Most scar revisions are performed under local anesthesia, using lidocaine with epinephrine. To minimize discomfort, the medication is injected slowly and the least number of needle entry points are used.
  • Prep and drape – The treatment area is thoroughly disinfected and sterile technique is employed to define the surgical field.
  • Incision – An appropriate blade is used to make the skin cuts, keeping the skin taut. The scar is then removed.
  • Dissection – Undermining the skin in all appropriate directions is important to reduce tension on the final closure. Using fine-tip forceps and minimizing tissue manipulation improves the final result.
  • Closure – Once standard hemostasis is achieved (controlling all active bleeding), the deep subcutaneous sutures are placed to bring the skin edges together. A final skin layer of sutures is then applied using either dissolvable or non-dissolvable material.

What Is the Recovery From Scar Revision in Manhattan, NY?

Scar revision surgery recovery involves some degree of discomfort, bruising, swelling, and bleeding in the initial recovery phase lasting a few days up to 2 weeks. Sutures are often placed and may need to be removed at 5-7 days after surgery, depending on suture type and location on the face. It is best to limit activity for the first 1-2 weeks.

Apply antibiotic ointment initially and then switch to scar gel once the incision seals closed. The silicone-based scar gel is best continued for 3 months. You may experience redness along the incision for up to 3 months. Occasionally, steroid injections are used as early as 4-6 weeks after the scar revision surgery NYC to prevent poor scarring.

What Are the Risks and Complications of Scar Revision?

Risks and complications of scar revision plastic surgery are summarized below:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Poor scarring
  • Poor aesthetic outcome
  • Need for revision surgery

How Soon Can Scar Revision Be Done?

It is generally best to allow an incision to heal for about 3 months. Scar revision can be performed if after that time the healing is unsatisfactory and you are deemed a good candidate for surgical repair.

What Are the Alternatives to Scar Revision?

In addition to surgery, there are several other options for scar revision, including:

  • Dermabrasion – Useful as a focal treatment for raised areas or irregular borders
  • Chemical peel – A more affordable modality for skin resurfacing with less precision control
  • Laser skin resurfacing – A more expensive modality for skin resurfacing with more precision control

Are Patients Satisfied After Scar Revision?

Scar revision is associated with high satisfaction rates. Patients often find that others stare at them less after a scar has been revised and they feel more confident. A scar removal NYC can also help some people move on from a distant trauma that has continued to psychologically affect them.

What Is the Cost of Scar Revision in New York?

Before undergoing the procedure, review your insurance policy to find out if the scar removal will be covered by your insurance. If you are paying out of pocket, the scar revision cost will vary based on several factors. Practice location and expertise of the surgeon are two of the main factors that will determine how much scar removal NYC will cost. Another factor to consider is the size of the scar and the total number of scars to be revised, as some patients have multiple scars.

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Who Is the Best Scar Revision Surgeon in NYC?

Patients often search for the best scar revision surgeon. Dr. Gary Linkov is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Manhattan, NYC specializing in facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Scar revision plastic surgeon in New York, Dr. Linkov is a specialist with extensive experience treating all conditions of the face, including those that have been previously operated.

He is the Chief of Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery for the Veterans Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, where he operates on complex deformities on our country’s veterans. Dr. Linkov’s private practice in UES, Manhattan focuses on facial cosmetic and functional surgery, including facial scar revision surgery.

Scar Revision Before and After

If you have facial scars you want minimized, contact City Facial Plastics to schedule a scar revision consultation with the best-in-class plastic surgeon in New York City, Dr. Linkov. Our office is located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Call today to make your appointment.

★★★★★

Highly recommend! DrGary helped me with painful lip scar tissue after an accidental fall a year earlier. I’ve known Gary for 20 years and since the first day knowing him he’s grown as a medical professional with an innate sense of detail and kind demeanor. Excellent client follow up and post treatment care.
Suzy Schulze

Dr. Gary Linkov, MD

Dr. Linkov is a double board-certified by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. A native of New York, Dr. Linkov graduated as a salutatorian from Cornell University and received his Medical Degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Linkov conducted advanced head and neck cancer research at the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Linkov is a former Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University (NYU), where he taught Rhinoplasty.

Dr. Linkov is a top-rated facial plastic surgeon in New York who specializes in lip lift, facelift, rhinoplasty, and hair transplant. He has been named one of the top 5 lip lift surgeons in the United States, is listed in the prestigious SuperDoctors New York™ registry, and has appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, where he discussed the state-of-the-art hair transplantation procedure.

Page Updated on Jul 11, 2022 by  Dr. Gary Linkov  (Facial Plastic Surgeon) of  City Facial Plastics in New York.
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