There are various small benign lesions or scars particularly on the face which give unsightly appearance and may warrant removal or revision. The aim of scar revision is to make the old scar look better or less noticeable. This operation leaves behind another scar at the site of excision or revised scar. The amount of the scar could vary due to various factors like the person's age, heredity, race, skin characteristics and the type, direction, depth, size and location of the wound.

Skin graft means removing skin from one area and placing it in another area. Only on rare occasions, after removing a large lesion or scar, a skin graft is applied. Skin grafts look like patch even after 1 to 2 years.

In a sutured wound, during the first two weeks the basic scar is formed. During the next 8 weeks the scar overgrows (proliferates). At the end of the proliferative stage the scar is red, slightly raised and somewhat lumpy. It takes approximately 6 to 12 months from the time of injury or surgery for a scar to fully mature. A mature scar is pale or white, soft and flat. (Younger the age of the patient, longer the time to mature.) The new scar after a scar revision surgery will look better in most instances but may look almost the same in other instances. Some types of scars have much better chance for improvement by surgery than other types of scars. Some areas of the body form better scars after surgery than others. These facts are taken into consideration when a decision is made for a scar revision surgery.

Hypertrophic scars are the ones which continue to grow and look red, raised and lumpy.

This operation is usually done under local anaesthetic as an OPD case. Area of the lesion or the scar is marked out, injected and cut out. This wound is then sutured with fine sutures which are removed on 5-7days. A small dressing covers the wound postoperatively. Lesions are usually subjected to histopathology.

Some scars (like small pox scar or pimple scars) are improved upon by dermabrasion. Dermabrasion means sanding of the skin and it is almost like sanding the wood. Patients with darker complexion are not good candidates for Dermabrasion surgery. Alternatively chemical peel or lasers are also used in some cases to improve appearance of scars cosmetically.

A Keloid scar is not a normal scar. It grows continuously, even after the first 8 weeks. It is thick and appears like a tumour. The commonest places for a keloid are the ear lobes and anterior chest wall.

Keloids & Hypertrophic scar requires cream massage, silicone gel sheet and sometimes intralesional steroid injections.

Some keloids are resistant to the above treatments and can reoccur even after the above methods of treatment.

1. Wash hair and face with antiseptic scrub /soap on the night before surgery and on the morning of the surgery.
2. After the above washes, do not use any hair oil, or Make-up.
3. Take prescribed medicines.
4. Any jewellery or metal objects that are in contact with the body could be harmful during surgery. So please do not wear any jewellery or metal objects when you come for surgery. (e.g. nose ring, toe rings)
5. DIET: If the surgery is to be done under heavy sedation-nothing by mouth (not even water) for 6 hours prior to surgery. If under local anaesthesia nothing by mouth for 4 hours prior to surgery.
6. Do not take ASPIRIN or Aspirin containing compounds for 2 weeks before surgery.

1. DIET: No restrictions for scar corrections done above the level of the eye. For scar corrections below the level of the eye, soft or liquid diet for 2-3 days after the surgery. Ice-cream, milkshake, kheer, soup etc. are allowed. Take prescribed medicines.
2. Do not get areas of the surgeries wet until further instructions.
3. Keep head elevated at all times (Use 2-3 pillows lying down) for 1 week from the day of the surgery.
4. Strenuous exercises such as Gymnastics or aerobics or swimming should be avoided for 2 weeks.
5. Do not take Aspirin for 2 weeks after surgery.
6. Make up may be used 2 weeks after surgery.
7. Shampoo and hair colouring can be done one week after the surgery.
8. If any problem you can reach the Doctor.