What Is The Best Treatment For My Lip Scar That has No Hair?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am a 25 years old male inetrested in lip scar treatment. When I was 12 years old I had an accident which resulted in the need stiches in my upper lip.  Thereafter my moustache hairs will not grow in this area. Is there any chance for regrowth of hair in that scar part. Please let me know as that would be very kind of you.

A: Upper lip lacerations in men very commonly result in beard hair loss. This is because the scar tissue that repairs the lip tissue does not have hair follicles in it. The wider the scar is the bigger the lack of beard hair will be and the more visibly apparent the lip scar will be. Beard hair will not regrow into a lip scar. Hair follicles must be in the tissues to do so. Your options are either scar excision to bring the hair bearing lip skin closer together or hair transplants into the lip scar itself. Most of the time lip scar revision would be the appropriate initial course of treatment particularly if the lip scar has any width to it and is more vertical on orientation on the lip.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana