Burns and scar revision cosmetic surgery by Dr. Shahin Fazilat can improve the appearance of burns or scars from an injury, a fire, an accident, or a congenital condition.
Dr. Fazilat has specialized training in reconstructive and oncoplastic microsurgery to offer his patients the best options for burns and scar revision surgery.
Typically, the severity of a scar depends on a variety of factors, including the size and depth of the wound, the blood supply to that area, and the thickness and color of your skin. Some people, especially if you have deeper skin tones, have a tendency to produce prominent, raised scars called keloids.
Burns and scar revision often include debriding, or removal of the dead tissue, followed by plastic or reconstructive surgery. Typical wound treatment procedures can be:
- Skin grafts, which is used most often to remove one area of the skin and transplant it to another.
- Free flap procedures, which can transfer muscle, skin, or bone with the original blood supply from one area of your body to another to reconstruct the area with microsurgery.
- Tissue expansion that enables your body to “grow” extra skin for use in the reconstructive procedures.
Our approach to burn and scar revision
During your burns and scar revision consultation with Dr. Fazilat, he will discuss the options and alternatives in great detail, providing you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about your particular procedure.
Burns and scar revision surgery is most often an option for patients who have:
- Atrophic scars, which are thin or flat
- Contracture scars, which occur when large areas of the skin are lost, often restricting adjacent tendons or muscles because the remaining skin is pulled tightly together
- Hypertrophic scars, which are thick, red, raised and occur within a wound’s edges
- Keloid scars, which can be swollen, painful and often itch, look like hypertrophic scars but are firm and extend beyond the wound’s edges
Prior to your burns and scar revision, Dr. Fazilat will discuss a number of important decisions to make when planning your procedure. He will personally walk you through your options and share recommendations based on the latest research, advances in the field, and what’s best for your particular case.
The SF | Bay Area Plastic Surgery difference
Once you have booked your burns and scar revision surgery, you will receive a pre-operative appointment, which is typically two weeks before your surgery. During this appointment, you will be given instructions for your surgery, as well as any medical request forms for necessary blood work or related medical tests. Dr. Fazilat will also take any pre-operative photos and review your planned procedure(s), so you can ask any final questions. Our office will contact you by phone or by email to review your instructions and your health history.
After your pre-operative appointment, if you have any questions regarding your instructions, you can contact our offices in Mountain View and Morgan Hill, CA by phone or email at any time.
Typically, burns and scar revision surgery is performed as an out-patient procedure under general anesthesia with a certified anesthesiologist; surgical times vary, depending on your particular case and procedure.
Recovering from burns and scar revision at SF | Bay Area Plastic Surgery
After burns and scar revision, it is typical for our patients to feel mild to severe pain if the surgery was performed on their hands, which are very sensitive parts of the body.
Soreness and pain for burns and scar revision usually passes in 7 to 10 days, with many patients returning to work within 2 weeks, though strenuous activity should be avoided for up to 4 weeks. The patient should also have an adult stay with them for 24 hours following the surgery to monitor their recovery.
Recovery time from a split-thickness skin graft is generally less than three weeks; for a full-thickness skin graft, the recovery time is typically a few weeks longer. For a free-flap procedure and tissue expansion, healing of the surgical site can be slow and require frequent wound care with a total recovery time of six to eight weeks or longer.
To enhance your recovery from burns and scar revision, Dr. Fazilat may recommend rehabilitation therapy (physical and/or occupational) under the guidance of a trained hand therapist.
Dr. Fazilat will schedule a follow-up post-recovery office visit to discuss your progress.
Request your consultation
We invite you to schedule your cosmetic consultation with SF | Bay Area Plastic Surgery today; we’d love to be a part of your journey to a more youthful you. To learn more about burn and scar revision surgery, please call us today at 650.964.2200 or complete this form on our website to request an initial consultation in Mountain View or Morgan Hill, California.
