Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Blog | Dr. Linderman

This is a common question asked by patients. Some ask if a scar can be removed. The answer is no to both questions. All scars are permanent and any surgical incision will produce a scar. However some scars heal so well that they will hardly be noticeable while others can widen and thicken and be quite obvious. The skill of the surgeon is important, but how an individual forms scar tissue is a better determinant of scar quality. Certain areas such as the face, eyelids, hands and feet tend to produce better scars as opposed to the chest and shoulder region. Ethnicity may also be a factor with a higher incidence of poor scars in Afro-Americans as opposed to Caucasians. Placing a scar in a skin crease or along lines of tension promote better healing and a thinner less obvious scar. Your plastic surgeon is trained to try to produce the best scar possible with appropriate placement, good suture technique and gentle tissue handling.