If you are considering your facelift options, chances are you have thought about the possibility of scarring. Scars after plastic surgery are unavoidable; anytime a surgeon cuts into the skin, it creates a scar. However, facelift scars can vary widely in their visibility and quality. Some scars are wider, longer, thicker and more noticeable than others.
Below, Dr. Brad Mozaffari of Belladerma Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Care Center. explains the factors that affect how visible your facelift scars will be:
The Experience and Skill of Your Surgeon
The training, experience and skill of your plastic surgeon are very important to determine how visible your scars are. When you select an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your facelift surgery, it is likely that the scars will be placed in discreet locations that make them less obvious.
With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Moz understands how to design scar placement to produce discreet scars that fade nicely over time. His goal is to design the scar placement so that the fully healed scar is difficult to detect. This requires meticulous attention to detail and extraordinary surgical technique.
The Placement of the Incision
Where your facelift incisions are placed is also critical to how visible the scarring will be. Dr. Moz carefully places his incisions along the natural anatomical contours, in the hairline or along the natural creases of the skin, which means that the scars will largely be concealed once they heal.
Facelift incisions can be created at or around your natural hairline, so that the scars are covered by hair. Dr. Moz can design the scars to preserve a natural hairline and allow you the freedom to pull your hair back into a ponytail after surgery without revealing any scarring. He can also strategically place the incisions around the ear to hide the resulting scars.
The Tension Placed on the Skin
When the skin is pulled too tight and stitched together, it can create a lot of tension that tugs at the incision area as it heals. This can result in a wider and more noticeable scar. There are techniques that Dr. Moz uses to circumvent this problem in areas of greater tension. For example, he can tighten the deeper SMAS tissues prior to closing the incisions to reduce the amount of tension on the sutures.
Appropriate Scar Management
How well you care for your incision line and healing scar also influence how well your scars will fade. You should follow all of Dr. Moz’s post-operative instructions for keeping the incision area clean. As your scar matures and fades, you should be careful not to expose it to the sun, as it can become darker due to sun damage. Apply sunscreen to the area whenever you go outdoors and avoid being in direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time.
For more information about scarring after facelift surgery, please call (858) 453-8484 or email Dr. Moz today.
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