Scar Revision

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in scar revision surgery. A little over a year ago, I had a pilonidal cyst removal surgery and it left me with a disgusting scar in an intimate area. The doctors told me that the scar would no be very noticeable, but it is in fact very noticeable and ugly. This has really hurt my self-esteem and made me feel disfigured. I would like to see if making it less noticeable is an option. Please let me know if you think there is anything you could do.

A: Thank you for sending your picture for consideration for intergluteal scar revision surgery. Your intergluteal scar can be improved and will require complete excision of the scar and the recreation of the sacral cutaneous ligament. (this is what creates the intergluteal crease) Such surgery is very familiar to me since this is the exact approach that is used to place buttock implants and is how the intergluteal crease must be put back together.

This scar revision procedure can be done under general anesthesia as an outpatient surgery. It ail likely not widen again after this type of scar revision.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana