Scarring: Where and how bad?

All cosmetic surgery produces scars. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you a line. However, the scars do not have to be visible. Normally, we do everything in our power to reduce the visibility of scars, but you have a part in this, too. Here are some things you can do to reduce scarring following your cosmetic surgery:

• Take good care of your skin before the operation. You may even go so far as to have light peels for several weeks. These thin the outer, dead layer of the skin and encourage the production of capillaries, which provide blood to the skin, helping it to heal and stave off infection. You could also apply a topical antioxidant to the skin to help it prepare for the healing process.
• Follow all postoperative instructions. Get adequate rest during the healing process, get enough to eat, and keep well-hydrated. Avoid exposing the operated area to the sun. Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs can prevent scarring, and since many of these (such as aspirin and ibuprofen) are also pain control medications, they may serve you double during the healing process.
• Once the sutures are out, during the healing process, we utilize a pulsed dye laser (V-Beam) on the incisions to correct "scar" collagen to type I collagen, causing the incisions to more rapidly fade and prevent noticeable scarring even are these patients prone to keloid or hypertrophic scarring.

However, even with all the scar prevention in the world, you will likely have some degree of scarring. However, in most cases, the scars are placed inconspicuously. Here's where you can expect scars for each of the surgical procedures we perform:

Facelift: the scar will be in the fold of skin around the ear and into the hairline behind the ear.

S-Lift / FaBS lift / Small-incision Facelift: A short scar in the fold of the skin in front of the ear.

Browlift: Within the hairline on the scalp. For men with a family history of baldness, endoscopic browlifts can reduce the length of scars and alter their placement so they will remain concealed.

Eyelid surgery: For upper eyelid surgery, scars will be concealed in the folds of the upper lid, while in lower eyelid surgery they will be just below the lower eyelash line.

Rhinoplasty: For closed rhinoplasty, scars are located inside the nose. For open rhinoplasty, the scars are in the columella, the area of the bottom of the nose between the nostrils.

Otoplasty: Scars located behind the ear in the fold of the skin.

Facial Implants: Scars located inside the mouth.

In all cases, the scars will be minute and barely noticeable. If you are concerned about the appearance of scars following your surgery, please contact Face Beautiful for an initial consultation, and we can show you examples of postoperative scarring. You will see how discreet they are.