Surgical Considerations
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In performing cosmetic surgery, basic surgical principles are observed. It is essential for a patient
to follow meticulously preoperative and postoperative instructions given in order to accomplish an
optimum result. The most significant advantage of cosmetic surgery is that it is performed mostly on
healthy individuals. However scars are the inevitable result of surgery since they are the body's natural
response in the healing process. Placing surgical incisions along natural tension lines and within natural
skin folds will be advantageous as will meticulous care in wound closure technique. Many other factors
including skin color and texture, heredity, age, location and skin care have a great bearing on the final appearance.
It takes an average of 6-12 months and sometimes longer for a scar to "mature". Unsightly scars may be improved by
changing their width, length, direction or plane. More than one surgical procedure is frequently necessary. Radiation
therapy to the scar or intradermal steroid injections can also be helpful in some cases. None of these procedures are
performed unless marked improvement is contemplated. More recently pressure on hypeotrophied scars or keloids has been
found to have beneficial effects. Properly applied cosmetics might be also necessary for camouflaging a scar.
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