Is Cutting out Scar Tissue and Sewing it up with Small Stitches an Effective Scar Revision Method?

asked 6 months ago by Cher07
Latest answer by Timothy Jochen, MD
Question viewed 182 times
Tags: cutting, smaller

I read that a common technique used by cosmetic surgeons is to cut out the scar tissue and sew up the wound with small stitches to allow it to heal properly.Can this be done on the legs to get rid of scars?

5 answers to Is Cutting out Scar Tissue and Sewing it up with Small Stitches an Effective Scar Revision Method?

Scar revision for leg scar

Yes, this is a very effective technique if the scar isn’t wide. Also, this technique is better used on people over the age of 35 because there’s less resistance in the skin, caused by a decrease in elasticity. Younger skin has a larger amount of elasticity which allows the skin to stretch and pull against the suture line increasing the possibility of scar tissue and keloids.

Timothy Jochen, MD
Palm Springs Dermatologic Surgeon

Technique for scar revision

You are right - a major part of scar revision technique is cutting out an old scar and closing the resulting wound properly with appropriate fine sutures. But there is more. Depending on the location of the scar and its characteristics - a surgeon may do any/all of the following: freeing up any deeper attachment of the scar that caused puckering, changing the direction of the scar to put it in a more favourable position, breaking up a long scar into a number of smaller scars so that they are... more

Anindya Lahiri, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Scar Revision

Scar revision procedures can improve scars but typically do not completely eliminate the scar. Leg scars can be difficult to improve. It is probably best if you decide to have a scar revsion to have a limited procedure and then assess whether the scars improve. It should be considered that it is possible for scars to look worse after a revision procedure.

Paul Carniol, MD
Summit Facial Plastic Surgeon

Scar revision

In general, scars on the legs do not usually heal as well as say scars on the face. Small sutures or not, it may not help.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Scar Revision Candidate?

Thank you for the question. With the you are a candidate for a scar revision of the scars of the lower extremity will be best determined after direct examination; scars the legs can be tricky when it comes to scar revision for several reasons. Generally, if scars are wide they may be amendable to scar revision surgery. The scars can be excised, the surrounding tissue “mobilized” ( to decrease tension on closure), and careful re- closure... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

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