It's been 8 months since my face-lift. Will this white scar go away?

Question

It's been 8 months and I hate this white line in front of my ear. Will it ever fade away or am I stuck with this line?

Brock Ridenour, MD · Answer

Some patients tend to lose functional melanocytes (pigment producing cells) in and around scars.  That is unfortunate because it can make an otherwise acceptable scar, unacceptable in appearance. The best options in my opinion are to either excise the scar while minimizing trauma to the skin - e.g. gentle handling of tissue, minimal use of cautery - or to use a fractionated laser to blend the scar by encouraging the migration of melanocytes into the area of hypopigmentation (white skin). I might start with the latter because there is no guarantee that the problem won't recur after surgery to revise the scar. Best wishes.

Christopher T. Maloney Jr., MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and for attaching photos. This is actually a very acceptable scar. It is thin and light. The problem is it does not blend well with the surrounding tissue. At 8 months out you probably are not going to see an improvement. You may consider a scar revision, but unfortunately the scar may look the same or could end up worse. I am sorry you are not happy with the scar, but my honest answer is not much can be done to improve it.

Sam Speron, MD, FACS · Answer

Your scar is likely in its final state based upon color and time since surgery.  Your surgeon should be familiar with this issue and should have options for you.  Go to him/her prior to attempting any self-treatment or miracle cures offered by other practitioners.  Best of luck.

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

The incisions take about two months to heal and begin fading. It will take several months to get improvement. You can also fade them further with procedures such as microneedling. I hope this helps.

Amir Nakhdjevani, MBBS, MRCS, FRCS(Plast) · Answer

Thank you for your question.  If you are 8 months down the line the colouring is not likely to change.  You could have scar revision, by excising the scar causing as little trauma as possible, making a new scar.  Or medical tattooing is a good option where they can tattoo over the scar the same colour as your skin so blends better.  Please make sure you find a reputable and qualified plastic surgeon who can assess you properly to give you a realistic idea of what outcome you can achieve.  All The Best

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

Unfortunately the scar will not completely fade away.  The best option would be to re-excise taking care to evert the skin edges and starting six weeks after the procedure use laser to blend in.RegardsDr J

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

Unfortunately you lose pigment as you scar.  After 8 months this is probably not going to get better.  The scar is thin so you may be able to just have it removed, and hopefully it won't recur.  ANother option is to try some Latisse on the scar.  Latisse is for lashes, and makes them longer and darker.  It can also darken the skin.  If you do some microneedling and then put the Latisse on top it may make it look less white.

C. Jeff Kesler, MD · Answer

It appears to me this is an example of a very mature well-healed scar. I do not think the scar will change much. You do have the option to have this excised and closed once again for a improved appearance. 
Good luck!

Asaf Yalif, MD, FACS · Answer

The scar appears fully healed though de-pigmented. I think the only option would be to excise and re-close the area.

Robert S. Schmidt, MD · Answer

Thanks for your question. The goals with any scar are to make it as invisible as possible. This scar is nice and thin which is good, but it doesn't blend with your surrounding skin. If you're 8 months out, it probably isn't going to change much at this point on its own. My best suggestion for you is just to cover it with a little concealer. You could contemplate having the scar revised (just talk to your surgeon about it) but I'm not sure that you would be able to do a lot better than what you have now. Medical tattooing would also be an option. Good luck!

It's been 8 months since my face-lift. Will this white scar go away?

Answers (15)

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