Dr. Sam Lam Plastic Surgery Forum

Hi Dr. Lam! I am so glad I found your site! I had 3 depressed chicken pox scars on the left side of my face that I had revised on July 22nd this year. One was right below my left eye, one right below my nose where the smile line would be and one right above my lip on the end. They seem to be healing okay, but I am really concerned about the one by my lip. That was the smallest pox scar of the 3 and now it is very noticeable and seems more indented to me. The skin on one side has a little bump where the skin is not flat. I assume that is from the stitches. The Dr. told me this would flatten out, but it hasn't and the scar looks bigger than what it originally was. I read that you say to wait at least 6 months before you will even do anything, but I'm scared that this won't get any better. Am I wrong or shouldn't these scars not be indented anymore? The one by my smile line seems longer and is still somewhat indented, but I guess these are all still healing. The Dr. used a punch excision and said they would look better. What do you recommend I do? Do I keep waiting? I can post a picture if that would help.

few things:
1. at a month, you need to be listening to your doctor not to me since he knows your situation and is taking care of you.
2. a scar can be depressed early and fill in later. is that your situation? obviously i don't know.
3. it could be filled with some microsilicone down the road.
4. the only time i intervene early is if i see the scar getting thicker or turning redder, then i use KTP laser and non-steroid based 5FU injection.
best,
sml

I hope it will fill in. Before the scar revision it was depressed, but it was alot smaller. The Dr. said it would flatten out and that since it was around my mouth it would take longer because the skin is much softer there. How long should I wait before going back to my Dr and questioning him or going somewhere else to have it looked at. I also want to add that the Dr did not make any followup appts with me after getting the stitches out. Thanks for getting back to me so soon!

honestly, that is a question you must ask your physician not me. i really do not like interfering with a patient's after care so soon following a procedure.

Oh sorry, I understand. I was just wondering how long in general it takes for scar revisions to look better. I know these things take time. I just didn't know how much time.

for me, i tell my patients one year to get it where i would like but during that year at times i intervene with 5FU, KTP, and dermabrasion as needed to get it to look as good as possible as the year mark approaches.

Thank you so much! I will definitely give it some more time and if I'm not liking what I see after much more time then I will be calling Dr. or finding a new one.

great!