What Surgeries Can Be Done to Make Indented Discolored Skin Graft Scar on Nose Look More Normal? (photo)

Question

Being a pre- mature baby I was born with hemangioma, when I was one a doctor cut the "blood clot" from my nose and did a skin graft, took some skin from my thigh and put it on my nose, as time went on, the skin color stayed brown and I have several scars from where they stitched the skin on my face, it has now been TWENTY years and I am DYING to do anything to make it look normal. (also see how one nostril is higher than the other) What surgeries can I have done that would help to look more normal?

Stephen Weber MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for posting several photos of your nose. Dermabrasion is a technique that I use quite often to improve the appearance of skin grafts. Typically the raised edges are sanded to make them flush with the graft itself. The skin graft can be lightly dermabraded but it should not be treated too aggressively because it does not contain the same hair follicles and reservoirs of "new" skin that the remainder of your skin does. This will smooth and improve the texture of the graft and the transition to your nasal skin. The unknown is how well the color of the graft will blend in. There is a definite contrast between the brown color of the graft and your nose/ cheek skin. This will likely improve but to what degree is unclear. I hope this information is helpful.Stephen Weber MD, FACSWeber Facial Plastic Surgery

Naveen Somia, MBBS, PhD, FRACS · Answer

Your skin graft is thin, is of a different color and has shrunk over time. This has created a depressed, hyperpigmented scar with the scar contracture distorting the nostril ( pulled up).

	I would recommend scar release to lower the nostril, removal of the skin graft and replacement with a Full Thickness skin graft + fat taken from the  neck so that the color is matched. if you dont want to go through this, then you could consider a filler or fat to improve the depression and make up to blend the color.

	Hope this helps

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

My option is to excise the scar, use a similar matched skin ( possibly from your front of your ear, or behind your ear, depending on laxity). This will or should remove the edges, and hopefully make the scar fuller. ie. Full thickness graft. Second stage, I would follow this up with laser resurfacing using an erbium laser. (see my before and after pics for more info.)Fillers can be used in this area but with EXTREME caution, as there are numerous blood vessels running in this area. Regardless, your scars can be fixed, or improved. Dr Davin LimLaser and Cosmetic DermatologistBrisbane and Gold Coast, AUSTRALIA

What Surgeries Can Be Done to Make Indented Discolored Skin Graft Scar on Nose Look More Normal? (photo)

Answers (3)