Scarless Beauty: Advancements in Minimal Scar Surgery

·       Did you know scarring is an inevitable reality when it comes to cosmetic surgery, but the aesthetic skills of the plastic surgeon and technological advancements help minimize scarring?

·       Did you know expert plastic surgeons carefully consider the proper technique for your procedure, especially when it is a facelift?

·       Did you know that skilled plastic surgeon often hides the incision lines where there is a natural crease to meet the scarless results?

·       Did you know minimal scar surgery is performed to minimize the appearance of post-op scarring so that it is perfectly invisible and blends in with surrounding skin tone and texture?

Scarring is not a taboo nor a threat when it comes to cosmetic surgery because minimal scar surgery helps improve scar appearance regardless of its location, extent, type, or mechanism of scar formation in the healing process. In addition, plastic surgeons' aesthetic sense and surgical precision count this side effect as a more common occurrence, which can be managed effectively with scar prevention incision techniques and some key strategies for treating scar-free wound repair.

Dr. Karishma Kagodu (MS, MCh), a board-certified celebrity cosmetic surgeon and head of Kaesthetics, Bangalore, noted that the most common question that we receive during consulting patients about the visibility of scars after surgery, especially facelift patients, ask, "Will my facelift scars be obvious?" and the answer is, "scars can be perfectly concealed with a proper scar care management, but luckily we have scar prevention technique and give careful attention while deciding on the feasible technique to perform the specific cosmetic procedure. Moreover, some scars can be almost invisible depending on the way of hiding the incision lines, cutting & suturing, and wound care management, but for scars that are visible, thick, indented, or raised, scar revision treatment is available to cut back their look. At Dr. Karishma Aesthetics, Bangalore, we have advanced scar treatment to help our patients achieve minimal or almost invisible scarring post-surgery, or we can even eliminate them depending on the type and extent of scars caused by specific procedures.

What Is Scarring and What Do You Understand by Minimal Scar Surgery?

Scarring can result from nearly anything that damages the skin, from acne to injuries or surgery. Once the wound heals, the post-effects occur, with resultant scars as a natural healing response. The body's healing process often fades the scar over time, especially those very minimal. For scarring that is a bit visible, some non-surgical options like microdermabrasion, fractional laser treatment, or chemical peels are suggested based on the type of scars and the patient's medical status, anatomy, and physiology profile. Fortunately, most scars are exceptionally treatable, and one or more cosmetic scar removal techniques, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or collagen injection, require a couple of sessions to offer improved results.

However, surgical intervention is required when the scars are more prominent, thick, raised, wide, or severe. Even though complete scar removal is not possible, the advanced technique used in the field of minimal scar surgery has proven the efficacy of scar removal treatment with the best-satisfied results.

Minimal Scar Surgery: Scarless or minimal scar surgery refers to a surgical technique that improves the appearance of scars or eliminates them using various advanced methods, such as endoscopic technique hidden incisions to achieve surgical results with reduced visible scarring, improving the aesthetic result for patients.

How Does Plastic Surgeon Minimize Scarring?

A qualified, board-certified plastic surgeon knows every trick and technique to conceal the surgical scars or what method of incision, way of cutting and suturing, and optimal wound care would be feasible for a patient seeking a scarless result. However, while doing the specific surgery, the plastic surgeon carefully analyses the available technique options before employing them to achieve scarless results.

If the scheduled surgery is a facelift, the following are the innovative ways Dr. Karishma Kagodu employs to offer you the best scarless outcomes:

1.    Hiding the Incision Lines (hidden incisions): Hiding the incision lines perfectly or placing them in the natural crease is the first prerequisite for a scarless result, especially in facial surgery. Dr. Karishma made incisions along your hairline or behind the ear for almost invisible facelift scars to offer you the best results. When that incision heals, there might be minor scarring, but placing them in the natural crease is hardly noticeable to the naked eye. For chin or cheek augmentation, incisions can be made in the mouth, and eyelid surgery requires incisions to be made along the creases of the eyelids to achieve the utmost camouflaged scars. Moreover, some incisions can be made inside the nose for rhinoplasty, and others might be hidden perfectly based on the plastic surgeon's aesthetic skills and surgical precision.   

2.    Cutting and Suturing: In many cases, Dr. Karishma will cut the skin and lift it off the fat layer. This technique helps prevent scarring, as the skin stretches more easily to achieve almost scarless results. In addition, when suturing involves a two-fold method, the underneath part of the incision is closed with resorbable sutures. Further, the top layers of skin are either glued together or sutured with very fine suture to minimize scarring.

3.    Wound Care: Dr. Karishma Kagodu recommends special scar care medications, topical or non-surgical methods, to conceal the resultant scars as much as possible. The type of minimal scar treatment or method is decided after thoroughly evaluating the patient's scar status concerning location, extent, type, and healing response to meet the desired scarless goals.

Here are some advancements in the field of minimal scar/ scarless surgery techniques available at Dr. Karishma Aesthetics:

A)  Cosmetic Surgery/ Plastic Surgery Innovations:

1.    Endoscopic Tummy tuck: Endoscopic tummy tuck surgery is also a scarless abdominoplasty that involves a small incision that helps stretch the abdominal muscles from the inside to restore the aesthetic contour of the abdomen. Since the incision is placed on the lower abdomen, near the usual location for a caesarean (C) section, which is only about two centimetres in length, resulting in a scarless result, this is a suitable tummy tuck technique for younger patients who have been through a single pregnancy, have good skin elasticity, but dealing with loose abdominal muscles.

2.    Autologous fat transfer/ grafting: In this procedure, the patient's body fat improves the scars or meets the desired contour result by filling the depression or groves caused by injuries/ trauma or scars. It is a less invasive procedure where small incisions are made on the donor areas, usually thighs, chest, flanks, or abdomen, to harvest the fat using liposuction. Furthermore, fat is purified with higher liquefication to inject/graft the fat superficially on the recipient sites to improve skin rejuvenation and help improve the contour of the desired location. 

B)   Cosmetic Dermatology:

1.    CO2 Fractional laser treatments: CO2 lasers specifically target and treat a wide variety of skin-related issues by targeting only a fraction of the tissue at a time. It accelerates faster healing and reduces the risk of scarring compared to traditional ablative lasers. It improves acne scars, spots, and depigmentation and offers uniform colouration.

2.    Chemical Peels: In cosmetology, a different set of chemical peels are used depending on the extent and type of scarring to treat various skin conditions with minimal impact on surrounding tissues, resulting in minimal scarring.

C)  Scar Prevention Therapies:

Silicone Sheets and Gels: These are used post-surgery to minimize scar formation. Silicone products help hydrate the skin, regulate collagen production, and reduce scar thickness and discolouration.

D)  Topical Skincare & Preventive Measures:

Karishma recommends specific skincare regimes preoperatively and post-surgery to enhance skin health and promote better wound healing, potentially reducing scarring. In addition, our expert dermatologist at Kaesthetics helps you achieve minimal scarring by recommending non-comedogenic moisturizers to keep any potential marks at bay.

It is important to note that while these techniques aim to minimize visible scarring, individual responses to surgery and wound healing can vary. Patients should discuss their realistic expectations and goals with the plastic surgeon to determine the most suitable approach based on their unique needs.

If you want to know more about minimal scar surgery in Bangalore, call us at +91 8042036382, +91 9108969006, or +91 7624809006 and schedule your in-person consultation today