Scar tissue prevention and revision - introduction to a special issue

Abstract

The wound healing process is complex and, despite many advances in both fundamental research and plastic surgery, the mechanisms underlying tissue repair remain poorly understood.After surgery or trauma, the plastic surgeon needs to use all the means at his or her disposal to both obtain a stable scar and achieve the most aesthetic result. However, before this can be achieved, there is a long and sometimes difficult phase, lasting up to 18-24 months. Moreover, the surgeon will sometimes have to deal with complications related to either poor or excessive (defective or pathological) scarring. These complications, which are both physiological and psychological, particularly in aesthetic plastic surgery, are difficult to treat since there is at present no consensus, and they thus continue to represent a significant public health issue. Therefore, it is important to understand all of the closely interwoven aspects of healing, including structural and surgical aspects, for both prevention and revision of scarring.