Surgical Scarring

Should I be especially concerned about scarring following nose surgery?Anyone considering surgery of any kind is faced with a long list of questions and concerns to deal with beforehand. At the very top of that list should be “how do I find the most highly skilled and experienced surgeon for my procedure?” When talking about cosmetic procedures and nose surgery in particular, this is especially true. No other area of the body is more prominent, visually, than the nose, so the margin of error when it comes to results is exceedingly slim.Facial scarring following surgery is a big concern for rhinoplasty patients. No one wants to go through having surgery to modify or replace what they believe to be an unattractive feature and end up with ugly scarring. This is one of the reasons so many are choosing a closed rhinoplasty procedure, which is performed by the surgeon making all incisions through the nostrils, inside the nose, instead of using external incisions. Besides there being less post-operative pain, bruising and swelling, with a closed procedure, there is no visible scarring.Other types of surgery, including open rhinoplasty procedures, often do leave the patient with some degree of visible scarring, which is a natural part of the healing process when the body has been subjected to a wound, accident, certain diseases and skin conditions, as well as surgical incisions. The extent of the scar depends on the severity of the wound or incision and where it’s located. Age, genetics, sex and ethnicity are also factors that affect scarring.

Types of Scars

• Keloid scars – scars that grow bigger and wider than the original injury or incision. The facial area is one of the locations that keloids tend to grow. There appears to be a genetic component to keloids, and they are also believed to be linked to dark skin pigmentation.
• Hypertrophic scars – reddish scars that are raised, like keloids, but do not go beyond the boundary of the wound or incision.
• Contracture scars – scars that often develop following a burn, resulting in a tightening of the skin even to the point of restricting movement. Contracture scars can be quite aggressive in their growth, affecting nerves and muscles.
• Acne scars – severe cases of acne can leave deep pits and patterns of angular or wavelike scarring on the face.

Anytime an incision is made in the skin, there will be some amount of scar tissue. One of the decisions that needs to be made prior to nose surgery is whether scarring will be hidden or visible, meaning whether the surgery is done as an open (external incisions) or closed (incisions made through the nostrils on the inside of the nose) procedure. This is why finding and consulting with the most skilled and experienced surgeon available is at the top of your list. Rhinoplasty can literally be a life-changing experience, and the decisions you make prior to surgery will determine just how satisfied you are with the outcome of that change.Experienced, board certified and dedicated, Dr. Geoffrey Tobias was recognized 12 times as “best in his field” by New York Magazine. When you need a highly-skilled and experienced rhinoplasty surgeon, you could not make a better decision than to request a consultation with Dr. Tobias. To start that process, simply click here.