Burn scars / Scars correction
Many of us have experienced minor burns at one time or another but burns that involve plastic surgery refer to severe skin injuries caused by a heated source (thermal burns) or from chemical reactions or the results of electrical currents passing through the body (electrical burns).
Depending on the extent of the damage, burns are classified into the following types:
- First-degree burns: partial thickness burn, damage only the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis.
- Second-degree burns: partial thickness burn, damage in both the outer layer and the layer underneath; there might also be blisters present.
- Third-degree burns: they destroy all layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissues.
Scars are the visible marks formed on the skin after a wound has healed. They are a natural part of the healing process and appear when the skin heals wounds or from tissue damage caused by an accident, surgery or illness.
Technique
Burn treatments, depending on the severity of the injury and the area of the body, require special techniques in order to avoid functional problems in the first place.
Thus, during the acute phase, the doctor tries to eliminate the risk of infection in the burned area by removing dead tissue and covering the wound with skin grafts.
At a later stage, when the acute phase is over, the appropriate treatment of post-traumatic scars will be considered. The use of skin grafts, local flaps and specialized techniques may need more than one operation.
As such, the gradual recovery of the burned area is achieving satisfactory results not only in terms of functionally but also aesthetically.
Regarding the scars, plastic surgery nowadays allows them to be corrected with different methods depending on the case, such as:
- Application of topical drugs
- Laser therapy for burn scars
- Plastic surgery techniques (Z-plastic, W-plastic, etc.)
What to expect after surgery
- The burned area is usually wrapped with a bandage, even in the case of grafting and the donor site. The use of surgical drains for fluid collection is a common practice.
- Your doctor will give you specific home care instructions including medication intake, personal hygiene practices, physical activity and gradual return to your daily routine.
Useful Information
- There are many factors that affect wound healing which interfere with the unique characteristics or individual combination of genes. In some cases, scars heal and become more obvious compared to other less visible ones. Even when a wound heals, the scar that occurs can significantly affect a person's appearance.
- Scar revision surgery aims at improving the condition of a scar or reducing it so that it blends in with the surrounding skin tone and texture.
- Improved scars can give you an aesthetically satisfactory result that can be done at any age and also boost your lost self-confidence.
- In our office we apply personalized treatment plans following different or a combination of therapies, in order to achieve a harmonious aesthetic result.
