In Need of Scar Revision From Coronal Browlift – Should I Go To a Hair Transplant Surgeon or a Plastic Surgeon?
I had a coronal browlift done 7 years ago and was left with a widened scar on my head. I just went to a facial plastic surgeon who recommended a scar revision, basically just to strip off the scar skin and close it with trichophytic closure. I wonder if a hair transplant surgeon can perform this better than a plastic surgeon because he told me that this technique was first invented by a hair surgeon. Is there anything, like the tools or practices that would make the hair transplant surgeon a better choice? Thanks. – John
The challenge when repairing widened browlift scars is that many of the same conditions that were present when the original incision was made still exist- the tightness of the scalp, the curved shape of the skull in that area, and the general healing mechanism of the patient. Therefore, many times, scar repairs, whereby the scar tissue is excised and the incision opened up then sutured close, wind up with somewhat to little improvement. Yes, the trichophytic technique can make for a less detectable scar by allowing hairs to grow through the scar, but if the incision is closed under tension, there will still be some moderate show of scar.
That being said, it usually makes sense to try a scar repair to see how much if any improvement is possible. It has been my experience that, in many cases, transplanting hair into these browlift scars is very successful.
These hairs will in fact grow right through the scar, when proper techniques are used. You can see some examples of these procedures by going through some different doctors’ websites on the internet.
The ideal would be to find a surgeon who has proficiency/expertise in both fields- plastic surgery and hair transplantation- so that he or she can provide the best combination of therapies. Each one comes with unique skills: as a facial plastic surgeon who specializes in hair, I not only possess surgical skills that allow for the best possible incision closure, but also can determine when and if hair transplantation is a good option as well.
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The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons is a consumer organization that selectively screens skilled and ethical hair transplant surgeons. The IAHRS does not offer an open membership policy to doctors practicing hair transplatation, and is the only group that recognizes that all surgeons are not equal in their skill and technique. Its elite membership seeks to represent the best in the discipline, the true leaders in the field of surgical hair restoration.