The goal of every doctor is to make his or her patient happy 100% with their care or surgical outcome. This is particularly true of plastic surgeons. However, there are instances where patients might need a little tweak or a more complex “do over” so that they have the best result possible.
One of the most common reasons people seek out revision surgery is for scar improvement. There is no way to remove a scar. The trade-off for a flatter tummy or a taut jawline is a that there will be a surgical scar. A qualified plastic surgeon knows where to place his or her incisions so that the resulting scar is in the least visible area as possible.
Unfortunately, some people don’t heal well. Their bodies tend to go into overdrive, leaving them with red, lumpy or hypertrophic scars. While not dangerous, they can be unsightly. Most scar revision surgeries can be done in the office under local anesthetic. During a revision surgery for scars, our doctors can improve the appearance of the scar by removing excess scar tissue and/or excising a jagged scar and closing the skin so that the new scar is linear.
Occasionally, patients come to us wanting to “move” their scar. For example, we often see patients that had a tummy tuck in the past. Unfortunately, their scar was placed higher on their abdomen than desired. Dr. Jocelyn Leveque or Dr. Peter Butler maybe able to perform a “mini tuck” where the existing scar is removed, the abdominal skin is pulled down and the new scar located lower on the abdomen.
Following a scar revision surgery, we recommend a scar treatment gel that’s available in our office to promote healing and reduce the redness of the scar. In some cases, appearance of scars can be improved non-surgically, using treatments such as fractional laser, IPL and microneedling.
The second most common surgical revision we see is for breast surgery. The most typical case is that of a patient that had breast augmentation years ago and now wants to change the size of her implants or have her implants removed. The need for this type of revision isn’t due to a lack of surgical skill on the part of the doctor, but rather the effects of age, gravity and perhaps weight fluctuations or breastfeeding, on the patient. While less common, we do see patients whose breast implants were poorly placed initially. This can mean that the breasts are uneven, too high, too low or too far apart. In a revision surgery, the doctor can modify the “pocket” of the implant, so that the breasts are better positioned on the body.
The best way to safe guard against having to have revision surgery is to choose your plastic surgeon carefully. It is important that your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Remember, a “board-certified cosmetic surgeon” isn’t the same thing. Look for a surgeon that is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Only surgeons that have undergone rigorous training in plastic and reconstructive surgery and submitted an extensive number of surgical case files are eligible for membership.
If you’ve had a previous surgery and you’re unhappy with the results or have questions about a possible revision surgery, schedule a consultation with Dr. Peter Butler and Dr. Jocelyn Leveque, the award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeons at Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery.
