Scar formation is a natural and vital part of the body’s healing process. It repairs damaged tissues, seals open wounds and prevents microorganisms from entering the body. 

As helpful as they may be, scars are not a welcome addition for most individuals, as they can often appear unsightly and disfiguring. Worse, some scars become a permanent fixture on the skin, which can lead to mental repercussions. 

Scars come in varying colors, sizes, and forms depending on their cause. Some of the most common reasons to have a scar include an injury, burn, or a result of a treatment procedure, such as surgery.

During major surgical procedures, it’s common for doctors to utilize stitches to close up large wounds. However, this can leave obvious scarring on the skin, affecting one’s cosmetic appearance and self-esteem. 

Fortunately, there are ways to manage these scars and achieve your desired aesthetic appearance. 

What are stitch marks?

Surgical stitches or sutures are specialized threads used to close lacerations or repair deep wounds. They facilitate healing by holding the injured tissues together, allowing the body to form blood clots and new layers of collagenous tissues to seal the injury.

As the wound and skin heal, it’s normal for sutures to leave scars or markings in their wake, which are called stitch marks. All surgical procedures leave stitch marks. These scars are a normal part of the healing process as cell alignment gets disrupted by the injury and new tissues grow over the injured ones. 

Are there different types of scars from stitches?

Bodies heal differently and react differently to stitches. So, the appearance of stitch marks can vary and depend on one’s body and a whole lot of factors, such as:

• The type of wound or injury you have (e.g., shallow, deep, or jagged).
• The suture technique used to close the wound.
• The location of your stitches.
• If proper wound care was observed during the healing phase.

Therefore, stitch marks have varying appearances, such as a pale brown line, a crisscross, or an overgrown, raised scar. 

Are stitch marks permanent?

Surgical sutures may leave more permanent scarring on the skin than superficial wounds or bruises. This is especially true for major procedures, such as mastectomy, appendectomy, or facial surgery after an injury. 

Sometimes, large suture wounds can develop into hypertrophic or keloid scarring. These thick and raised scars occur as an abnormal response to wound healing. This can typically happen for injuries sustained from direct trauma, burn, or surgical procedures.

Can scars from stitches be removed?

Small, superficial scarring from sutures may fade over time. Your doctor may also instruct you about proper wound care and recommend topical ointments to minimize scarring. Dermabrasion, chemical peel, and laser therapy may also do the trick of improving stitch marks. 

However, these are only possible for certain injuries. Non-invasive techniques won’t be enough to remove scarring that covers large portions of the skin. Such stitch marks will require more aggressive procedures such as surgery.

How do you get rid of old scars from stitches?

Stitch marks are an unavoidable result of surgical procedures. After the wound has healed, a scar will remain, often appearing noticeable depending on its size and location. Fortunately, these types of scarring may be improved with the help of an expert plastic surgeon.

There are multiple ways to surgically reconstruct noticeable and prominent scars, and that is through scar revision procedures.

Scar revision

Scar revision refers to a variety of procedures that aim to aesthetically enhance the appearance of any type of scar, such as old stitch marks. This may also improve function.

Scar revision involves various techniques, such as surgical scar removal, laser surgery, cryotherapy, skin graft, tissue expansion, and more. The methods used will depend on the type of scarring your old stitch marks developed into. 

For example, if the stitch marks develop into large hypertrophic or keloid scars, your surgeon may opt to remove the raised scar surgically. This will allow them to reconstruct the surrounding tissue either by skin grafting or suturing.

Another way is to reposition a noticeable scar into a location where it’ll be less conspicuous. Your surgeon may also align the scar tissue along the body's natural contours so it won’t be as noticeable as before.

Can old scars be improved by plastic surgery?

Yes. Doctors perform plastic surgery through scar revision to remove old, unsightly scars. Plastic surgery can do the following:

• Reposition a scar by creating another incision within the natural folds of the surrounding tissue.
• Perform skin grafting to cover up scarring.
• Allow the scar to blend with the color of its surrounding skin.
• Reconstruct dimpled or sunken scars.
• Perform skin expansion to reconstruct burn scars.

Where to find the best facility for plastic surgery for scars in Miami?

Dr. Thomas J Zaydon of the Plastic Surgery Institute of Miami specializes in scar revision and reconstructive surgery. He has been helping patients with traumatic scars for over 20 years using innovative techniques and state-of-the-art equipment. Dr. Zaydon is also an expert in various fields and practices of plastic surgery, such as:

• Facial plastic surgery 
• Plastic surgery for burns
• Plastic surgery consultant
• Plastic surgery expert witness
• Plastic surgery independent medical exam
• Plastic surgery peer reviews

Contact us now so we can help you achieve the best version of yourself!

 

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.

 

Skin cancer refers to the irregular growth of cells in the outermost layer of the skin called the epidermis. According to research, skin cancer affects more than 3 million Americans yearly. In fact, over 9,500 adults in America get diagnosed with this condition every day.

Skin cancer is categorized into three main types depending on the type of skin cell it affects. They are as follows:

• Basal cell carcinoma  

is the most commonly occurring form of skin cancer characterized by the abnormal growth of basal cells in the epidermis. It usually develops on skin areas frequently exposed to the sun, such as the face and the neck. 

• Squamous cell carcinoma 

is a type of cancer that affects the squamous cells of the skin. It presents itself as a red nodule or flat sore that can occur anywhere in the body, specifically areas commonly exposed to the UV rays of the sun or tanning beds.

• Melanoma 

is the most severe type of skin cancer that affects the melanocytes at the lower part of the epidermis. It is considered life-threatening because it proliferates quickly and tends to spread to the other parts or organs of the body.

Most patients develop skin cancer due to overexposure to UV (ultraviolet) rays coming from the sun, tanning beds, and other sources. 

Initially, frequent exposure to the UV rays causes the skin to develop sunburns and slight scarring. The damage will start to build up as the skin repeatedly gets exposed, causing it to sustain some disfigurement in its appearance, texture, and color.

Fortunately, the right plastic surgeon can help remove these cancerous lesions while still preserving the health and appearance of your skin.

How is skin cancer detected and diagnosed?

Skin cancer is one of the easiest conditions to detect. You can quickly see it by examining your skin thoroughly一from your scalp to the soles of your feet. Some of the most common appearances of skin cancer include:

• A growing mole or one that changes in color and texture

• Scaly patch

• Non-healing lesions that may sometimes be painful

• A brown or black spot or bump

• Dark streaks under the nails

Once you find a suspicious-looking spot on your skin, it’s crucial to visit your GP, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon right away. Your physician will examine the skin and perform a skin biopsy test to confirm if the suspicious spot is cancerous.

If the biopsy does reveal that it is cancer, then your surgeon will proceed with treating it by removal or excision. 

If the carcinoma is large, your doctor might need to conduct a few other tests to see if the cancer has already infiltrated the nearby lymph nodes. Additional tests may include imaging exams, such as a CT scan or PET scan, to determine the extent and staging of your cancer.

Skin cancer removal and reconstruction

Treatment for skin cancer may vary depending on its size, severity, depth, and location. For example, an early skin cancer lesion may be treated using non-surgical methods, such as applying topical creams. 

However, a severe and large one will require surgical excision, often leaving a scar or a hole in the skin. Luckily, here’s where your plastic surgeon may come in handy. 

No surgical procedure leaves the skin unscarred. But the good news is that these scars and disfigurements don’t need to be a permanent feature in your face or body. A plastic surgeon like Dr. Zaydon can help reconstruct the skin defect left by the cancerous lesion through different procedures, such as:

Primary repair

Skin cancer lesions that are small and superficial may be removed completely during the skin biopsy test. Once removed, your plastic surgeon may perform a simple primary repair of the resulting wound by suturing its edges.

Your surgeon may extend the wound’s incision and then stitch it up in line with your skin’s tension lines. The resulting scar will now have a much smoother edge and minimal visibility.

Local flap reconstruction

A local flap reconstruction or adjacent tissue rearrangement is the primary technique used for skin cancer reconstruction in the face. 

The local flap method involves repositioning a nearby healthy tissue to cover the resulting cancer lesion, thus minimizing its visibility once it’s healed. Your surgeon will suture the local flap in conjunction with the tension lines of your face or body. 

Skin grafting

Instead of a local flap, your plastic surgeon may opt to do skin grafting, especially if the cancer defect is large but shallow. This technique involves removing healthy skin from a part of your body and then using it to reconstruct the cancer wound in another part of your skin. 

However, a few disadvantages may come with skin grafting, such as unmatched contour and color and failure of new blood vessels to grow.

Scar revision

Cancer lesions that have already healed into visible scars may still be reconstructed by your surgeon through scar revision. This involves different techniques that can help minimize the scarring and allow it to blend into the surrounding skin for optimal aesthetic results. This includes the following:

• Topical treatments
• Injectables or dermal filler
• Surface treatments, such as laser therapy, dermabrasion, and chemical peel solutions.

Skin cancer screening and prevention

Despite innovative treatments and reconstructive surgeries, the best treatment is still prevention. So here are several ways how you can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer:

• Avoid sun exposure or stay in the shade, specifically from 10 am to 4 pm, where UV rays are at its strongest.

• Make it a habit to wear a broad-spectrum sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher.

• Avoid using tanning beds and other indoor tanning activities that use UV rays.

• Examine yourself every month and look for unusual lesions, bumps, and spots.

• Get yourself checked by your dermatologist or plastic surgeon at least once a year.

Even if you don’t have any history of skin cancer, it’s vital to see your doctor annually (or more) for a skin examination. Early diagnosis of skin cancer allows your physician to administer treatment, thus preventing its spread and increasing your chances of survival.

Where to find the best plastic surgery consultant in Miami?

If you’re looking for a doctor specializing in reconstructive surgery of cancer defects and scars, then you have come to the right place.

Dr. Thomas J. Zaydon is a board-certified reconstructive plastic surgeon who has been practicing in this field for more than 30 years. He can help repair your damaged skin, restore its appearance, and permanently erase the defects left by the skin cancer. 

Besides cancer defects and wounds, Dr. Zaydon is also an expert in plastic surgery of burned skin and plastic surgery for scars in Miami.

Contact us now or visit our website to learn more about the beauty of reconstructive procedures.

 

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.