Will This "Rope" Incision Ever Go Flat and Should I Have "Gathering" at the Ends of my Incision? (photo)

Many plastic surgeons will try to raise the wound edges initially during surgery so that as the wounds heal and scar contraction occurs, the scar tends to flatten.  The gathering at the ends of your incision was designed to limit the length of the scar.  Both should improve with time.  If for any reason they do not, they can easily be touched up in the office.  Good luck.

This incision looks a bit extreme in my opinion.  Some of the pleating will improve but the everted incision line is over done.  A slight amount of eversion is welcomed because this will flattened but not become depressed. You will probably need some revision of this incision.

 

Dr. ES

The skin in the picture shows a gathering as part of the suturing process. The appearance is aggravated by stretch marks and the presence of the suture itself. This will improve with time is not predictive of a scar revision in the future.

     If you are early in healing, the gathering and dimpling will likely improve.  Everyone has a different preoperative anatomy, and it is hard for me to evaluate the result with pictures included.  There may have been an attempt on the part of the surgeon to reduce the length of the scar by gathering the skin.

Hello,

Thank you for the question and photos.  The indentations associated with the deeper tissue closure will improve as the dissolvable sutures or internal staples go away.  The "pleats" are a result of advancing your incision to keep the incision shorter but also to prevent large lateral dog ears.  The "pleats" also will improve with time.  At this stage I would take some comfort in that it is early in your recovery period and some of the issues that you are seeing tend to improve if not completely resolve with time.

All the best,

Dr Remus Repta

Hi,

  It appears to me that your surgeon used a staple suture on the deep tissue.  This is about the only approach that will give this initial presentation.  The stretch marks and the fact that you are obviously early in the post op course do aggrivate the appearance at this time.

  Time will do wonders with your incision.  As the deeper sutures absorb (they are quite thick as they come from a special applier), then your incision should start getting smoother.

  Stay close to your surgeon and ask questions.  If the doctor says you need 6-12 months to evaluate your incisions, he/she is exactly correct.  Wait...and if a revision of some sort is needed, you can discuss your options.

                Steven M. Lynch, M.D.

At the expense of a shorten scar/incision the surgeon chose this method in hopes of a good result. I believe that hope will be a failure. Plus seeing the ;lateral "dog ear" residual. Sorry.