Liposuction and Scarring

    PHOENIX, AZ, August 13, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- One of the primary concerns patients have about any type of plastic surgery procedure is scarring. As an inevitable side effect of all surgical procedures, scarring cannot be completely avoided; however, it can be significantly minimized to the point where it is hardly discernible.

When it comes to liposuction, the amount of scarring you are left with will depend upon your skin's elasticity. Skin with good elasticity will retract and tighten over the abdominal area after the liposuction procedure is complete, while skin with poor elasticity may sag or become loose, resulting in an irregular skin surface.

Smaller Incisions Mean Smaller Scars

One of the most attractive aspects of liposuction is the fact that it uses minor incisions which produce very small scars. These small scars can be further minimized by a skilled plastic surgeon. Many plastic surgeons will make a strategic incision at an area of the body where the scar will not be easily seen.

While every patient's body heals (and therefore scars) differently, the small incisions used in modern liposuction techniques will generally fade and disappear over time.

Types of Scars That Can Occur After Liposuction

Besides a regular scar, two other types of marks can potentially remain on your skin after liposuction:
- A hyper-pigmented (dark) spot
- A hypo-pigmented (light) spot

The change in pigmentation that leads to the presence of these spots is called dyschromia, a condition that is sometimes caused by the trauma that occurs at the incision site during surgery.

Any type of skin injury - whether it is a rash, an insect bite, or a surgical incision - can result in inflammation. Occasionally, this inflammation can cause the pigmentation in a person's skin to darken. This type of mark usually disappears in under six months, but if a patient has naturally dark skin, the hyper-pigmentation can last for 2 to 4 years.

Meanwhile, trauma at an incision site can sometimes produce the opposite effect, resulting in a loss of pigmentation. The friction caused by the in-and-out movement of the cannula during liposuction can injure or kill off pigment cells in the tissue surrounding your incision site. This type of scarring can last for several years.

If you live in the Glendale or Phoenix areas of Arizona and would like more information about what to expect from liposuction, please visit the website of board-certified Glendale plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Angelchik, MD today at www.doctorangelchik.com.

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