What are my scar treatment options?
Together, you and Dr. Engineer may choose several of the following surgical treatment options:
Skin grafts
A skin graft uses healthy skin from one area of the body and uses it to replace the burned area. Dr. Engineer will either perform split-thickness or full-thickness grafts, depending upon the healthy skin available and what he judges will be more effective for you.
Tissue expansion
During tissue expansion, a silicone balloon is inserted under healthy skin and slowly filled over time, allowing the skin to grow naturally. Then, the balloon is deflated and removed, and this new, healthy skin can be used to treat burn scars.
Free tissue transfer
Free autologous tissue transfer allows your surgeon to transplant healthy tissue from one area of the body to another, resulting in the improvement of the appearance of burn scars
Adjacent tissue transfer
In some cases, if there is not enough appropriate healthy tissue on the body for free tissue transfer or skin grafts, adjacent tissue flaps may provide a solution
Z-plasty
Z-plasty is a traditional reconstructive plastic surgery technique which allows the surgeon to rearrange the soft tissue to improve the appearance of scars and loosen tight burn scars that affect mobility.