Question:
I had a previous transplant that left me with a really bad donor scar. Can this be fixed somehow?
Answer:
In many cases an experienced surgeon can repair prior donor site scars that have widened. However, this is a very challenging area and having performed close to 1,000 of these donor site scar repairs, I have learned that even with the best techniques there are sometimes limitations to what can be accomplished. That being said, the most common technique is to do an excision of the scar with a complex layer plastic surgery closure. Other techniques include transplanting into the scar such as with follicular unit extraction grafts to avoid any more incisions or a combination of the excision with further planting. Lastly, for more severe scars, tissue expansion with the placement of a balloon expander under the scalp to stretch out the surrounding skin can be effective. Few surgeons are qualified to perform these procedures but they can be quite effective and I have used them personally with excellent results in a number of patients.
Posted by Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD, FACS
