Can an Indented Scar on the Scalp Be Excised to Be at Least Flat? (photo)

Question

I got the staples out of my head and the wound healed up good but the bad news is The scar is horrible. the Dr. did a horrendous job closing the wound. the back part of my scalp overlaps the front instead of being flat. Can my scar be fixed. its causing me a great deal of stress. Thanks excised or revised in order to make flat and not indented? im losing my hair and all I want to do is be able to shave my head. i know i cant get rid of the scar but i just want to

Ron Shelton, MD · Answer

Some traumatic scars, and even some surgical scars, heal with the underlying muscle contracting away from the wound and this can create elevations next to the wound and and indentation in the scar (although there are other causes of this too).  Wounds mature and often look better with time. This could take more than a year after the wound was created. Surgical revision may have to revise the underlying infrastructure as well as the skin. Many doctors will also follow surgical revision, about 2 months later, with Fraxel laser resurfacing to improve the result furher. There is a risk that the surgical revision would not only produce a lack of imiprovement, ,but the surgeon can't gurantee that there will be improvement. Sometimes it makes sense to revise a small segment of the scar and see how it heals prior to doing the whole residual scar.
The information provided in Dr. Shelton's answer is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice.  The information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations with a qualified health professional who may be familiar with your individual medical needs.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD · Answer

You need to have revision after 6 months. You can try topical silicone gel and mederma for now.

Can an Indented Scar on the Scalp Be Excised to Be at Least Flat? (photo)

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Can an Indented Scar on the Scalp Be Excised to Be at Least Flat? (photo)

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