INTRODUCTION TO TRAVERSE SCAR REVISION SURGERY
Scar revision surgery is reconstructive surgery on any part of the body where a scar has healed badly. It generally addresses the following concerns:

• Discoloration and surface irregulaties
• Hypertropic scars
• Keloid scars
• Contractures

Discoloration and surface irregularities can occur with any scar. Although these scars don’t impair your function or cause pain, scars from acne, injury or previous surgical procedures can darken and have uneven edges. A combination of laser treatments or other non-surgical technologies are generally employed.

Hypertropic scars appear as a thick cluster of scar tissue. Often raised, red and sometimes painful, they can actually become wider and longer over time. They can be either hyperpigmented (darker in color than the surrounding skin) or hypopigmented (lighter in color than your surrounding skin). They are most often treated surgically by doing a scar revision procedure.

Keloids are similar to hypertropic scars but usually larger. They can pucker, extend way beyond the edges of the original wound or incision, and can be painful or itchy. Although  keloid can develop anywhere on the body, they’re most common in areas without much fat under the tissues such as on the face, neck, ears, chest or shoulders. Some individuals are prone to keloid scarring, so the repair of keloids is approached very carefully.

Contractures are scars that keep you from enjoying full movement in the scarred area, particularly around a joint. They are very common after experiencing a severe burn and other loss of tissue.

GOOD CANDIDATES FOR SCAR REVISION IN MICHIGAN
In general, most healthy men or women are appropriate candidates for scar revision surgery if they are not prone to excessive keloid formation and if the skin surrounding the scar is flexible enough to allow Dr. Smith to revise the area. 
Dr. F. Matthew Smith will discuss all your options for the scar revision with you at your private consultation at his Traverse City plastic surgery office, so that the two of you are in agreement as to the possibilities for improvement.

Since the types of scars and, therefore, the options for repair, is so broad, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith at his Traverse City plastic surgery office. At your consultation, Dr. Smith can give you his recommendations.