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POSTED UNDER Scar Removal Surgery REVIEWS

Surgeon Botched Up Scar Revision. San Diego, CA

ORIGINAL POST

I had a small, 3 month old scar on my cheek after...

Lvdb
$1,500
I had a small, 3 month old scar on my cheek after cyst excision. I wasn't happy with the scar as it was slightly depressed, and I was eager to get it corrected.

I contacted different surgeons who told me to wait a year to have a revision. This doctor Hilinski however, said he was a Scar Revision Specialist and told me it was okay to correct the scar right away.

I live in Europe and flew all the way to the US (because I know reconstructive surgery is better in the US) to dr. Hilinski.
He did a bad job. This was a very straightforward operation: making a linear ellipse incision, cutting out a small scar. There is a precise algorithm to do this and avoid complications like the one I have now: dog ears or excess tissue at both ends of the scar. They appear when the doctor does not make the right shape of ellipse.

I told dr. Hilinski this, and now he insists I should wait a year to see the final result of my scar. Thus, dr. Hilinski contradicts himself. I have concluded that this doctor was only after my money, and took advantage of the sad feelings I had about my previous scar.

I will now have to have another procedure done with another doctor to correct the dog ears.

Think about it: if a doctor can't ever get an excision with stitches right, do you trust him with your eyes, nose, cheek or lips?
This doctor is clearly not the great medical professional he says he is.

Lvdb's provider

John M. Hilinski, MD

John M. Hilinski, MD

Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon

4.6 | 87 Reviews
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Replies (10)

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October 15, 2014
Wow so sorry to see so many plastic surgeons can't fix simple things like scar revision.
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October 26, 2014
Well... to be fair, no doctor can predict or guarantee results when it comes to any type of surgery. Different people will react differently to medical intervention and will not heal the same. That being said, aside from surgeons professionalism, success of any scar revision surgery also depends on your skin type. For example, I have extremely thin, sensitive skin that heals extremely fast, but also scars. No scar revision would work for me. I would get the same "dog ears" because my skin lacks elasticity and a thin hypopigmented hypertrophic scar. Needling and retinol applications, on the other hand, worked wonders on my skin.
October 22, 2014
He did an awful job. U r right - don't trust him with your eyes or nose or anything else. Sorry you have to wait so long now for a revision. Thanks for the warning.
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October 26, 2014
Who told you reconstructive surgery was better in the US? It's a lie. We have the worst doctors you could possibly imagine. Europe or Israel is the way to go when it comes to anything medical related. Honestly, your scar doesn't look too bad and your skin might actually smooth out a little over time; but I wouldn't be happy if I ended up with your results either. Try needling - collagen induction therapy. I've had scars (including stretch marks, a small surgical scar and a piercing scar) that went away COMPLETELY after about 20 months of needling (very 8 weeks), using a tattoo machine. Ask any doctor if it's possible to completely remove a scar and they will tell you - no. The truth is, our skin is absolutely amazing. It is designed to heal and renew itself. It might not heal the way we want it to, because your body isn't worried about esthetics when you are injured; it's worried about repairing the damage as fast as possible and preventing infections. But you can force your skin to "do a better job" at repairing itself through micro-trauma. I would look up if anyone is offering collagen induction therapy where you live.
December 21, 2014
Sorry to hear your story mate. Hopefully it works out for you in the future. Those kinds of doctors are quite sick individuals.
March 3, 2015
It is always best to wait a year before trying for an improvement. There are plastic surgeons that specialize in scar revisions and will show you their work. If they will not show you their work or have patients that will show you the actual work in person, RUN DO NOT WALK AWAY !!! And you are right about being able to Google and see the actual procedures that are used for varying types of scar revisions..special techniques for individual scars. Most other approaches, creams, shots etc do not work and waste your money. In the meantime always use sunblock, #30 on the area..hope things have or will improve for you