What Is The Best Method For My Next Scar Revision?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in scar revision. I am a black 26 year old female. I got to know about your practice online. I had a vertical scar on my face as a result of a bottle injury from three years ago. The scar is on the right side of my face just below my right eye on the cheek. So last year I had a scar revision where the Doctor surgically cut out the scar and stitched it up linearly. it looked good after that but some months later it started widening with some areas being indented and other side raised. I want to visit your practice for a scar revision. My mother also has keloids on her body, about two on her stomach, one on her breast, another at the pubic area. It itches her a lot and she wants to have them removed. She has had it removed it before but it grew back so it is a keloid. I have attached a picture of my facial scar and pictures of my mother’s keloid.

A: Your previous failed scar revision by a simple linear technique indicates that an exact repeat of that type of scar revision will result in the same outcome. Your next scar revision should be more of a geometric broken line closure pattern so that it is less likely to widen again. With your mother’s obvious keloids and their history or recurrence, their excision should be accompanied by either steroid of 5FU injections to try and lessen their likelihood of recurrence.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana