Ethnicity, Scarring and Plastic Surgery

WASHINGTON, DC, January 09, 2011 (Press-News.org) Scarring is one of the most common concerns for anyone considering plastic surgery. Ethnicity plays a large role in determining your risk of excessive scarring. People with non-Caucasian ancestry are at a greater risk of developing visible scars, thick scar, raised scars, and skin discoloration. The darker the skin the more the risk increases. However, as plastic surgery has advanced, plastic surgeons have learned techniques that can prevent or minimize scarring in high-risk patients.

Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars

Hypertrophic and keloid scars are both thick, raised scars that can cause discomfort as well as being cosmetically displeasing. A hypertrophic scar stays within the boundaries of the original wound or incision. A keloid grows beyond the boundaries of the injury to the skin forming a growth that can become larger and painful.

People of any ethnic background can develop both of these types of scars, but the likelihood is much greater in people of African, Asian, and Hispanic ancestry. If you have a history of forming these types of scars you are also more likely to develop them in the future.

Ethnicity is not the only risk factor. Hypertrophic and keloid scars are more likely to form when there is tension on or inflammation of the wound.

If you are at an elevated risk of developing hypertrophic or keloid scars, a highly skilled cosmetic surgeon has several options to help prevent their formation. Careful placement of incision, so that they are less visible, is an obvious choice. Opting for minimally invasive procedures or techniques can minimize the inflammation cause by the procedure and tension on the wound. Stitching deeper layer of skin can also help reduce the tension.

In some procedures, BOTOX injections can be used to minimize tension the healing incision, as well, by relaxing or temporarily paralyzing the muscles that would normally pull on the skin and tissues around the incision.

Discoloration

Skin discoloration can come in the form of hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. Non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures such as chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, and dermabrasion carry the risk of causing dark, blotchy areas or excessive lightening in darker skin.

A facial cosmetic surgeon who has experience with darker skin can help you choose the safest procedures and safest variations. He may even recommend a skin test on a less visible part of your body, if you are at high risk.

Please visit the website of NOVA SurgiCare, PC, Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area Center for Oral & Facial Rejuvenation, to learn more about the risks and benefits of plastic surgery.

Website: http://www.novasurgicare.com/