Overcome the effects of injury or trauma
Soft tissue and skeletal injuries to the face, head and neck are not uncommon and they take an emotional and a physical toll on the individual. Daily living offers many opportunities for such injuries to occur, such as automobile accidents, accidental falls, sports injuries, cancer surgery, birth disfigurements and work-related injuries.
Fortunately, many of the effects of these injuries can be improved with facial reconstruction surgery. There is no longer a need to live with trauma. Specific methods of facial reconstruction will depend largely on the type of injury and the kind of tissue that needs to be replaced. Many injuries that only involve the skin and soft tissues may just require scar revision or scar camouflage techniques.
More complex trauma may involve boney (hard tissues) or a combination of boney and soft tissue injuries. These reconstructions often require multiple operations to achieve the ultimate desired goal for both function and appearance. They may sometimes require a team approach with other specialists in areas such as eye plastic surgery, dermatology, head and neck reconstructive surgery or general plastic surgery. The ultimate goal for Dr. Hayes is the best possible outcome for the patient.
Dr. Hayes is uniquely qualified and skilled in facial reconstructive surgery. He provides a high-level of expertise in restoring an aesthetic appearance, without sacrificing long-term functionality of the anatomical organs and structures of the face, head and neck. During a consultation visit he will discuss the surgery required for your injury and outline what results you may expect.
Scar Revision / Camouflage
Most people, are self-conscious about facial scars. Although scars cannot be removed completely, it is possible to minimize, camouflage or hide them through facial plastic surgery.
Some facial scars are unattractive simply because of where they appear on the face, while others actually interfere with facial expressions. With the use of revision techniques, scars can be made less apparent. Often they can be hidden in the natural creases or folds of the skin.
Scars can result from many types of trauma, including burns. Often, the type of scar determines which technique will provide the best result for you.
Different types of scars respond to different cosmetic surgery techniques, so the timing of surgery is another important decision. In the case of injury, you may be advised against any scar revision for a period of up to a year. The body must be allowed enough time to fully heal.
Severe burns that destroy large sections of skin cause the skin to heal irregularly, resulting in a puckered appearance. As the skin heals, muscles and tendons may be affected by this contracting movement.
Keloid scars are a result of the skin's overproduction of collagen after a wound has healed. These scars generally appear as growths in the scar site.
Hypertrophic scars, unlike keloids, do not grow out of the boundaries of the scar area, but because of their thick, raised texture, can be unsightly and may also restrict the natural movement of muscles and tendons.
Because scars are highly individual and the patient's attitude toward scars is so personal, maximum improvement in facial scars may require more than one procedure, and more than one technique may be employed.
During a consultation appointment, Dr. Hayes will discuss in detail which technique(s) will provide the best result for you. These procedures can be done either in the office with a local anesthesia or under general anesthesia in our surgery center.