Reducing Risks of Facial Scarring

Risk factors for the formation of facial scars include skin type, ethnicity, scar location, and certain medical conditions that contribute to poor or delayed healing. Risk of scar can be reduced with appropriate surgical planning, including proper placement and design of incisions, meticulous skin closure, aseptic technique, and wound care to improve healing. Common pathologic scars include hypertrophic scars and keloid scars, each of which has unique approaches to surgical revision and medical treatment due to their respective risks of recurrence. Topical scar therapies, medical therapies, and surgical revision techniques for improvement in final scar appearance are discussed.