Scars and tattoos were once thought of as permanently etched on your body. New technologies and surgical advancement has led to partial, if not close to complete, removal of both scars and tattoos, giving you back smooth, unblemished skin. What options are available largely depends on the individual case. The way the body heals, the nature of the scar or tattoo, and skin properties will all affect the cosmetic surgeon's ability to remove or conceal it. Fortunately, many people find that the plastic surgery options available for scar revision and tattoo removal can help them achieve their desired look.

The appearance of scars can vary greatly, from raised and red to a silvery white. For minor marks, injecting steroid medications can lessen its visibility and help to blend it into the surrounding area. In more severe cases, hypertrophic scars, or scars that occur at incision and wound sites, can be improved through surgery. The cosmetic surgeon will remove extra scarred tissue in the area and then close the incision in a manner that will camouflage it better than it had originally healed.

Steroid injections may be necessary for up to two years after surgery. Since you had the scar operated on, scar tissue can redevelop even thicker than before. Steroid injections can help to combat this. Keloids, or the thick scarred tissue that develops around the edge of wounds, are also treated with similar techniques.

Facial scars can be particularly embarrassing and noticeable. An effective method for diminishing their appearance is cutting out the scar tissue and finely stitching it closed to create a smaller, less visible mark in its place. Dermabrasion technique has some success in lessening the appearance. By buffing up the top layers of skin with an abrasive instrument, the dead cells are removed, leaving a smoother skin surface and possibly allowing the cicatrix to blend in more easily.

Z-plasty is sometimes used to reposition scars into a different position, hiding them within the natural lines of the face such as the nasiolabial fold. The incision used to achieve this is Z shaped, hence the name. Although this can help camouflage the mark, it will still be visible at certain angles and with certain facial movements.

Skin grafting is a more intense procedure used for serious burn and scar victims. Healthy skin is harvested from one area of the body and grafted onto the injured area. Although success rates are high, there is a chance the graft will be rejected. The recovery time is also lengthy and uncomfortable. You also have to keep in mind that skin harvest from the healthy area will leave more, although normally more subtle, scarring.

Tattoo removal is a different process from scar revision. How successfully the tattoo can be removed depends greatly on the depth of the ink, colors used, and individual skin characteristics. In most cases there will be improvement, but complete removal is impossible to achieve. Dermabrasion and cryosurgery are two popular and effective methods. Dermabrasion involves sanding away the first layers of skin, resulting in a lightened tattoo. In cryosurgery the area is frozen off.

Laser removal is probably the most popular and effective method. Light beams pulse across the skin and remove the cells. All of these treatments require multiple visits for maximum effectiveness.

While complete scar revision or tattoo removal is currently not possible, you can greatly improve their appearance with these available methods. Discuss with your cosmetic surgeon the options available to you.