Can my surgical scar be shorten by vertical cut following horizontal serial excision? (photo)

Question

Hallo, i had surgery on the back of my neck which left me with this almost 1 inch scar. I have stich tracks above and beyond the scar. My surgeon wants to do horizontal serial excision, in order to get rid of the stich tracks. My idea now is, to do first a vertical excision, in order to shorten the length of the scar. It would look like a cross scar first, but with the horizontal serial excision afterwards, the new scar and the stich tracks should be gone. Is this realistic? Thank you for

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Jacqueline Anne Luong, MD · Answer

You would be better having it re-excised/revised in its current orientation as it follows the neck lines.  I am concerned about the conversion to a horizontal incision as it goes across neck lines and may end up being wide again.  Never be afraid to get a second opinion.Good luck,Dr. Luong

Robert L. Kraft, MD, FACS · Answer

Scar revision should be performed consistent with the lines of tension, not against them.  What is your surgical goal? If to improve the scar itself, then the surgery to be planned would differ from one to remove the track marks.

Can my surgical scar be shorten by vertical cut following horizontal serial excision? (photo)

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Can my surgical scar be shorten by vertical cut following horizontal serial excision? (photo)

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Everything you need to know about Scar Removal

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.