The Issue of Scars

When the normal scarring process goes awry, the scar does not fade as it normally would. The affect of an abnormal scar goes beyond the cosmetic concern about such a scar’s appearance. Abnormal scars can itch or hurt, can impact joint mobility and can affect psychological confidence.¹ The negative impact resulting from scars can cause depression, anxiety, a withdrawal from society and more generally, a lack of self-assurance. The reduction in scarring may help to regain one's self confidence.

The majority of people have at least one scar on their body and fortunately for most, it is not of any concern. However, for some people it is a problem. There is a wide range of things that influence how we feel about scars including the location of the scar, our age, gender and how the scar occurred.

Doctors try to do everything they can to minimize the scar potential after surgery and certainly technique can make a huge difference. For example, plastic surgeons often place the incision for breast augmentation under the arm so even if a scar does develop, it would be less visible. However, technique and location are not always the answer.