If you’re considering a plastic surgery procedure, you likely know that scarring is inevitable with most surgeries. Fortunately, experienced board-certified plastic surgeons are adept at making these scars far less noticeable or almost invisible.
There are incidents of scars taking on red or dark hues, though, compelling patients to ask – what makes scars discolored?
It turns out that many factors can influence scar color after surgery.
Scarring Is a Natural Outcome of Surgery
The truth is, once you have a scar, nothing can truly get rid of it. But if you end up being unhappy with how a scar looks, scar revision may be an option.
As mentioned above, plastic surgeons are highly trained in minimizing the appearance of scarring in the first place. So for most, this isn’t an issue.
Yet, there are occasions when a scar can become noticeable after surgery because it becomes more darkly colored than the skin around it. This can be normal in the first year to year and a half after surgery when the scar is healing.
But if the discoloration remains after that, there could be several reasons.
What Makes Scars Discolored?
Many factors can contribute to the darkening of a scar. They are as follows:
- Post-Inflammatory Hyperemia
While new scars often appear pink or red, if there is persistent inflammation, this could lead to keloid formation. A board-certified plastic surgeon will be able to determine if this is what’s happening and then may recommend a pulsed dye laser to reduce redness and any discoloration caused by the inflammation.
- Differences in Skin Color
Many patients have a natural variation in skin color depending on the body part. For example, the skin might be lighter in areas like the knees, elbows, armpits, inner thighs, and pubic area. And that’s just to name a few.
In cases where plastic surgery requires grafting of large amounts of skin from somewhere else on your body, the scar may serve as a demarcation between these two different skin variations. It may look quite pronounced along incisions for procedures like a tummy tuck, thigh lift, arm lift, or breast surgery. This is typically treated with a combination of skin lighteners, exfoliative treatments, or lasers.
- Hyperpigmentation
There are occasions where a patient’s skin produces more melanin in the scar area. There’s no way to stop it, and the results can be long-lasting. Using exfoliating peels or skin-lightening creams can help reduce discoloration.
- Bruising (Hemosiderin)
Sometimes, there may be bleeding or bruising under the skin called hemosiderin discoloration. It most often occurs in the lower eyelids, face, and lower legs and is treated with lasers or exfoliation therapy.
- Sunlight
When a scar is still pink and new, the skin is more susceptible to damage from sunlight. That’s why a new scar should be kept out of the sun for six months to one year to avoid discoloration. In other words, it should essentially be covered from sunlight until it becomes a mature scar.
- Lifestyle
Poor nutrition, stress or tension on your incision line, and microbial contamination can all cause scar discoloration. So be sure to always follow the guidelines set by your surgeon for your specific procedure.
Are You Ready to Move Forward With Plastic Surgery?
Now that you know what to expect in terms of scarring and what makes scars discolored after surgery, hopefully you’re ready to take the next step.
Contact us today to speak with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons to discuss treatment options.
And remember, on the off chance that you do experience scar discoloration, there are plenty of treatments to help reduce its appearance. So let’s get started.