What Is The Scar Like From Scalp Roll Excision?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in a scalp roll excision procedure on the back of my head. Can I see what the scar would look like in someone.

A:The scar question is a good one and is the most appropriate metric as to whether the surgery is worth it or not to a patient in my opinion. Like many aesthetic surgeries the question is whether the trade-off for the procedure would be viewed better than the initial problem being treated. In that regard I like to show this scalp scar picture of an occipitao scalp roll excisionk done by another surgeon which shows, in my experience, the worst scalp scar that I have ever seen from this procedure. The patient came to me for scalp scar revision. The relevancy of this scar picture is that one should decide on the procedure as to whether it is worth it based on the assumption that this is what their scalp roll excision scar would look like. As I consider this to be the worst case scenario. It is important to recognize that in considering any aesthetic surgery you don’t make the decision for it based on what you hope is the best result possible as that may not happen an is not completely predictable. Rather you make the assumption of the worst-case scenario and let that be the trigger point for doing this surgery or not. Therein lies the value of showing patients the worst-case scenario not the best scar result that has ever been seen.