How can a 2nd FUT make my first FUT scar smaller? How can a scar but cut and removed? (photo)

Question

I did an FUT in 2010. I was told by a respectable clinic in Turkey I can do a second FUT, where the old scar will be cut, the surgeon will perform an incision on top of scar and remove it, and instead of old scar I will have a newer thinner one. How is this possible? I'm aware I can do an FUE on top of the scar. Unfortunately with FUE, I'd have to shave my head, which would make old scar visible. My long term plan is to do an FUE on top of scar but not now.

Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Dear az77,
Thank you for posting this question. The reality is that the skin of the scalp is the thickest skin on your body; it’s like a helmet. The dermis is typically 4 to 8mm thick. The thicker the skin, the more scar tissue is required to heal that skin. These facts, combined with the unforgiving nature of scalp laxity, can lead to some large scars. It’s usually not possible to reduce the size of a scar on the scalp in the context of a repeat hair restoration procedure, because the surgeon is also trying to get more hair, and the resultant tension on the scar will likely make it larger, not smaller. So, not sure what your surgeon in Turkey is talking about, but I would say it’s much more likely than not that the scar will be bigger, not smaller, after a 2nd FUT that removes the scar. 
I hope this information is helpful to you.
Kind Regards,
Ken Anderson, MD, FISHRS

Hussain Rahal, MD · Answer

It is possible to make a scar smaller assuming few things. That:
- the first scar is so wide that it can be improved,
-the laxity of skin is still good to be mobilised
-also assuming first surgery/scar was done with poor technique and that the new surgery (assuming better technique) will improve it
-that you are just removing the scar and not attempting to remove as strip and scar
Even with all those factors, the scar may still heal the same size, smaller or even bigger (ie no guarantee).
Alternatively you can look towards treating your FUT scar with scalp micro-pigmentation.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

A second surgery almost always increases the size of the scar if it is another strip surgery. Sometimes, I remove the scar and create a trichophytic closure which helps cause hair to grow through the scar, but I reserve this for the last surgery I do when I perform a strip surgery. Strip surgery scars can easily be treated with scalp micro pigmentation

How can a 2nd FUT make my first FUT scar smaller? How can a scar but cut and removed? (photo)

Answers (3)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

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

How can a 2nd FUT make my first FUT scar smaller? How can a scar but cut and removed? (photo)

Answers (3)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Hair Transplant

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