Scar removal treatment FAQs

Mr Azad Haki is a world-leading consultant breast surgeon who is based in London. He has over 35 years of experience, part of his expertise involves cosmetic procedures and he is an expert at removing scars.
 

We spoke to him to find out about the different types of scars and how they should be treated, we discuss different techniques such as Z-plasty and elliptical incision. We found out if scars can ever disappear completely with treatment.

Why might scar removal be necessary and what types of scars can be removed?

Scarring is a natural healing process after any surgery or accidental injury. Some people naturally make better scars than others and as surgeons, we cannot accurately predict how the scar will appear after the surgery, but we are aware that certain areas of the body produce worse scars than other areas. Usually the surgeon tries to choose a good site and direction of the incision.
 

The are several different types of scars:

1. Keloid scars are the result of an aggressive healing process continues to grow encroaching upon normal tissue.
    
2. Contracture scars tighten the skin which can impair the ability to move and the scars go deeper affecting muscles and nerve
    
3. Hypertrophic scars are raised red scars which are similar to keloid scars but do not go beyond the margin.
    
4. Acne scars — there are many types of acne scars ranging from deep pits to scars that are deeper and cover large area.
    

What are the different types of non-surgical treatments that are available?

Non-surgical: steroid injection, Laser, cryotherapy (Freezing therapy using liquid nitrogen), using different type of creams, using silicone sheets to flatten the scars.
 

When is surgery necessary for scar removal?

With surgical scar revision, the old scars can be removed by one of the several techniques and is repaired. This can be done under local anaesthesia.

About all the different techniques:

The surgeon will choose one of the following techniques once he sees the scar after a proper examination:
 

1. Z Plasty

2. M-Plasty

3. W-Plasty

4. Elliptical incision

What happens during the surgical procedure?

These techniques are very difficult to explain to the patient but we can tell him/her how the incision will appear after removal of her old scar.
 

What results might I expect? Does the scar fully disappear?

The best aesthetic results are when the surgeon, like myself, closes the scar under no tension, this allows for the best healing process to occur. The appearance of the new scar after removal of the old scar is going to be improved 90%.
 

If you have a scar that you would like to have removed, we recommend getting in contact with Dr Azad Haki today. Visit his Top Doctors profile for information on appointment availability.